Feb 4, 2022 5 min read

MOBILE, Ala. – The Senior Bowl practices have now wrapped up and it will be on to the Scouting Combine in Indianapolis at the end of the month.

The Steelers have plenty of other issues they need to take care of before that happens. They need to name a new defensive coordinator. They’ll need to fill out the other spots on their coaching staff – depending on who moves into what spots. And they’ll have to find a replacement for GM Kevin Colbert.

Along the way, they need to decide how they want to approach the quarterback position this offseason.

To say this is the most important offseason for the team in well over a decade, isn’t a stretch.

After watching the quarterbacks practice here this week in Mobile, there are three the Steelers should consider with the 20th pick in the draft – Pitt’s Kenny Pickett, Malik Willis of Liberty and Matt Corral of Ole Miss.

The Steelers are going to be linked to a number of veteran quarterbacks across the league this offseason. In fact, every time someone talks or writes about a veteran quarterback potentially being available for a trade, the Steelers are mentioned.

But it’s unlikely they jump into that market.

For example, why give up draft picks to acquire the 49ers’ Jimmy Garoppolo when you also would have to take on his $24.2-million base salary for 2022? That makes no sense.

The Steelers likely will go the rookie route – unless they sign a veteran in free agency.

• If the Steelers don’t take a quarterback in the first round, their pick will almost certainly be an offensive lineman.

Keep and eye on Trevor Penning of Northern Iowa. He was one of the stars of the Senior Bowl.

• Brian Flores’ allegations against the NFL regarding minority hiring practices should be taken seriously.

There were nine head coaching openings in the league this year and four have been filled, while a fifth, the Vikings hiring Rams offensive coordinator Matt O’Connell, won’t happen until after the Super Bowl.

That’s five white guys, leaving Mike Tomlin as the only black head coach in the NFL.

Washington’s Ron Rivera and Robert Saleh of the Jets are the other two minority coaches in the NFL right now.

That’s a problem.

But Flores also alleges that he was paid bonus money to lose games in 2019 as head coach of the Dolphins, who fired him last month after back-to-back winning seasons.

Former Browns head coach Hue Jackson then spoke up and claims he was in the same situation in Cleveland a few years ago.

The problem is that after both coaches pulled off their tanking, they were fired.

Paying coaches a bonus to lose is an issue. And the league is investigating those claims.

One thing the league could do is something that happens in the NHL and NBA where there is a lottery system to keep teams from tanking for higher draft picks.

It shouldn’t be necessary in the NFL because one player typically can’t turn a franchise around. But we’ve now seen how quickly Joe Burrow has helped turn things around in Cincinnati.

It could lead more teams to go into tank mode.

• It’s appearing less and less likely there will be any kind of spring training in baseball because of the current lockout.

And the longer the lockout goes, the farther back the start of the season will get pushed. It’s not like the lockout can end and a week later teams will be playing ball.

Pitchers will need time to build arm strength.

Pushing the start of the season back is a distinct possibility. And given baseball’s declining viewership, the longer games aren’t played, the worse it is for the game.

• The Penguins pull into the NHL All-Star break in fifth place in the Eastern Conference with 62 points.

They should be in the Stanley Cup playoffs again.

But do they have the look of a Stanley Cup champion? Perhaps not.

This is a team that needs a second goalie in the worst way.

After his playoff flop a year ago, Tristan Jarry is playing well. His 2.21 goals-against average is fifth-best in the NHL.

But he’s also appeared in 37 games, which is second-most in the league to Nashville’s Juuse Saros, who has appeared in 38.

Backup Casey DeSmith has an .892 save percentage. That’s simply nowhere near good enough.

Acquiring a second goalie is a must for this team – especially given Jarry’s playoff record of just 2-5 in his career.

Jarry has been good, bordering on great. But to go into the postseason without a viable backup would be a huge mistake.