This offseason has had a brutal start for the hometown Steelers, as they have lost several key players on defense, and this start is showcasing the beginning of the dark ages.

With the salary cap decreasing this year, it was widely known that the Steelers would not have enough money to keep all of their impact players. It simply would not be possible.

However, it was not known just how many impact players would sign elsewhere in the offseason. It was thought that the team could keep either Mike Hilton or Bud Dupree, but they lost both.

Stephen Nelson was also released after the team failed to find a trade partner for him.

Add this to the fact that the Steelers have a bottom of the barrel offensive line and a running back that likely will not be returning, and the outlook seems pretty bleak for the near future.

Even with the signings of Juju Smith-Schuster and Robert Spillane to one-year deals, not much has been achieved to reroute the franchise

Ben Roethlisberger is aging, and although he is still the team’s best chance for success, he won’t be for much longer. This creates another looming gap in the already butchered depth chart.

The team also has a much larger issue at hand, one even bigger than losing key starters: The Steelers have a culture issue.

As of late, the team seems more like a bunch of individuals more concerned with personal image than a team on a quest for the illustrious Lombardi trophy.

Rookie breakout receiver Chase Claypool was involved in a bar fight recently, and there has been no statement from the team or anyone addressing the issue. Poor behavior is being condoned in the organization, and it is quite apparent that Mike Tomlin has lost the locker room.

The best road for the Steelers to take is to search for linemen, a running back, and a quarterback in the draft and hope to secure solid players who will try to bring the franchise back into the light.

This downfall has been a long time coming, and it is time to begin evaluating Mike Tomlin’s performance and decide his future with the team.