When a season ends, you are left with an uneasy feeling of “what now?”

I remember in my 13 years as a varsity head coach of boys lacrosse in Maryland, whenever the season ended I would find myself not really knowing what to do for about a week after the season ended. After uniform collections, season ending meetings with players/coaches and the season-ending banquet, I was left wondering what to do.

For the entire season it was a rhythm week-in and week-out. Go to practice, film study, coaches meetings, rinse and repeat until game day. After game day, you went back to the practice plan. But when it’s all over, you are left with nothing but questions.

This is obviously factual for the Pittsburgh Steelers players and coaches, but also the fans. Once they get past the fact the season is over, the fan base is left digesting all content they can as it pertains to quotes from the locker room and Mike Tomlin’s end-of-season press conference.

There are plenty of questions surrounding the Steelers this offseason, but one should be paramount when it comes to how the team handles decisions moving forward…

Are the Steelers one player away from being a contender?

Think about that for a second. Are they one player, doesn’t matter what position, from being a legitimate Super Bowl contender?

Now, almost everyone reading this would read the question and think of one position, that being the quarterback position. But some might suggest finding a big-name offensive tackle or inside linebacker could be equally impactful for the success of the team not just getting over the proverbial hump, but being a contender.

For those who might lean towards quarterback play, know you aren’t alone. There is no position in flux this offseason more than the quarterback position. Do they keep Kenny Pickett as QB1, as Tomlin suggested in his press conference Thursday, do they consider drafting a quarterback in a QB-heavy draft class, or do they sign a big-name free agent? What about a trade? Or could they do three of the four?

To me, it all depends on how they view themselves as an organization. Do they feel as if they are one player away? If they do, then you sell out to get that one player, presumably a quarterback. However, if you aren’t one player away, then it seem foolish and downright wrong to sell the proverbial farm for a player who won’t truly be able to turn the tides.

Every fan of the Steelers around the globe is looking at this posed question differently. Some would say the Steelers are far from one player away. Fair enough. Likewise, some are saying they are a quarterback, or a singular player, away from potentially being the team everyone wants them to be.

As for me, I find it hard to believe the team is genuinely one player away from being a true Super Bowl contender. Maybe if the team is able to fill other holes via free agency, but as we sit here right now I can’t say the Steelers are just one player away from changing their 2024 futures to that extent.

But what about you? Let us know what you think in the comment section below, and be sure to stay tuned to SCN for the latest news and notes surrounding the Steelers as they prepare for what could be a very tumultuous offseason.