The meat and potatoes portion of free agency has passed, with teams looking to add the cherry on top of their class.

Amongst the grades, predictions, and conversation, outlets often release power rankings, placing teams based on the additions and subtractions of last week's market. 

Dalton Miller of Pro Football Network has released the latest set of rankings, and the number in front of the Pittsburgh Steelers is sure to boil the blood of yinzers. 

Miller separated teams into the following tiers:

• Tier 5: "The bottom of the bunch."
• Tier 4: "There Is a Path, But It’s Dimly Lit."
• Tier 3: "The Bones Are Good."
• Tier 2: "The Potential Playoff Field."
• Tier 1:  "Elite Teams."

The Steelers belonged to tier three or "the bones are good section." 

While that may seem fathomable to many, the teams in front of Pittsburgh is where the issue begins. 

Sitting at 21st overall in Miller's rankings, the Steelers are behind teams including:

• Washington Commanders (20th)
• Los Angeles Rams (19th)
• Cleveland Browns (16th)
• Carolina Panthers (13th)
• New York Jets (8th)

Everybody is entitled to their own opinion, and power rankings in the offseason are more projection than anything, but those teams have no business being in front of the Pittsburgh Steelers. 

The Commanders are preparing to start a 5th-round pick at quarterback in Sam Howell, and the Rams are fresh off a 5-12 season with major injury concerns surrounding quarterback Matt Stafford.

The Browns and Deshaun Watson didn't exactly build momentum heading into the offseason, and the Carolina Panthers just traded for the first overall pick, meaning they likely start a rookie quarterback on an offense devoid of perimeter talent. 

The Jets are the only team you can sell me on in terms of being ranked above the Steelers, but that's only under the assumption they pull off a trade for Aaron Rodgers. 

If not, New York might as well slide to his tier 5 or "bottom of the bunch" section. 

In his blurb under the Steelers ranking, Miller said the following about Pittsburgh:

"The Pittsburgh Steelers’ free agency period has been as boring, yet interesting, as any in the NFL. Losing Cam Sutton hurts, but they’ve been reunited with Larry Ogunjobi, added Cole Holcomb, Patrick Peterson, Elandon Roberts, and Damontae Kazee. Both Robert Spillane and Devin Bush are in different uniforms now, and the Steelers cut Myles Jack."

"Pittsburgh has made some big moves for linebackers over the past half-decade. Maybe their approach to the position will change a bit. It will also be interesting to see what eventually happens with Terrell Edmunds, who can’t like how the safety market has shaped up and could re-sign in Pittsburgh."

Regardless of what pundits and writers think of the Steelers now, we are still six months away from the season, with the draft nearing closer by the day. 

I expect last year's draft class to take major steps forward in 2023. Kenny Pickett, George Pickens, and DeMarvin Leal should be huge factors next season, with players like Calvin Austin returning from injury. 

So maybe this passes in the breeze as filler content, or maybe the Steelers tape this in the weight room during off-season workouts. 

Either way, expect a motivated bunch in 2023.