Tyson Alualu’s return is the first Steelers move that feels like a win

Ever have a very unhealthy day while you don’t suppose issues might get any worse however you show your self incorrect by, for instance, locking your keys in your automotive? Positive, your pre-locked-out-of-your-car issues had been unhealthy, however what you wouldn’t give to return in time even a couple of minutes.

Because the Steelers started the free-agency part of the offseason two weeks in the past, it was protected to imagine that they’d have their share of issues within the type of defections attributable to cap points. Nonetheless, it didn’t appear protected to imagine that veteran defensive lineman Tyson Alualu would turn out to be a kind of defections. However he rapidly signed a two-year cope with the Jaguars—the crew that initially drafted him—and, similar to that, the Steelers had one more emptiness to fill.

What many Steelers followers would have given to return to the pre-Alualu-defection days when all they needed to fear about was changing Bud Dupree, Mike Hilton, Matt Feiler, and many others. Positive, the Steelers quickly re-signed receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, which was a shock, however in addition they launched cornerback Mike Hilton, one other, much less nice, shock.

Again to Alualu.

Clearly, there have been in-house choices for lots of the Steelers defections, however what in regards to the defensive position? It simply didn’t really feel like there have been any—a minimum of not any you would really feel comfy with.

What to do, aside from pray that Alualu had a change of coronary heart earlier than he had an opportunity to signal his deal?

Wouldn’t it, that’s precisely what occurred!

When phrase first surfaced on Saturday night that Alualu, who had reportedly contracted COVID-19 shortly after he agreed to phrases with Jacksonville and didn’t have an opportunity to place ink to paper, had a change of coronary heart and was re-signing with Pittsburgh, to me, it was akin to trying underneath your automotive and recognizing the keys you thought had been nonetheless within the ignition.

Positive, the Steelers nonetheless have many issues to type out; they’ve a number of wants and little room underneath the cap to handle them with high quality and amount. They nonetheless have a month to go till the 2021 NFL Draft, and you may depend a minimum of 5 totally different positions that they may tackle with their first-round decide.

However I doubt the Steelers will likely be making the defensive position a precedence, a minimum of not with the twenty fourth choice. The depth on the place isn’t what it as soon as was when Alualu was backing up Cameron Heyward, Stephon Tuitt and Javon Hargrave in 2019, however a minimum of the depth that took Hargrave’s place as a starter in 2020 and did higher than few might have imagined will likely be again for 2021.

Shortly after the announcement of Alualu’s departure, I wrote an article stating that it was the first one that truly hurt. Steelers followers joined me in expressing sorrow, however I used to be additionally mocked by Jaguars followers on Twitter (who knew that they had a plural quantity)? These individuals had been fairly darn smug about Alualu returning residence and acted like their supposed favourite soccer crew didn’t draft Blake Bortles and isn’t all the time making an attempt to maneuver to London.

I don’t know if Jacksonville will ever really feel like residence to the Jaguars, however Pittsburgh has apparently turn out to be that for Alualu, who finally couldn’t depart the grey skies and potholes behind.

I received’t gloat. I received’t go on Twitter and mock Jaguars followers (they’ll have sufficient to cope with when their crew doubtless ruins Trevor Lawrence). However it does really feel good that Tyson Alualu gave Steelers followers one much less downside to fret about.