The trade of wide receiver Diontae Johnson has refocused the list of needs for the Pittsburgh Steelers coming out of the first wave of free agency.

Like many Steelers fans, I was fixated on the center position because last year’s starter, Mason Cole, was let go in advance of free agency. Also, a pair of free agents that could’ve done the job here — Mitch Morse (Jacksonville Jaguars) and Lloyd Cushenberry (Tennessee Titans) — were quickly snapped up by other teams.

But the truth is, the Steelers do have some players on the roster capable of playing the position. James Daniels played there in college. Nate Herbig backed up at center and guard last year. If they really wanted to, I’m sure they could move Isaac Seumalo, but I don’t know why they would. Even 2023 seventh-rounder Spencer Anderson has college experience snapping the ball. Ryan McCollum is rostered, too.

There are some good options in the draft as well, most notably Jackson Powers-Johnson from Oregon and Zach Frazier out of West Virginia. The Steelers draft 20th.

The last time the Steelers went with a first-round center, Maurkice Pouncey, in 2010, he was still on the board at No. 18 when the Steelers’ turn came around. Last year, the top center drafted was Joe Tippman by the New York Jets at No. 43. The year before, Iowa’s Tyler Linderbaum was highly regarded and a clear choice as the No. 1 center on the board. He didn’t go off until the Baltimore Ravens turned in their card at No. 25.

So, despite the hole at the top of the depth chart, the Steelers may be in better shape at center than what I was initially thinking. Or, at least, they have options to fill that one position.

That’s the key thing to remember. It is just one spot to fill. At wide receiver and cornerback, the Steelers need to fill multiple spots. They need to upgrade the play that they got from those positions, and they need to do so at various layers on the depth chart.

I hesitate to use the phrase No. 1 receiver for George Pickens since his performance was so inconsistent last year. He went eight straight weeks without a 100-yard performance from Oct. 29 through Dec. 6. He may not have turned in another one if Mason Rudolph hadn’t gotten into the lineup. However, Pickens is wildly talented and has room to grow.

After Pickens, though, what is there? Say what you will about Johnson (and I have); he’s at least a capable No. 2 receiver on an average team like Pittsburgh has been, and he would be an excellent No. 3 receiver on a good team. Unfortunately for him, he’s going to Carolina.

Then again, in Charlotte, he should absorb plenty of targets and volume, and that might just be what he wants. Although I’m sure he would’ve preferred going to Kansas City, as was rumored to potentially be the case.

Remaining after Johnson’s departure, though is … what? Allen Robinson III was let go. Calvin Austin is the next receiver on the stat sheet with a measly 17 catches and 180 yards. The Steelers probably needed at least two contributing wide receivers for 2024 through free agency and the draft. Now I’ll venture to say that they need at least three.

Generally, though, decent wide receivers can be found via castoff veterans or Friday-Saturday draft picks. Defensive back is an even greater need for general manager Omar Khan.

Yes, that’s even including Donte Jackson who was sent to Pittsburgh from Carolina in exchange for Johnson. He may have played 16 games last year but missed eight in 2022 and five the year before that. Plus, Jackson would’ve been released if the Steelers didn’t trade for him. So, odds are the Johnson trade hasn’t exactly yielded the next Rod Woodson.

But forget about the designation of corner versus safety. The Steelers need a bushel of bodies in the secondary. Currently, there are Joey Porter Jr., Minkah Fitzpatrick, Damontae Kazee and not much else. All Jackson does in the short term is offset the roster vacancy created by releasing Patrick Peterson. And the Steelers were in need of secondary components even before that happened.

Keanu Neal was released. Chandon Sullivan is a free agent. So are Levi Wallace, Elijah Riley, James Pierre and Eric Rowe. Cory Trice is coming off knee surgery. Darius Rush and Trenton Thompson are largely unknown commodities.

With the way Steelers interchange sub-package players in slot, nickel and dime roles, they’ll need multiple players who can handle multiple tasks. Not to mention, a thin secondary could significantly weaken special teams too.

Center is a concern, for sure. But the secondary is bare, and the wide receivers aren’t far behind. Even though Khan has drawn headlines with the acquisition of Russell Wilson, Patrick Queen and punter Cameron Johnston, a lot more work needs to be done.

And in some very key areas.