Pittsburgh Steelers: Top free agency, NFL draft needs for 2017

As they wade through free agency and prepare to evaluate draft prospects at the Indianapolis Scouting Combine (March 1-6), the Pittsburgh Steelers must decide which players to keep as they seek to improve upon their 11-5 record from last season.

The Sports Xchange and NFLDraftScout.com evaluated the Steelers' roster and created a shopping list to use in free agency and to reference during the Combine.

The Steelers rode running back Le'Veon Bell to the playoffs in 2016, and now they are faced with trying to re-sign him. The franchise tag could be coming, with the deadline for that on March 1. They are also hoping to have wide receiver Martavis Bryant back from his suspension, but don't know whether he can be counted on to avoid testing positive again.

On the other side of the ball, the pass defense (rush and coverage) will be a point of emphasis in free agency and the draft.

2016 finish: 1st AFC North (11-5)

STATISTICS

TOTAL OFFENSE: 372.60 (7th)

RUSHING: 110.0 (14th)

PASSING: 262.6 (T5th)

TOTAL DEFENSE: 342.6 (12th)

RUSHING: 100.0 (13th)

PASSING: 242.6 (16th)

NEEDS, SHOPPING LIST

TOP 3 NEEDS

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER

James Harrison will be 39 and likely entering his final season. The Steelers need to find his replacement because Jarvis Jones did not work out.

UFA TARGETS (Age, previous contract's average annual salary)

Chandler Jones, Arizona (27, $2.04M)

Nick Perry, Green Bay (27 in April, $5.05M)

Melvin Ingram, L.A. Chargers (28 in April, $2.1M)

DeMarcus Ware, Denver (35 in July, $10M)

Julius Peppers, Green Bay (37, $8.67M)

DRAFT TARGETS (Rating pos/overall, Player, School, Ht., Wt., 40 time, Proj. Rd.)

1/18 Zach Cunningham, Vanderbilt, 6-3, 230, 4.74, 1 (underclassman)

2/26 Takkarist McKinley, UCLA, 6-2, 258, 4.58, 1

3/27 Tim Williams, Alabama, 6-3, 252, 4.76, 1

4/31 Haason Reddick, Temple, 6-1, 237, 4.54, 1-2

5/48 T.J. Watt, Wisconsin, 6-4, 243, 4.76, 2 (underclassman)

CORNERBACK

The Steelers need to find a corner opposite Artie Burns who can play in press coverage and handle man-to-man assignments because the pass defense is vulnerable against elite quarterbacks.

UFA TARGETS (Age, previous contract's average annual salary)

A.J. Bouye, Houston (26 in August, $1.67M)

Trumaine Johnson, L.A. Rams (27, $13.95M)

Logan Ryan, New England (26, $693K)

Stephon Gilmore, Buffalo (27 in September, $3.02M)

Brandon Carr, Dallas (31 in May, $10M)

Prince Amukamara, Jacksonville (28 in June, $5.5M)

DRAFT TARGETS (Rating pos/overall, Player, School, Ht, Wt., 40 time, Proj. Rd.)

1/10 Marshon Lattimore, Ohio State, 6-0, 195, 4.47, 1 (underclassman)

2/15 Teez Tabor, Florida, 6-0, 201, 4.50, 1 (underclassman)

3/21 Marlon Humphrey, Alabama, 6-1, 196, 4.49, 1 (underclassman)

4/23 Sidney Jones, Washington, 6-0, 181, 4.49, 1 (underclassman)

5/34 Desmond King, Iowa, 5-11, 206, 4.53, 1-2

WIDE RECEIVER

Antonio Brown is entering the final year of his contract and Martavis Bryant's future is uncertain. It's time to restock the position.

UFA TARGETS (Age, previous contract's average annual salary)

DeSean Jackson, Washington (31 in December, $6M)

Alshon Jeffery, Chicago (27, $14.6M)

Pierre Garcon, Washington (31 in August, $8.5M)

Terrelle Pryor, Cleveland (28 in June, $1.67M)

Anquan Boldin, Detroit (37 in October, $2.75M)

DRAFT TARGETS (Rating pos/overall, Player, School, Ht, Wt., 40 time, Proj. Rd.)

1/8 Mike Williams, Clemson, 6-3, 225, 4.50, 1 (underclassman)

2/16 Corey Davis, Western Michigan, 6-3, 213, 4.48, 1

3/19 John Ross, Washington, 5-11, 190, 4.35, 1 (underclassman)

4/37 Curtis Samuel, Ohio State, 5-11, 200, 4.48, 1-2 (underclassman)

5/42 Dede Westbrook, Oklahoma, 5-11, 175, 4.39, 2

UFA KEEPERS

RB Le'Veon Bell (25, %$1.03M)

OLB James Harrison (39 in May, $1.375M)

ILB Lawrence Timmons (31 in May, $9.6M)

ROSTER REVIEW

DEPTH CHART

Starters and backups are listed according to their status at the end of the season, but players who were starters before being injured are included.

* Indicates player who ended 2016 season on reserve.

& Indicates player released since the Super Bowl.

QUARTERBACKS: Starter -- Ben Roethlisberger. Backups -- Landry Jones (UFA), Zach Mettenberger.

RUNNING BACKS: Starter -- Le'Veon Bell (UFA). Backups -- DeAngelo Williams (UFA), Fitzgerald Toussaint, FB Roosevelt Nix.

TIGHT ENDS: Starter -- Jesse James. Backups -- Ladarius Green, Xavier Grimble, David Johnson (UFA).

WIDE RECEIVERS: Starters -- Antonio Brown, *Martavis Bryant, Eli Rogers. Backups -- *Markus Wheaton (UFA), Sammie Coates, Cobi Hamilton, Demarcus Ayers, Darrius Heyward-Bey.

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN: Starters -- LT Alejandro Villanueva, LG Ramon Foster, C Maurkice Pouncey, RG David DeCastro, RT Marcus Gilbert. Backups -- *T Ryan Harris, *T Jerald Hawkins, *C/G Cody Wallace (UFA), C/G/ B.J. Finney, C/G/T Chris Hubbard, T Brian Mihalik.

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN: Starters -- *DLE Cameron Heyward, NT Javon Hargrave, DRE Stephon Tuitt. Backups -- DLE L.T. Walton, DRE Ricardo Mathews (UFA), NT Daniel McCullers, DRE Johnny Maxey.

LINEBACKERS: Starters -- ROLB James Harrison (UFA), ILB Lawrence Timmons (UFA), ILB Ryan Shazier, LOLB Bud Dupree. Backups -- ROLB Jarvis Jones (UFA), LOLB Arthur Moats, ROLB Anthony Chickillo, ILB Vince Williams, ILB Tyler Matakevich, ILB L.J. Fort, *ILB Steven Johnson.

DEFENSIVE BACKS: Starters -- LCB Artie Burns, RCB Ross Cockrell, SS Sean Davis, FS Mike Mitchell. Backups -- RCB William Gay, *LCB Senquez Golson, LCB Justin Gilbert (released), SS Jordan Dangerfield, *SS Shamarko Thomas (UFA), CB Al-Hajj Shabazz, FS Robert Golden.

SPECIAL TEAMS: K Chris Boswell, P Jordan Berry, KOR Sammie Coates, PR Antonio Brown, LS Greg Warren (UFA).