Category Archives: Steelers 2022 Off Season

Is It Crazy to Think Mason Rudolph Can Start for the Steelers in 2022?

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Apparently, the popular belief is that the question put forth in the title of this article — which suggests that Mason Rudolph, the Steelers’ fifth-year quarterback out of Oklahoma State, has a shot of being the team’s starter in 2022 — is just plain nuts.

Mason Rudolph, Steelers vs Rams

Stats might not show it, but Mason Rudolph made strides against the Rams. Photo Credit: Barry Reeger, PennLive

In order to accomplish this, Rudolph would have to overcome the odds made even longer when Pittsburgh went out and signed free-agent Mitchell Trubisky in March before using a first-round pick to draft Kenny Pickett in April.

Rudolph would also have to overcome his many critics who have long since washed their hands of him and his abilities.

Seventeen career appearances, including 10 starts. That’s Rudolph’s resume as he heads into his fifth season as a professional. That amounts to a season’s worth of time honing one’s craft at the most important position in team sports. Is that really enough to evaluate a player at any position but especially quarterback?

You can cite Rudolph’s career stat line which includes 2,366 passing yards, 16 touchdowns and 11 interceptions when stating your case against him. But I think the biggest indictment against Rudolph after 17 appearances is that he has yet to have a “wow” or “it” moment, meaning he hasn’t wowed you with his skills, nor has he shown himself to have that “it” factor vital to every franchise quarterback’s makeup.

Let’s be real, though, did Trubisky, selected second overall by the Bears in the 2017 NFL Draft, ever have a “wow” or “it” moment during his four seasons in Chicago? The Bears certainly didn’t think so, otherwise, they would have picked up his fifth-year option instead of allowing him to become a free agent in 2021 and sign a deal to be Josh Allen‘s backup in Buffalo. Trubisky was solid in Chicago. For example, he had a 29-21 record as a starter and threw 64 touchdowns to 38 interceptions, but teams — even ones who appear to be as clueless about the position as the Bears are — don’t let perfectly good quarterbacks walk away.

  • Those guys are just so hard to find.

As for Kenny Pickett, he’s an exciting prospect, and he had an incredible fifth season at Pitt, one in which he put the football program on his back and carried it all the way to an ACC championship.

  • However, his first four years with the program proved to be rather underwhelming.

I’m not trying to disparage Trubisky and/or Pickett. In fact, I will be rooting hard for whoever wins the Steelers starting job in 2022. But are either of those guys that much better than Mason Rudolph, at least on paper?

How will Rudolph respond after an offseason where he knew he had at least a puncher’s chance of winning the starting job in Pittsburgh? Everyone knew Rudolph would never have a chance as long as Ben Roethlisberger was around, but if I were him, I don’t think I’d feel all that intimidated by the task of beating out his current competition for the role.

Being a backup quarterback in the NFL is tough. You get few opportunities to show what you can do during a regular-season game, and if you don’t impress people with the limited action you do get, it’s easy for negative opinions to form and harden fast.

Once those negative opinions form, it takes a lot to change them into something more positive.

Finally, your mind may already be made up about Mason Rudolph and his abilities as an NFL quarterback, but I sure do hope the Steelers keep an open mind about him as he takes his reps at Saint Vincent College this summer.

Good quarterbacks are hard to find, and the Steelers need to be as thorough about their quarterback search during training camp as they were in the offseason.

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Steelers Resign Minkah Fitzpatrick to 4 Year Extension, Proving that Yes, Sometimes Social Media Rumors Are True

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The Pittsburgh Steelers have resigned Minkah Fitzpatrick to a 4 year extension worth a reported 73.6 million dollars with 36 of it guaranteed. The deal makes him the NFL’s highest paid safety and proves, once again, that Minkah Fitzpatrick shows that sometimes its worth paying attention to social media.

  • Ah, how’s that you say?

Luke Wilson, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Steelers vs Ravens

Minkah Fitzpatrick denies Luke Wilson a touchdown. Photo Credit: Shawn Hubbard, Ravens.com

Let me explain. Part of being an intelligent football fan in the digital age is being wise enough to ignore much if not most of what you see on social media. For quick reference think back a few months to those reports that “The Steelers have a deal in place to land Aaron Rodgers should he ask out of Green Bay.”

A lot of people on Twitter believed that. Bless their hearts, they really did.

Many also bought the Tweets and Facebook posts that explained why Russell Wilson was destined for the Steel City. And of course there were fans who got frustrated when the Steelers didn’t offer 5 first round draft picks for Deshaun Watson, as reports assured us they were ready to do.

Which isn’t to say that those reports are always wrong. A tweet from someone I trust led your truly to write up an article detailing the Steelers signing of Tyrann Mathieu. Thank God I double checked, because it will be Terrell Edmunds and not Mathieu lining up along side Minkah this year.

  • But Minkah has been different.

During September 2019, I was hurriedly getting ready to work my company’s booth at Oracle Open World when I saw on WhatApp that the Steelers were trading for Minkah Fitzpatrick. I thought nothing of it, because everyone “knows” the Steelers never trade their first round pick.

  • They especially wouldn’t trade him less than 24 hours after losing Ben Roethlisberger for the season.

No, I figured it was some over enthusiastic, gullible fan who’d been duped by social media and forgot about it. But then I found out it was real.

The same thoughts occurred to me today when I saw the news. I figured it had to be false, because the Steelers never make those moves now, always right before the season.

But sign Minkah they have. The question is why now?

Omar Khan Effect?

The Pittsburgh Steelers pioneered the practice of resigning free agents who are in the final year of their deals. And they often made those signings in the spring, well before training camp. Greg Lloyd and Dermontti Dawson inked deals during this timeframe.

  • James Harrison similarly got an extension in the spring as have a few others.

But by in large, as the Kevin Colbert era progressed, the Steelers have waited until the end of the summer to resign their players. Cam Heyward, T.J. Watt and Stephon Tuitt all inked deals just before the beginning of the season. Heck Troy Polamalu signed his contract at the airport as the Steelers were leaving for Baltimore for the 2011 opener. (The Steelers unlike other clubs don’t negotiate contracts during the season.)

The Steelers were expected to do the same with Minkah. Hold off through training camp and preseason as insurance against injury and ink a deal before the season’s start.

  • But instead, they’ve signed him.

Whether this is a tactical shift by new General Manager Omar Khan or a one-off move, this is the right thing to do. Yes, there is a risk that Fitzpatrick could get injured during drills at St. Vincents or during preseason. But there’s also a greater chance that he could get injured in the season opener.

This way Minkah will be with the team, fully participating in drills and in preseason, if you’re a curmudgeon like me who still believes “practice makes perfect,” that’s a good thing.

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Look Far, Stay Close: Steelers Hire Omar Kahn to Replace Kevin Colbert

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After interviewing 16 candidates from around the NFL to find Kevin Colbert’s replacement, Steelers President Art Rooney II settled on one who has been in his own back yard since 2001, naming Omar Khan as the next General Manager.

Omar Khan, Steelers General Manager, Kevin Colbert

Omar Khan and Kevin Colbert at St. Vincents. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Omar Khan joined the Steelers in 2001, one year after Kevin Colbert arrived, serving as football operations coordinator and was named as Vice President of Football and Business Administration in 2011, one year after Kevin Colbert officially got the title of general manager.

In a statement released by the team, Khan commented:

I am extremely excited for this opportunity to be the General Manager of the Pittsburgh Steelers. I would like to thank Art Rooney II, Mike Tomlin, and Kevin Colbert for their support throughout this process. I am ready for this challenge and grateful to continue the success we have had on the field during my first 21 years. I look forward to completing our football operations staff and working tirelessly to build another championship football team for Steelers Nation and our community.

The choice of Khan does represent a bit of a departure for the Steelers in that his background is on the business side of the operations, as opposed to scouting. (Although Khan did gain scouting experience while working with the New Orleans Saints.

Andy Weidl of the Philadelphia Eagles, who was also a finalist to replace Colbert, will reportedly join the team as Assistant General Manager, although the hire has not yet been announced.

There’s been no word on what role if any Brandon Hunt, the Steelers current Pro Scouting Coordinator will play with the organization. Hunt interviewed and was a finalist for the job.

Steelers MO: Look Far for Coaches, Stay Close for Front Office

In another sense the Steelers decision to promote Khan from within is in keeping with their MO for hiring a front office head. For all intents and purposes, Art Rooney Jr. was the first head of the Steelers scouting department.

And when Chuck Noll retired and Haley left the Steelers, Dan Rooney promoted Tom Donahoe as Director of Football Operations. When the breach between Bill Cowher and Tom Donahoe became unbridgeable, Dan Rooney again interviewed candidates from across the league, only to settle on Kevin Colbert, who was not only a Pittsburgh native, but an alumni of North Catholic, the same high school that Rooney and Donahoe had attended.

  • That stands in contrast to their MO for hiring coaches.

Dan Rooney hired Chuck Noll from outside the organization (OK, it’s not like Bill Austin’s staff was stocked with up and comers). When Noll stepped down, the smart money was on Joe Greene as his replacement.

But an exhaustive search lead them to Bill Cowher. When Bill Cowher hung it up, the front runners to replace him were Russ Grimm and Ken Whisenhunt. Both men were serious contenders and Grimm was one of the finalists, but the job ultimately went to Mike Tomlin, who was with the Minnesota Vikings.

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Hedging: Steelers Decline Devin Bush’s 5th Year Option – What Does & Doesn’t Mean

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The ink on the draft cards for the Steelers 2022 Draft class was hardly dry when the franchise displayed a bit of buyer’s remorse by opting not to pick up Devin Bush’s 5th year option.

The Steelers of course traded their own 2019 first round pick, their 2nd round pick from ’19 and their 2020 third round pick to move up to pick Devin Bush in the 2019 NFL Draft. Devin Bush started as a rookie, winning rookie of the year honors, while authoring several splash, game-changing plays.

Bush returned to start 17 games in 2021, but he was not the same. Not only was he not an impact player, his tackle count plummeted, which is especially surprising, given the historically bad run defense the Steelers suffered.

Devin Bush, Tyler Boyd, Steelers vs Bengals

Devin Bush forces Tyler Boyd to fumble. Photo Credit: AP, via Tribune-Review

What the Decision on Bush Means and Doesn’t Mean

The Tribune Review’s Tim Benz went so far as to declare in a headline: “Praise of Kevin Colbert’s success with Steelers meets acknowledgment of Devin Bush’s failure.” That’s going a little too far.

Let’s be clear:

  • This unequivocally confirms that the Art Rooney II and Mike Tomlin have serious concerns about Devin Bush.

The Steelers, like any NFL franchise, expect to offer their first round draft picks second contracts. Since the 2010 NFL CBA mandated 4 year contracts with a 5-year option for first round draft picks, the Steelers have picked up the option on Cam Heyward, David DeCastro, Ryan Shazier, Bud Dupree and T.J. Watt.

And the Steelers not been facing salary cap Armageddon, they probably would have found a way to sign Dupree to a second contract. As it was, they franchised him.

But not franchising Devin Bush, the Steelers put him into the company of Jarvis Jones, Artie Burns, and Terrell Edmunds, all of whom did not get their options picked up.

  • While that’s not good, it isn’t as damning as it sounds.

Really, the Steelers put Bush in the same company as Terrell Edmunds. The 2020 CBA changed the 5th year option, making it fully guaranteed upon signing. Prior to that, it was only guaranteed for injury (much to Ryan Shazier’s benefit.)

Had the Steelers optioned Devin Bush on Monday, Art Rooney II essentially would have been giving him a post-dated check for 10.9 million dollars. Art II clearly isn’t ready to do that. But that doesn’t mean they’ve given up on him.

The conventional wisdom was that Terrell Edmunds was as good as gone when the Steelers declined his option, but Terrell Edmunds is back, albeit on a one year prove it deal.

If Bush rebounds in 2022, the Steelers could still franchise him at the cost of about 18 million dollars. So the Steelers aren’t giving up on Bush’s development, but rather hedging their bets. It could turn out to an expensive hedge indeed.

Steelers Sign Kazee Veteran Safety

The Pittsburgh Steelers made a signing the day after the draft that has to count as a bit of a surprise. They came to terms with Damontae Kazee. Kazee entered the NFL in 2017 as a fifth round pick of the Atlanta Falcons, playing as the primary starter in his second and third seasons before a torn ACL ended his 4 season after four games.

The Dallas Cowboys signed him, and he started 15 games for them in 2021, making 2 interceptions and forcing 2 fumbles. Still he was unsigned at the draft and only got a one year contract from the Steelers, presumably at or near the veteran minimum.

The Steelers have taken a “wait and see” approach to safety this off season, declining to getting into a bidding war for Tyrann Mathieu, letting Terrell Edmunds test the market, and only signing Karl Joseph weeks into free agency.

Of course the Steelers are expected to seek a long term deal with Minkah Fitzpatrick this off season. They also have Tre Norwood as a safety.

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Kevin Colbert Left His Mark As The Steelers General Manager

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“I don’t want to say better than,” said Steelers general manager, Kevin Colbert, while speaking to reporters alongside head coach Mike Tomlin during a post-draft press conference on Saturday. “I’m proud to say we added to that [trophy] room. It was four trophies. There was four when we got here. And you knew the task. You think about DMR [the late Dan Rooney] and being able to add to that room means a ton. It doesn’t mean it’s over. The next step, I mean we gotta get more than, and we’ll never lose that. But it means a lot.”

Kevin Colbert, Pittsburgh Steelers general manager

Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert at a Super Bowl Parade. Photo Credit: SI

I should say “former” Steelers general manager, Kevin Colbert. That’s right, after more than 22 years as the team’s de facto general manager– he was the Director of Football Operations from 2000-2010 — and then first official general manager (the organization simply refused to name one for the longest time), Colbert wrapped up his full-time duties with the organization on Saturday by putting the finishing touches on the Steelers 2022 NFL Draft.

In case you didn’t watch Saturday’s press conference–and in case the quote from above didn’t convey it — Colbert got surprisingly emotional when he talked about being able to help the Steelers add two more Lombardi Trophies to their trophy case during his tenure.

It was certainly a tall task to get the Steelers back to the top of the mountain after spending most of the 1970s there and giving the founder and owner — the late Art Rooney Sr. — a reason to actually have a trophy case for the first time ever in the history of what had forever been a floundering franchise.

Times were tougher in the 1980s, and after head coach Chuck Noll retired in 1991, there were a lot of near-missed in the 1990s under new head coach, and Pittsburgh native, Bill Cowher. It may have actually been because of all of those near-misses that Colbert, like Cowher, a Pittsburgh native, got a great job with his hometown football team. Tom Donahoe, the Steelers Director of Football Operations (general manager) starting in 1991, resigned from the organization after losing a power struggle with Cowher after the 1999 season. Like Cowher and Colbert, Donahue was a Pittsburgh native, but just because two people grow up in the same city, that doesn’t mean they’re going to get along.

Kevin Colbert was able to put his ego aside — if he even had one — and build some of the greatest rosters in franchise history while working alongside Cowher and his huge ego.

Dan Rooney, Dan Rooney legacy, Dan Rooney Lombardi Trophies, Dan Rooney obituary

Dan Rooney sitting in front of the Steelers 5 Lombardi Trophies. Photo Credit: Steelers.com

The fruits of their labor ended in more near-misses early on in Colbert’s reign, but after the drafting of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in 2004 — a move that was, as legend has it, “strongly encouraged” by Dan Rooney, the late, great president and owner of the franchise–Colbert was able to finally help the organization add to that room with a fifth Lombardi, thanks to a victory over the Seahawks in Super Bowl XL.

Colbert was able to do it again a few years later, this time while working alongside the Steelers’ new head coach, Mike Tomlin, a man who also seems to have — as most head coaches do — a huge ego.

Head coaches are always at the forefront and are certainly vital to a team’s fortunes, but general managers also play a huge role. They might not share the same spotlight as the coach, quarterback or often even the team owner, but they have to be involved with every facet of the organization–including drafting, development, negotiations and even disciplinary issues.

It would be easy — and maybe even understandable — for someone with so many responsibilities to yearn for the spotlight, for attention, for credit. But while Kevin Colbert certainly got the credit — and even his share of the blame when things went askew — he always seemed to be more than happy with being in the background. Don’t get me wrong, Colbert certainly spent a lot of time talking to the media during his time as the Steelers’ general manager. He didn’t hide.

  • People knew who he was.

But he never seemed to care about anything other than getting the job done and doing so with a calculated, even-keeled approach. Colbert was a calm facilitator in a profession with strong, type-A personalities.

  • The Steelers have rarely ever acted on impulse.

Even sudden moves like signing the just-released Joe Haden to a lucrative deal just days after he was released by the Browns in 2017 or trading a first-round pick to the Dolphins for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick in 2019 seemed pragmatic and sensible.

Colbert always talked about moving up or down in the first round of the draft, but the Steelers rarely did that; when they did, however, the moves usually panned out.

The Steelers have rarely acted aggressively during unrestricted free agency or when there was a public cry to get one of their own players signed to a huge deal. In order for an organization to have that kind of an approach, it needs someone who isn’t prone to overreactions. That’s a job for a person who stays the course and sticks to the plan.

  • Maybe that’s why the Steelers only had one losing season during Colbert’s tenure.

Yes, we talk about Tomlin’s streak of non-losing seasons — as well as the organization’s lack of a sub-.500 record since 2003 — but imagine being the general manager of an NFL team for 22 seasons and only suffering one losing record. Imagine being an NFL general manager for two decades and having more Super Bowls than losing seasons.

That’s amazing.

There’s a lot of luck that goes into that, but there’s also a lot of skill. Colbert certainly was a very talented NFL executive, but, to reiterate, he didn’t seem to care about getting any of the glory.

He just wanted to add to the room.

Colbert did that, and he did his job–a job that can be a hot pressure-cooker if you allow it to be–better than few in his position ever have.

  • I don’t think people realize how good Colbert was at his job.

Take a bow, Kevin Colbert, I know you don’t like to do those kinds of things, but you certainly deserve it.

 

 

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Finishing Touches: Steelers Announce 2022 Undrafted Rookie Free Agent Class

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Mere minutes after announcing Chris Oladokun as their 2nd 7th round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers came to terms with their 2022 Undrafted Rookie Free Agent class. This will be Kevin Colbert’s final undrafted rookie free agent class, and as noted here before, he’s had an uncanny ability to pluck gems from players whose phones remained quite on draft day.

The Steelers 2022 undrafted rookie free agent class includes:

Jake Dixon, Offensive Tackle, Duquesne
Jordan Tucker, Offensive Tackle, North Carolina
Mataeo Durant, Running Back, Duke
Jaylen Warren, Running Back, Oklahoma State
Donovan Jeter, Defensive Lineman, Michigan
Tyree Johnson, Outside Linebacker, Texas A&M
T.D. Moultry, Outside Linebacker, Auburn
Chris Owens, Guard, Alabama
Chris Steele, Cornerback, Southern California
Bryce Watts, Cornerback, UMass

As expected, the group targets positions which the Steelers did not address in the draft, namely running back, offensive tackle and cornerback, although the inclusion of 2 outside linebackers is interesting.

  • Undrafted rookie free agents are kind of like the Rudy’s of the NFL.

They are mainly there to fill out training camp rosters, saving the wear and tear on the starters. That’s true around the NFL, but these young gentlemen are luck to have landed in Pittsburgh.

Mike Tomlin, Steelers training camp, St. Vincents

Mike Tomlin addresses the men at Steelers training camp. Photo Credit: Karl Rosner, Steelers.com

As Mike Tomlin explained when asked about the pedigrees of several his draftees, “Arthur Maulet used to always make a joke last year during the season that he was a zero-star guy, and boy, you got respect for that, as well. I embraced the football justice component of it. It does not matter by what means you get here.”

The Steelers ended Chuck Noll’s policy of practicing without numbers so that coaches would evaluate all players objectively ended a long time ago. But the fundamental principle doesn’t change:

  • Once you make it to St. Vincents its not about where you came from, but what you can prove on the field.

Fans reared during the Ben Roethlisberger era will remember the Ramon Foster, Steve McLendon, Isaac Redman, Willie Parker and James Harrison all arrived at St. Vincents as undrafted rookie free agents and used that as a launching pad to transform themselves into regular starters, cult heroes or Super Bowl record holders.

Dwight Stone arrived in Latrobe as an nobody from Middle Tenn. St. in the summer of 1987 and finished in the year 2000 after played 216 games over 14 years in the NFL. And of course Donnie Shell was just a nameless undrafted rookie free agent defensive back running drills with the likes of Mike Wagner, Glen Edwards and Mel Blount and now he’s in the Hall of Fame.

Gentleman, rest assured, you face long odds, but if you deliver while at St. Vincents, the Steelers will give you a fair shake.

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Book End: Steelers Draft Chris Oladokun, Closing out 2022 with Another Quarterback

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The Pittsburgh Steelers closed the 2022 NFL Draft exactly the way they started it: By Drafting a quarterback. Using their 2nd pick in the 7th round the Steelers picked Chris Oladokun, from South Dakota State.

Chris Oladokun, Steelers 2022 7th round pick

Chris Oladokun. Photo Credit: Dave Eggen/Inertia

Chris Oladokun actually began his college career at South Florida, playing there in 2017 and 2018. He transferred to Samford and then got a graduate degree South Dakota State. In his final year he threw 3,164 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 7n interceptions in 2021 while also rushing for 166 yards and also had two touchdown receptions.

Kevin Colbert confirmed that the Steelers brought him in for a pre-draft visit, where he impressed the Steelers with his off the field “demeanor.”

Even 7th round picks have highlight reels in the modern NFL and here is Chris Oladokun’s

With first round draft pick Kenny Pickett, free agent Mitchell Trubisky and veteran Mason Rudolph already in the quarterback room, Chris Oladokun would appear to have little chance of making the team.

However, there’s a possibility that the Steelers won’t want to keep Rudoph or Trubsiky as a 3rd string quarterback, and the Steelers are a team that believes in three quarterbacks so that could open a spot for Chris Oladokun.

 

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Steelers Draft Mark Robinson, Linebacker from Ole Miss in 7th Round

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With their first pick in the 7th round of the 2022 NFL Draft the Pittsburgh Steelers picked Mark Robinson, an inside linebacker from Ole Miss.

  • Robinson has played running back for most of his career, only switching to linebacker as a senior.

Mark Robinson, Steelers 7th round pick 2022 NFL Draft

Mark Robinson closes in in Rocko Griffin. Photo Credit: AP, via Tribune-Review

However, Steelers linebackers coach Brian Flores said that was one of the things that made him attractive to Pittsburgh, detailing, “That’s part of what we liked about him, there’s some upside here. This is somebody who hasn’t played the position for a long time, but he shows speed, he shows athleticism, he shows toughness, physicality. He does a lot of things we like. He’s a fun guy to watch on film.”

Flores also offered that Robinson’s experience as running back, perhaps helped him make the transition to the other side of the ball.

Flores confirmed that while Robinson faced a learning curve in making this position change, his improvement was evident throughout the season. Last year he played in 13 games for Ole Miss, making 91 total tackles, 5.5 for losses and registered 3 sacks.

  • When asked about whether he had a chance to make it on to the field as a rookie, Flores responded, “Its up to him.”

7th round picks by definition have to fight to find a way onto the 53 man roster. But Robinson might benefit from the fact that the Steelers depth at outside linebacker is thin. Behind T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith the Steelers have Genard Avery, journeyman John Simon, along with futures contract signees Tegray Scales, Delontae Scott on their roster.

With that said, his draft card from ESPN listed him as an outside linebacker, but the Steelers will apparently play him on the inside. The situation is far more crowded at inside linebacker with Devin Bush, Myles Jack, Robert Spillane and Marcus Allen.

But these situations are often fluid. The Steelers initially drafted Lawrence Timmons as an outside linebacker and didn’t move him to the inside until his second year.

Beyond that, like all rookies, Robinson’s surest way to cement a roster spot is to prove that he can play and contribute on special teams. Brian Flores has some background in special teams, and promised to steer him in the right direction.

Welcome to Steelers Nation Mark Robinson.

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Catching On? Steelers Draft Calvin Austin, Wide Receiver, Memphis in 4th Round

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The Pittsburgh Steelers opened Day 3 of the 2022 NFL Draft by picking Calvin Austin III, wide receiver out of Memphis in the 4th round. Austin III is the 2nd wide out picked by Pittsburgh in this draft, after they chose George Pickens of Georgia in the 2nd round.

Austin, who has a 4.32 time in the 40, originally went to Memphis on a track scholarship, although he played football for four years. During that time he caught 156 passes for 2541 yards and scored 22 touchdowns in 33 games.

Calvin Austin III, Steelers 4th round draft pick, 2022 NFL Draft

Calvin Austin III, the Pittsburgh Steelers 4th round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. Photo Credit: Noticias del Deporte Mundial

Steelers wide receiver coach Frishman Jackson explained that Austin was attractive in part because he is a player that can play both in the slot and outside. Commenting on his small stature, Austin is only 5’8”, Jackson commended Austin as a player who “goes up and attacks the ball in the air” which makes him someone who is “bigger than his size.”

Commenting on his interactions with Austin at the NFL Scouting Combine, Jackson complemented Austin as someone whom “…you felt the competitiveness in his voice when he spoke, felt the toughness that he had.”

When asked to give examples of that toughness on the field, Austin shared, “I think they were playing Temple, and I see him run across the middle to catch an end route and he’s going to get the crap hit out of him. He holds on and makes the catch.”

Calvin Austin Video Highlights

Here’s a look at Calvin Austin’s highlight reel, brought to you via a meld of the magic of YouTube and Word Press:

His speed is evident throughout the tape, and it looks like he has solid hands to, although you’d expect that of a pre-draft highlights tape.

What is really encouraging is his heads up play as a gunner on the punt return, as this highlights both his athleticism and sold football instincts, if not IQ.

Just two days ago the Steelers wide receivers room was a wanting place. Now, whether its Mitch Trubisky, Mason Rudolph or Kenny Pickett throwing the ball, they’ll have plenty of downfield targets beyond Chase Claypool and Diontae Johnson.

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Keeping It Real, Steelers Draft DeMarvin Leal, in 3rd Round, DE Texas A&M

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Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin will go to their graves swearing that they draft the best player available. So the fact that they addressed 3 our of their 4 top needs in the Steelers Draft Needs Matrix is just a conscience.

So be it. With their third round pick the Steelers drafted DeMarvin Leal, a junior defensive end out of Texas A&M. Last season the Steelers drafted both Dan Moore and Buddy Johnson out of Texas A&M, which was also the stomping ground of former reserve safety Gary Jones, much to Don Beebe’s chagrin (Google it, ’93 Steelers vs Bills will help your keyword search.)

  • The Steelers interest in DeMarvin Leal is obvious.

He is a versatile lineman who played multiple positions in 33 games at Texas A&M while amassing 13 sacks, 1 interception and 133 tackles. Steelers defensive coordinator Teryl Austin mentioned many times that he expects Leal to add to his 6’4 273 frame, and almost slipped out his draft grade, while admitting that they had a “nice grade on him.”

DeMarvin Leal, Steelers 2022 3rd round draft pick

DeMarvin Leal, Steelers 2022 3rd round Draft Pick. Photo Credit: Noticias del Mundo

Austin also acknowledged the elephant on the room by admitting, “”It’s really important to add young guys in there.” With Cam Heyward, Stephon Tuitt and Tyson Alualu all over 30 and Isaiahh Loudermilk the only young prospect with serious “upside,” the Steelers defensive line will benefit from the injection of youth.

With that said, the fact that the Steelers waited until the third round, drafting quarterback Kenny Pickett in the first, and wide receiver George Pickens in the 2nd gives us a reasonably firm indication that Tomlin, Austin, and defensive line coach Karl Dunbar expect Stephon Tuitt to play in 2022.

Tuitt of course made the initial 53 man roster, only to sit out the entire season for reasons that still haven’t been explained. At his pre-draft press conference Mike Tomlin declined to confirm whether Tuitt has been attending voluntary workouts.

DeMarvin Leal Video Highlights

Here’s a look at the some tape that Leal put together while at Texas A&M.

Impressive to say the least.

Welcome to Steelers Nation DeMarvin Leal.

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