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The Case for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2025

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September has arrived. Opening day against the Jets is days away. Once again, it’s time for Steel Curtain Rising’s annual, “The case for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2025” column

A few years go I stated this tradition as memorial to my friend, the late, great Ivan Cole. Ivan would publish these columns annually for Behind the Steel Curtain, in the site’s golden age, and later for Rebecca Rollett’s Going Deep with the Steelers.

In penning these columns, I not only try to follow Ivan’s form but also attempt to find his voice. This has given me and hopefully readers a chance to continue to commune with this great Steelers scribe.

Aaron Rodgers, T.J. Watt, Steelers St. Vincents

T.J. Watt rushes Aaron Rodgers at St. Vincents. Photo Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images, via SI.com

Expectations: Keeping An Eventful Offseason in Context

As we dive in, let’s use Ivan’s own words to establish our level of expectation:

If you’re looking for yet another set of predictions in what is the season of predictions you will be sorely disappointed here. I don’t do predictions, don’t believe in them. I’m sure someone will hit the nail on the head as to how the [2025] season will unfold, and there will be a certain element of skill involved in their assessment, but there will probably be a lot of luck involved as well.
What I attempt to bring to the table are some observations as to how to think about what factors might be key to a positive outcome for the Steelers this season. Specifically, what has to happen (and what has to not happen) in order for the team to, hopefully, make it to the playoffs and have a shot at the world championship.

Any look forward at what’s come must be firmly grounded in and understanding of what has transpired in this eventful off season.

So let’s acknowledge the elephant in the room: The ending to the Steelers 2024 season, which featured 5 straight losses where Pittsburgh got progressively worse left a bitter taste in everyone’s mouth.

7 months later it’s obvious that no one suffered the bitter taste of bile worse than Art Rooney II, Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan. To a man, they promised change. And they’ve delivered.

Art Rooney II, Mike Tomlin, Omar Khan, Steelers training camp, St. Vincents

The Steelers Brain Trust @ St. Vincents. Photo Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports, via Yahoo! Sports

Precise numbers will vary depending on which NFL personnel accounting method you choose, but when the Steelers take the field against the Jets you’ll see that they’ve replaced approximately half of their starters since last year. Deep deeper into the depth chart, and you’ll find even more new faces.

  • For some, these changes are already insufficient.

Ever since Ben Roethlisberger injured his elbow, a large contingent of both the fans and the press have called for “ripping off the Band-Aid” and rebuilding the franchise, from the roster to the coaching staff, from scratch. They’ll point to the franchise’s on-going playoff drought as self-evident justification.

To those naysayers I offer this simple factoid:

Since Chris Boswell booted the Steelers to their last victory on that frigid Kansas City night in the wanning days of the Obama administration, the Chicago Bears have drafted 3 quarterbacks in the first round – all of them taken in the top 11, employed 2 general managers and 5 head coaches and enjoyed one winning season.

More importantly, that “coveted” playoff win remains elusive for the Bears too.

Which team would you prefer to root for? I know my answer.

Rebooting on Offense

Quarterback unquestionably remains the most important position in football. Long gone are the days when we remember names like Jim Brown, Eric Dickerson and Barry Sanders without having an inkling as to who their quarterbacks were.

And in this regard the Steelers do deserve their share of criticism for their misfires during the post-Roethlisberger era. But South Side brain trust deserves credit that they’re seldom granted: Despite their errors, the Steelers have avoided squandering an excessive amounts of draft capital or salary cap space on the position.

Like many of you, I was not initially a fan seeing Rogers in Black and Gold. At all. But since he’s signed, he’s both said and done all the right things. We’ve all had cases where we’ve befriended someone who didn’t have the best reputation, and then explained, “…you know he’s not so bad once you get to know him.”

  • Thus far that seems to be the case for Steelers Nation and Aaron Rodgers.

The proof will come in what we see on the field. It is hard to say much about that now, given his absence in preseason, but at St. Vincents all indications are that Aaron Rodgers has something left in the tank.

Rudolph’s time in Pittsburgh has had more twists and turns, ups and downs than Kennywood’s Phantom’s Revenge. The fact that he was so willing to return I think speaks volumes not only to Rudolph’s character but also of the franchise’s.

We know that Rudolph is a capable number 2 who will respond if and when his name is called. Behind him we have newcomer Skylar Thompson. Everyone expected Thompson to be the odd man out when training camp started, but an injury to 6th round draft pick Will Howard opened the door.

And Thompson took advantage, as once again Mike Tomlin lived up to his credo that when you arrive in Pittsburgh its not about where you came from but what you do.

  • Quarterback isn’t the only skill position that saw Omar Khan aggressively renewed this off season.

At running back the Steelers wisely let Najee Harris walk, and have turned to Jaylen Warren who has shown himself to be a capable runner, a willing blocker and an under appreciated receiver.

Jaylen Warren, Marion Humphrey, Steelers vs Ravens

Jaylen Warren drags Marion Humphrey. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

He also added found Kaleb Johnson in 2025 NFL Draft, based on what we saw in preseason, he should boost the running back’s room, with Super Bowl veteran Kenneth Gainwell rounding out the group.

At wide receiver, the Steelers embraced addition by subtraction by trading talented but troubled George Pickens to Dallas, while replacing him with D.K. Metcalf. To be honest, the Steelers depth behind Metcalf does constitute a risk, particularly if they suffer a serious injury, but last year Calvin Austin proved he’s a legitimate NFL wide receiver, and Roman Wilson had a strong summer after a lost rookie year.

At tight end the Steelers bolstered the depth behind Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington with veteran Jonnu Smith with Swiss Army Knife Connor Heyward rounding out the quartet.

But the most exciting thing about this offense isn’t the individual talent that’s been added, but the potential of what it can do together. When he was Mike Vrabel‘s offensive coordinator, Arthur Smith was described by Steel City Insider scribe Matt C. Steel has running a “Bill Cowher style offense.”

  • The 2024 Steelers offense didn’t fit that mold, but it also didn’t have the talent.

But with draft picks Troy Fautanu and Broderick Jones leading the way, don’t be surprised if the 2025 edition of the Steelers offense looks more like its 2005 ancestor than it does its immediate predecessor.

Daring to Be Different on Defense

Doubtlessly, the most disturbing aspect of the late-2025 collapse was the sight of a once-proud Steelers defense getting dominated. Patrick Mahomes humiliated  us through the air.  Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry imposed their will on the ground.

We all saw that coming in the wake of the ridiculing the Ravens inflicted in the, right?

Of course we didn’t. Nor, frankly, did we see it coming during the heat of free agency or the 2025 NFL Draft. But it still happened, proving that Mike Tomlin is, in fact, willing to leave no stone unturned.

  • And its obvious that he has no a sacred cows in his locker room.

Raise your hand if you watched Donte Jackson last season and wondered, “What was it that Carolina didn’t like about him?” Mine’s raised. But when he couldn’t sustain his early and mid-season fireworks down the stretch, he was deemed expendable.

The lesson is clear: Just being “Good enough” is not sufficient. Beanie Bishop is another player who flashed in 2024 but is learning that lesson in 2025.

In response to the need for more sheer bulk upfront, the Steelers have double-dipped on the defensive line in the 2025 NFL Draft, bringing Derrick Harmon and Yahya Black to Pittsburgh. Injuries will limit Harmon early, but Black’s preseason resume suggest that we may be able to count on him early than would normally be expected of a 5th round pick.

Yahya Black, Bryce Perkins, Steelers vs Panthers Preseason

Yahya Black sacks Bryce Perkins. Photo Credit: AP via Tribune-Review

At outside linebacker the Steelers have future Hall of Famer T.J. Watt with Alex Highsmith bookending him on the other side. Behind them they have Nick Herbig who, with a strong third season could force a difficult decision next spring. Jack Sawyer arrives providing depth – and more bulk – to round out the quartet.

At inside linebacker, knock on wood, the Steelers finally appear to have a room that features 3 starter-capable players along with two quality backups. The Steelers last enjoyed this mix of quality and quality, experience and youth, in 2015 and 2016 – which were not uncoincidentally the last two seasons that included playoff wins.

Just Sayin….

The Future is Now. And Tomorrow

As detailed earlier on this site, watching the yin and yang of the discourse in Steelers Nation has been interesting to say the least. The conventional wisdom has swung from suggesting that the Steelers are executing a tank-lite strategy to declaring that the franchise is “All In.”

  • What’s exciting about 2025 is that neither of the two is true.

The Steelers, through deft use of the free agent market, drafting with an eye towards the long term and a duce of bold trades, have assembled a roster that is far better equipped to compete with the AFC titans like the Chiefs, Bills and Ravens.

But they’ve done so in a way that gives them ample salary cap space for heading into 2026 and a projected 11 or 12 picks in the 2026 NFL Draft. We’re seeing “The Steelers Way” evolve in real time, and that should have everyone excited.

Bring on the New York Jets!

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6 Quick Takeaways as Steelers Lose 17-14 to Buccaneers in Preseason

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The Pittsburgh Steelers dropped their preseason home opener to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to the tune of 17-14, as a late Logan Woodside interception gave Tampa Bay the ball deep in Steelers territory, allowing them to kick a field goal as time expired.

The result itself tells us very little. The game yielded both good and bad takeaways for Steelers fans, and here are 6 of those plus a bonus program note.

Keeanu Benton, Steelers vs Buccaneers 2025 preseason

Keeanu Benton blocks a pass. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

1. Absence of Starters Self-Evident

Mike Tomlin opted to sit at least 20 players going into the game, including 13 who could be considered starters, including his top three skill players, Aaron Rodgers, D.K. Metcalf and Jaylen Warren.

ON the defensive side, T.J. Watt, DeShon Elliott, Jalen Ramsey, Darius Slay and Joey Porter also sat.

We’ll only know if that’s a wise football decision if the Steelers can avoid sloppy play in early September, and succeed in dodging the injury bug by late December. But from a product marketing perspective, the product on the field clearly suffered.

Chuck Noll, Bill Cowher

Chuck Noll & Bill Cower after the last game at Three Rivers Stadium. Photo via 6th Ring.com

Not that the men who suited up were delivering sub-standard performances, but this game had the look and feel of a preseason contest – far cry from August of 1994 when a preseason contest between the Steelers and Raiders got so heated that Rod Woodson found himself ejected.

After the game the intensity had Bill Cowher telling Chuck Noll, “I don’t know what you started, but it seems like I’ve got to finish it.” (Or something close to that, this quote’s from memory.)

2. The Kids Are Alright

Collectively, the Steelers looked good in their preseason win over the Jaguars last week. But rookie running back Kaleb Johnson looked lost at times, and Derrick Harmon remained invisible on the stat sheet.

That had some commentators worried, but the take away here was “The Kids Will be Alright.”

  • And against the Buccaneers, they were.

Derrick Harmon drew several double-teams and overall appeared disruptive, and managed a sack Kyle Trask with a pure bull rush. Kaleb Johnson average 4.5 yards a carry on 11 runs including a long one of 14 yards. He also had a catch of 9 yards.

Moreover, Johnson looked sharp as a kick returner, averaging 27 yards a return with a long one of 34.

3. When in Rome, Do As the Romans?

Several members of the Steelers 2024 draft class had their rookie years ruined by injuries. Out of that group, perhaps no one was a bigger X factor than Roman Wilson. When asked about his wide receiver room following the George Pickens trade, Omar Khan expressed confidence in his 2025 group and rejected comparisons to the team’s situation at the same point in 2024.

  • He didn’t mention Roman Wilson by name, but he didn’t have to.

After a shaky start at St. Vincents, Wilson’s name became mentioned more prominently. He played well against the Jaguars, and made two impressive catches against the Buccaneers that totaled 72 yards.

  • Clearly, Roman Wilson is headed in the right direction.

But has he shown enough to make Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan going with Metcalf, Calvin Austin and Wilson as their top 3 wide outs. Even if Scott Miller and Brandon Johnson have looked good in preseason, the Steelers depth at wide out remains thin.

4. Run Blocking A Concern?

The good news is that, for the second straight week, Broderick Jones and Troy Fautanu looked good in pass protection.

However, overall the Steelers run blocking, which has been a weakness in training camp, looked so-so at best against the Buccaneers. Yes, Lew Nichols and Evan Hull had long runs, but Kenneth Gainwell “started” and got nowhere in his two runs against Tampa’s number 1s.

Historically, preseason has been a pretty good barometer for performance of specific units. Indeed, in the summer of 1998 it seemed that the Steelers run blocking was slipping. When the regular season started, the unit did OK, particularly when Alan Faneca worked himself into the lineup, but things went south after injuries ended Justin Strzelczyk’s season and career.

5. Punt It Out

One of the few true position battles the Steelers have this summer is at punter. Both Corliss Waitman and Cameron Johnston leaned into the completion Saturday night.

Waitman averaged 58 yards on his punts, and although Johnston “only” average 42 yards, in did get two inside the 20. Danny Smith and Mike Tomlin don’t have an easy decision in front of them, but that’s a good problem to have.

6. Odds and Sods

Cole Holcomb had another outstanding night and appears to be back inform following his gruesome injury suffered in the middle of 2023. Keeanu Benton also deflected a pass and rebounded from a subpar game last week.

If all goes well, the Steelers won’t see Miles Killebrew lining up in the secondary this fall, but he also had a pass defensed. So did Beanie Bishop and Brandin Echols.

The Steelers depth at inside linebacker and in the secondary appears to be solid.

Bonus: Program Note on DAZN

For the second straight week I watched that ad-free replay of the game on DAZN, which owns NFL Game Pass international. And for the second straight week, edits not only eliminated commercials, but also key series.

Last week it was Max Hurlman’s catch and touchdown. This week it was Ben Sauls missed field goal.

I do realize that DAZN is headquartered in London, England and therefore some of their production team might not be well-versed in American football, but get it together guys.

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6 Late & (Not So) Random Hits on Steelers Preseason Win Over Jags

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The Pittsburgh Steelers opened the 2025 preseason with a 31-25 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Saturday night. Family time keep me from watching the game until Sunday night and work to do and bills to pay prevented me from publishing this until today.

With that, here were 6 (not necessarily) random takeaways from the game.

Kaleb Johnson, Steelers vs Jaguars preseason 2025

Kaleb Johnson rushes in his preseason debut. Photo Credit: AP via Tribune-Review

1. Still Sweating the Offense?

It was what, a little more than a week ago the word out of St. Vincents was that the defense as dominant but that the offense was, generously put, sluggish.

Well, that sluggish offense just put up 31 points on a humid Florida night. What’s more, Mason Rudolph looked almost flawless, and Skyler Thompson even has some calling for Will Howard to do a red shirt year on IR.

  • Take all of that with a grain of salt.

The glow of those preseason stat sheets can transform into a ugly, smudgy glare once the games count for real. Kenny Pickett and Matt Canada can attest. Still it was good to see.

More importantly, it was the way that they got those 31 points that impressed.

2. Air Arthur?

Don’t look now, but Steelers quarterbacks threw 38 passes – and they did so voluntarily and effectively. The good news is that Steelers offensive tackles Troy Fautanu and Broderick Jones looked good and kept their quarterbacks clean.

It is easy to see why. The Steelers want to see what they have in Roman Wilson, and know that they need him to prove himself to be starter capable this season. He looked good on Sunday night. So did Scotty Miller.

Perhaps more importantly, Smith’s quarterbacks exploited the middle of the field – something at Russell Wilson was loath to do last year, and frankly it was an area that Steelers offense avoided brief lifetime of the Kenny Pickett era.

3. Pierre Proving You Can Come Home Again?

During the preseason-less COVID summer of 2020, Steel City Insider wrote about an undrafted rookie free agent cornerback named James Pierre. Pierre made the final roster, got some playing time and was working his way in as a starter in 2021.

He hit some rough patches and didn’t play as much in 2022 or 2023. The Steelers let him walk as a free agent but brought him back when Washington cut him.

James Pierre, Steelers vs. Browns

James Pierre intercepts Jameis Winston. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Pierre was mainly brought back for special teams, and resigned for the same reason. But he’s had as strong camp and played extremely aggressively Sunday night. He may get caught up in the numbers game, but it won’t be an easy decision.

4. Flying to the Ball

Teryl Austin’s defense flew to the ball Sunday night. And if DeMarvin Leal and Jack Sawyer didn’t generate much pass rush, It didn’t look like there were any missed tackles.

Sebastian Castro, Juan Thornhill, Chuck Clark, Beanie Bishop and Brain Echols all looked sharp and likely to make Grady Brown and Austin burn the midnight oil as they finalize cuts in the secondary.

Payton Wilson and Cole Holcomb also had good nights as inside linebacker could be another “problematic” area on the depth chart to winnow down.

5. The Kids Will Be Alright

Thus far the reports on rookies Derrick Harmon, Kaleb Johnson and Jack Sawyer have been nothing but positive. The same can be said for Yahya Black and Will Howard (who was hurt.)

Yet, the rookie who shown brightest was none other than Carson Bruener, who played well both on special teams and defense.

In contrast, Harmon, Johnson and Sawyer looked like, well rookies getting their feet wet in their first preseason game.

  • Is that a reason to worry? Absolutely not.

IF James Harrison had flashed the potential the type of player who’d make 4 scores of sacks, he’d wouldn’t have been cut 4 times. Yes, Ryan Shazier authored a strong preseason debut. And Franco Harris’ was sensational.

But there are two other names to keep in context: Jarvis Jones and Huey Richardson.

Jones recovered a fumble and had ESPN calling him Harrison’s heir apparent. You can read more about Richardson’s debut here, but he had a sack, two pressures and a forced fumble while playing inside linebacker and defensive tackle en route to becoming the worst first round bust in Steelers history.

In short, there’s either worrisome or wrong with rookie looking like rookies in their preseason debut.

6. NFL’s Been De-emphasizing Preseason, Tomlin Leans In

When he arrived in Pittsburgh, Mike Tomlin didn’t shy from playing his starters, although he wisely paced them. But with the arrival of the 17 game season, Mike Tomlin has played his starters less and less. T.J. Watt, Cam Heyward, Patrick Queen, Aaron Rodgers and D.K. Metcalf among others did not suit up.

That however provided opportunities for young guys to get a shot at their NFL dream.

And as we saw, the men took their opportunity to heart. Good for them.

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Pittsburgh Steelers 2025 Draft Needs @ Cornerback – Moderate

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Cornerback. It seems like Aaron Rodgers worked his will against the Steelers in Super Bowl XLV cornerback has been at or near the top of the Steelers off season wish list.

Is that still the case today? And if so how will that impact the Pittsburgh’s plans for the 2025 NFL Draft?

Joey Porter, DeAndre Hopkins, Steelers vs Titans 2023

Joey Porter defends a pass targeted at DeAndre Hopkins. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune Review.

Steelers Depth Cart at Cornerback: The Starters

In Joey Porter Jr. the Steelers finally have what they’ve been missing since Ike Taylor’s prime – a cornerback who can shadow the opponents’ best wide receiver. Yes, Porter drew too many pass interference calls in 2024, but those are expected growing pains of a cornerback of his size.

To fill the spot opposite Porter, the Steelers once again looked outside of the organization this time signing 12-year veteran and recent Super Bowl Champion Darius Slay. Slay brings the Steelers 167 starts, 28 interceptions and 160 passes defensed.

He will also provide a veteran presence, and serve as a valuable mentor to otherwise young cornerbacks room.

Steelers Cornerback Depth Chart: The Backups

For the first time in a long time, the Steelers have promising, home-grown potential further down the depth chart at cornerback. As an undrafted rookie free agent, Beanie Bishop won the starting nod as the slot cornerback, hauling in 2 interceptions in the win against the Jets, another against the Giants, and he made a heads up should-have-been-game-changing one in the loss against the Bengals.

Cory Trice was a 7th round pick from the Steelers 2023 draft class whom took a flyer after he fell on due to his  injury history. Trice missed his rookie year with an injury and the middle part of 2024 with another injury.

  • Trice did get extensive play during the final three games of the season, and played reasonably well.

Omar Khan made an under-the-radar free agency signing when he brought James Pierre back. Pierre played for the Steelers for four seasons, before leaving as a free agent, only to return after being cut. At this point in his career, Pierre is probably more of a corea special teamer, but he does provide valuable depth.

In free agency, the Steelers added Brandin Echols, a four-year veteran from the New York Jets who has 57 games, 19 starts, 5 interceptions and 2 pick sixes on his resume. Echols give the Steelers another option at slot corner.Pittsburgh Steelers, NFL Draft, Pittsburgh Steelers Draft Needs Scale

The Steelers 2025 Draft Needs @ Cornerback

In synthesis, for the first time in a long, long time, cornerback is not an urgent need for the Steelers. That’s good. But it doesn’t mean Pittsburgh can ignore the position.

Darius Slay will be 34 next year and even if spends 2025 defying the dictum that “cornerback is not an old man’s game” he’s clearly not a long-term answer. Trice may be a long-term answer, but his injury history needs to be top of mind.

The Steelers should have good depth at corner for 2025, but Omar Khan and Mike Tomlin should be thinking long-term. Therefore the Steelers need at cornerback going into the 2025 NFL draft should be considered Moderate.

 

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Does Cam Sutton’s Second Steelers Act Deserve an Encore?

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Once upon a time, the Pittsburgh Steelers didn’t do second acts.

When Rod Woodson and Eric Green discovered that the grass isn’t necessarily greener on the other side of free agency’s fence, both asked to return. Tom Donahoe derisively dismissed them explaining, “We’re not the Salvation Army.” Jerry Olsavsky got a similar cold shoulder when he wanted to come home.

  • Kevin Colbert brought a new attitude.

And with it, players like Orpheus Roye, Sean Spence, Myron Bell, Ainsley Battles, Matt Spaeth, Willie Williams, Larry Foote, Antwaan Randle El and James Harrison all returned to Pittsburgh for second acts with the Steelers.

Last spring, Cam Sutton became the first former player that Omar Khan welcomed back. Should Sutton’s second act get an encore?

Cam Sutton, Mark Andrews, Steelers vs Ravens, Ben Roethlisberger final regular season game

Cam Sutton intercepts a pass to Mark Andrews. Photo Credit: Ravens.com

Profile of Cam Sutton’s Steelers Career

The Steelers drafted Cam Sutton in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft. In a moment that’s ironically coincidental to his current situation, Sutton saw his first action on December 4th, 2017.

  • For deep dives on Sutton’s first act with the Steelers see his 2021 and 2023 free agent profile.

The Steelers expected to resign Sutton, but the Detroit Lions offered him a far bigger number than Omar Khan was willing to match, so Sutton spent 2023 in the Motor City. There Sutton revealed that he probably wasn’t worth a CB No. 1 salary, but it was a domestic violence arrest led the Lions to cut him.

The Steelers did their own due-diligence and resigned Sutton, expecting a suspension. Sutton indeed was suspended for the first 8 games of the 2024 season, returning for the win over Washington.

Sutton played in 43% of the snaps during the rest of the season, with his statistical peek coming on the road against the Bengals, where he made 4 tackles and batted away 2 passes. Sutton’s participation topped out at 69, 72 and 82 percent of the snaps in the win at Cincinnati, the Christmas day loss to the Chiefs and the 2024 regular season finale home loss to the Bengals.

The Case for Resigning Cam Sutton

Cam Sutton is just turning 30, he has 110 games and 58 starts under his belt. Sutton has position flexibility, being able to play on the outside or in the slot as corner and can also work at safety. He knows the Steelers defensive system and can be signed on a team-friendly deal, if not for the league minimum.

The Case Against the Steelers Resigning Cam Sutton

On paper, the idea of bringing Cam Sutton back should have worked out brilliantly for the Steelers defense. The Steelers were getting a starter-capable cornerback, who knew their defense that would suddenly become available in the middle of the season when everyone else in the secondary was nursing their bumps and bruises.

  • Sound fishy? Then check out Bud Dupree’s impact after coming off the PUP list in late 2016.

Alas, it didn’t work out that way with Sutton. He saw his playing time increase during the final four games of the regular season, when injuries cost the Steelers the services of Joey Porter Jr., DeShon Elliott, and Donte Jackson.

  • The defense struggled in their absence.

Cam Sutton certainly doesn’t deserve to be a scapegoat for the defense’s late season meltdown. But clearly he wasn’t part of the solution either. With the emergence of Beanie Bishop and Cory Trice the Steelers can and should move on from Cam Sutton.

Curtain’s Call on the Steelers and Cam Sutton

Sutton’s first game of a Steelers came at Cincinnati, the night Ryan Shazier suffered his spinal contusion. That injury led to Sean Spence’s thoroughly disappointing second act with the Steelers.

  • The parallel between Spence and Sutton only goes so far.

The Steelers needed Spence to replace a player who formed a critical cog in their defense and Spence simply wasn’t good enough. Sutton was supposed to reinforce a secondary that was being rebuilt, end-to-end and he really didn’t add a lot.

The Steelers are likely to add a corner in free agency and in the 2025 NFL Draft. So Cam Sutton’s best shot at extending his second act in Pittsburgh would likely be to agree to play for the veteran minimum.

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Bring Him Back? Steelers Must Proceed with Caution on Donte Jackson

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There’s a reason why [INSERT TEAM NAME] so eagerly got rid of him….

Skeptical Steelers fans utter that phrase whenever the front office picks up a player for very little. They’re often right. The Steelers gave up next to nothing to bring Levi Brown and William Jackson to Pittsburgh but also got nothing in return.

But just because a team is willing to part ways with a player, doesn’t mean he’s bad.

The Steelers got him in exchange for Diontae Johnson, who managed to get cut 3 times during 2024. Once again, the Steelers benefited from another “Khan Artist” level trade.

But the question remains, has Donte Jackson done enough extend his stay in Pittsburgh?

Donte Jackson, Brock Bowers, Donte Jackson interception, Steelers vs Raiders

Donte Jackson intercepts a pass intended for Brock Bowers. Photo Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie, Imagn via SI.com

Profile of Donte Jackson’s Steelers Career

Donte Jackson made an excellent first impression, hauling in the game-sealing interception in the Steelers opening day win over the Atlanta Falcons. He went on to start 15 games for the Steelers, missing the regular season loss to the Ravens and then the season finale against the Bengals.

Jackson proved to be a ball hawk for the Steelers, hauling in 5 interceptions and recovering a forced fumble in the snow. He also finished the season with 8 passes defensed, which is often a better measure of coverage skills. For comparison’s sake, Joey Porter Jr. had 7 this past year.

Per Pro Football Reference advanced stats, he allowed a 69.9 passer rating in 2024, a career best.

The Case for the Steelers Resigning Donte Jackson

For better and for worse, the Steelers defense is turnover driven. Jackson accounted for 6 turnovers in 2024. The Steelers have struggled to draft and develop cornerbacks and Jackson fits the mold of players they brought in from the outside.

Think of Jackson as Joe Haden lite.

Sure, Cory Trice looked good in late season action, but he’s got a ominous injury history and his NFL sample size is small. Behind Thrice there’s next to nothing.

The Case Against the Steelers Resigning Donte Jackson

The Steelers play in the AFC North, home to Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow, two perennial NFL MVP contenders. There is literally no margin for error on defense when playing against either of these two signal callers.

Jackson certainly played well early in the season, but he faltered on the homestretch. Injuries likely contributed to that, but in the playoffs Lamar Jackson had a 158.8 passer rating against Jackson. Sure, that was only one pass, but it went for a touchdown.

  • The Steelers defense was exposed during the 5 game-losing streak.

With salary cap space to spare, the Steelers should use those dollars to bring in someone else to help them improve instead of staying on place by investing those to keeping Jackson in Pittsburgh.

Curtain’s Call on the Steelers and Donte Jackson

If Omar Khan’s comments from the scouting combine are any indication, the Steelers are certainly open to bringing Jackson back. And that’s a healthy attitude to take – provided they keep the Ahkello Witherspoon experiment in mind.

Kevin Colbert traded for Witherspoon on the eve of the 2021 opener. He sat out until week 10, and then preceded to haul in 3 interceptions and knock away 9 passes in 9 games, while allowing a jaw-dropping 35 passer rating.

They promptly resigned him. Alas, he only lasted 4 games into 2022, as Jalen Hurts torched him badly in the Steelers ’22 loss at Philly. He never saw the field again and got cut in the 2023 off season. Witherspoon rebounded with the Rams, but never approached the level he played at in late 2021.

Unlike Witherspoon, Donte Jackson has started for a full season for the Steelers and he’s done it as CB number 2. So they have a more “representative sample” as stats geeks would say.

  • But that sample indicates the Steelers must be smart.

With Joey Porter Jr., Beanie Bishop and Cory Trice, the Steelers have the beginnings of a foundation at cornerback. But they need another veteran starter-capable corner and they need to draft someone. Passer rating allowed is often a dubious metric, but Jackson’s history there has been up and down.

The wise move for the Steelers would be to target a veteran cornerback and revert to resigning Jackson as a fallback move.

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Steelers Report Card for the Season-Ending Loss to the Bengals

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Taken from the grade book of a teacher disillusioned four times over, here is the Pittsburgh Steelers Report Card for the 2024 season-ending loss to the Bengals at Acrisure.

Beanie Bishop, Patrick Queen, Beanie Bishop interception Bengals, Steelers vs Bengals

Beanie Bishop intercepts a pass just before the half. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

Quarterback
Russell Wilson was 17 of 31 for 148 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions. Wilson played well on the Steelers two touchdown drives. But his decision to tuck it and run on the final drive cost the team precious seconds. Likewise, his missed Pickens who was open on the sideline. Wilson doesn’t deserve to be scapegoated for those two plays, but they reveal that the Steelers needed more. Grade: DSteelers, Report Card, grades,

Running Backs
No one will fault Arthur Smith for shying away from “pounding the rock.” But against the Bengals it was also like pounding a head against a brick wall. Najee Harris totaled 36 yards, Jaylen Warren 21 yards and Cordarrelle Patterson 1. The running backs might not have gotten any help from the offensive line, but they neither did themselves, nor the team any favors. Grade: F

Tight Ends
Pat Freiermuth was easily the team’s only viable receiving threat with 8 catches on 11 targets for 85 yards and a touchdown, although he did let Wilson’s final pass slip through his fingers. Darnell Washington drew a crucial pass interference penalty on 3rd down in the end zone that set up the first touchdown. Grade: C

Wide Receivers
Mike Williams made a highlight reel worthy toe tap catch to convert the team’s first 3rd down.  Van Jefferson and 3 catches for 18 yards, but had another 3rd down conversion batted away. Calvin Austin also dropped a pass on a possession down. George Pickens had 6 targets and 1 catch for zero yards and at least three drops. Grade: F

Offensive Line
Regardless of what decisions Mike Tomlin (or Art Rooney II) make about the coaching staff a week from now, the Steelers had better hope that the regression we’re seeing from the line is due more to the proverbial “rookie wall.” Because the offensive line has been regressing since midseason. The Steelers want to be a team that imposes its will. Yet it can’t earn a yard when given two tries. Nor can it protect Russell Wilson. Wilson was sacked 4 times and hit another 8 times. Grade: F

Defensive Line
Cam Heyward battled down 3 pass. Put in other terms, he accounted for 25% of Joe Burrow’s incompletions. Keeanu Benton had a tackle for a loss and recorded his first sack of the season when it was urgently needed. Grade: B

Linebackers
T.J. Watt did not register a tackle, but he did have a strip sack negated by a penalty, and he did pressure Joe Burrow. Patrick Queen, Nick Herbig and Preston Smith all had sacks at critical moments. Payton Wilson led the linebackers in tackles, with Alex Highsmith coming in second. Grade: B+

Secondary
Beanie Bishop made an incredible heads up play to secure an interception before the half. Cory Trice got thrown into the fire, but held up through the night. Joey Porter Jr. had a passed defense. Joe Burrow’s ability to complete “rhythm” passes helped secure their lopsided time of possession advantage. A big part of that’s on the secondary. However, the Bengals never saw the end zone outside of the first quarter and went 1 of 4 in the red zone. That is to the secondary’s credit. Grade: C+

Connor Heyward, Steelers vs Bengals

Connor Heyward recovers a muffed punt. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Special Teams
Chris Boswell hit on his only field goal attempt and was perfect on PATs. Calvin Austin fumbled a punt, but Connor Heyward recovered a muffed Bengals punt. The Steelers did give up more than you’d like to see on kick and punt coverage. Grade: C-

Coaching
Was George Pickens as bad in practice during the week as he was in the game? One would like to think so. Did Arthur Smith over-think things, speculating that “OK, Russell Wilson passed for near-career high yardage last time, so this time we’re gonna surprise them by pounding the rock.” Again, that would be comforting.

The Steelers couldn’t run and couldn’t pass unless the intended receiver was Pat Freiermuth.

Clearly the Steelers Junior Varsity offense has some talent/some talent that needs to mature issues. However, one month ago, Arthur Smith appeared to be putting things together.

  • A month later, they’ve completely fallen apart.

Worse yet, there’s zero indication that Humpty Dumpty can be put back together before the playoffs.

A week ago the Kansas City Chiefs offense humiliated Teryl Austin’s defense. The Steelers looked like frauds. Joe Burrow and the Bengals don’t quite have KC’s pedigree, but they did finish the year as the NFL’s hottest units. And the Steelers defense played them well enough to win.

The loss to the Bengals extends the Steelers losing streak to 4 games, which marks the longest-season ending losing streak since the 1998 Steelers lost their last 5. As head coach Mike Tomlin’s job is to short-circuit these streaks before they occur. He’s failing at that before our very eyes. Grade: F

Unsung Hero Award
Because of him Cincinnati’s first play from scrimmage went for no gain. He helped force a field goal by limiting a pass to no gain. He also had another tackle for a loss on another drive that reached the Red Zone and ended in a field goal. As he has all year long, DeShon Elliott came through with bread and butter plays when the Steelers needed them the most, and for that he wins the Unsung Hero Award for the Steelers season-ending defeat to the Bengals a Acrisure.

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Steelers Report Card for 2024 Loss to Eagles – No Points for Progress Edition

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Taken from the grade book of a teacher who isn’t giving points for progress here is the Pittsburgh Steelers Report Card for the 2024 loss to the Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field.

Patrick Queen, Jalen Hurts, Steelers vs Eagles

Patrick Queen tries in vain to close in on Jalen Hurts. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Quarterbacks
Russell Wilson 14 of 22 for 128 yards and 1 touchdown presents a half-full/half empty situation. On the one hand, the started the game throwing at a lot of air. On the other, he was extremely a crafty in leading the first touchdown drive and he looked to be setting up to do another before the fumble. Justin Fields converted his lone rushing attempt. The Steelers lost this game for many reasons. Quarterback play was not one of them. Grade: BSteelers, Report Card, grades,

Running Backs
Take in these numbers: 14, 12, and 9. Almost looks like a halftime junior high school basketball stat sheet. But those were actually the rushing totals of Najee Harris, Jaylen Warren and Cordarrelle Patterson. Russell Wilson actually had a better rushing average than 2 of the 3 running backs. True, the Steelers were behind the gun much of the game limiting opportunities. And the line’s blocking was subpar. But the Steelers needed more from their running backs and the fumble was fatal. Grade: F

Tight Ends
Pat Freiermuth led the unit with 3 catches for 22 yards – but don’t be deceived, his touchdown was one of the best “combat catches” you’ll ever see. He was the only other tight end to get a target or a carry. Snap counts indicate that Darnell Washington and Mycole Pruitt were on the field a lot and that being the case, the team needed more from a blocking perspective. Grade: C-

Wide Receivers
Calvin Austin led the unit with 5 catches for 65 yards, making an incredible catch on the flea-flicker. Ben Skowronek was next with 1 catch for 17 yards, Mike Williams had 1 catch for 15 yards. Scotty Miller had one failed target (thanks replay assist) and Van Jefferson had 1 catch for zero yards. These guys try hard, but grades some from results, not effort. Grade: F

Offensive Line
After turning in a number of strong performances, the Steelers offensive line slipped. Russell Wilson was only sacked twice, and hit a total of four times, but he had several passes bad at the line of scrimmage, and the running game struggled. Grade: D

Defensive Line
Cam Heyward led the unit in tackles with five, Keeanu Benton followed with four while Montravius Adams and Isaiahh Loudermilk each had 2. The Steelers contained Saquon Barkley and the line had a huge role in making that happen. Still, the defense lost containment on Jalen Hurts too many times, and those took a their toll. Grade: C-

Linebackers
T.J. Watt almost single-handedly got the Steelers into the game, with his forced fumble and multiple sacks in the second half. Alex Highsmith also got in the act with a sack. If the Steelers linebackers deserve credit for containing the Eagles ground attack, they also deserve blame for losing containment on Hurts and allowing the Eagles’ short-medium passing game to work so well. Grade: C-

Secondary
The good news is that A.J. Brown did not burn the Steelers secondary the way he had 2 years ago. The bad news is that he and DeVonta Smith subjected them to a case of death by 100 cuts as both men topped 100 yards. Joey Porter Jr., James Pierre and Minkah Fitzpatrick all had good individual plays. But the Eagles had a 20-minute time of possession advantage on a night when their All Pro running back looked mortal. They also converted 10 of 17 third downs. Grade: F

Special Teams
Mark Robinson’s fumble was a heads up play that should have sparked the offense. Cordarrelle Patterson did well on his kick returns. The Steelers kick and punt coverage was solid, but not spectacular. Chris Boswell was perfect, bounced extra point notwithstanding, and Corliss Waitman had a good night punting. The penalty on the field goal could have been catastrophic. Thanks to defense it wasn’t, but that brings the group grade down. Grade: B-

Mark Robinson, Cooper DeJeanSteelers vs Eagles, Mark Robinson forced fumble Cooper DeJean

Mark Robinson forces a Cooper DeJan Fumble. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Coaching
A few weeks ago, after the Cleveland loss we said that the whole of the Steelers offense was less than the sum. Arthur Smith, in subsequent games rectified that.

  • But his running game was still a sore spot.
  • And it was glaring weakness against the Eagles.

How many third and 7 or more did the Steelers face. Throughout the season we’ve seen Najee Harris, Jaylen Warren and even Cordarrelle Patterson have their moments. But no back has achieved any level of consistency.

This is a contrast from this point in 2023 and even 2022 when you could make a strong case that either Harris and Warren should start. But platooning them was the smart move.

  • Is platooning them part of the problem today?

I don’t know but Smith had better figure it out quickly, because this offense cannot compete without George Pickens

Let’s credit Teryl Austin for containing the man who is having the most dominating season for a running back that the NFL has seen in a generation. Let’s also credit Austin for keeping a lid on the Eagles offense and limiting their longest catch to 22 yards.

  • But it is fair to ask if that came at the cost giving up too many short and medium passes.

The Steelers were actually in this game until the very end even though the Eagles out-executed them by a mile. Credit and blame Mike Tomlin for both. NFL games don’t award partial credit for “showing your work.” Grade: F

Unsung Hero Award
Everyone know Philadelphia was going to try to feed the ball to Barkley. Containing him was a team effort, but there was one players whose number kept showing up throughout the night, and for that Patrick Queen wins the Unsung Hero Award for the Steelers loss to the Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field.

 

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Losing Streak in Philly Continues: Eagles Beat Steelers 27-13

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The eleventh time is apparently not the charm. The Steelers went to Philadelphia and dropped a 27-13 decision to the Eagles, bringing the Black and Gold’s win tally there to 0-11 since 1965.

Going into this game the Eagles offered a unique measuring stick to gauge the team’s progress since the drubbing the Steelers suffered in Philadelphia a little over two years ago.

  • Today, the Eagles won because they out-executed the Steelers end-to-end.

But does that mean Pittsburgh hasn’t made any progress? No, fortunately it does not. Despite the loss, the Steelers did show that they’re making progress. However, within that progress there are as many reasons for caution as there are for hope.

Najee Harris, Steelers vs Eagles, Najee Harris fumble Steelers Eagles

Najee Harris fumbles. Photo Credit: SteelersWire.com

It’s Execution, (or Lack Thereof) My Dear Watson

The Eagles brought a 9-game winning streak into the game. They were at home, in a place where the Steelers have struggled. They were favorites for a reason.

Still, it was said the Steelers had a “puncher’s chance.” Multiple times the Steelers had chances to expand their foothold against the Eagles only to falter.

In less than a minute, the Steelers had created and squandered a chance to get ahead of an opponent that was clearly in control of the game. But that didn’t seem to matter, as Danny Smith’s special teams struck back quickly.

  • Mark Robinson forced a fumble on the punt which Nick Herbig recovered
  • The Steelers now had the ball at Philadelphia’s 11
  • Najee Harris ripped off a 7 yard run on the next play
  • Only to have it negated by an unsportsman like call against Darnell Washington
  • That brought up 2nd and 19 instead of 2nd and 3 at the 4
  • Two incompletions later Chris Boswell was kicking a field goal

Sure. We can complain that Washington’s penalty should have been off set. It was not. And the reality is that the Steelers had two fumbles inside of one minute and could only turn those into 3 points.

  • Arguably, these weren’t the Steelers most damaging misfires.

The defense opened the second half by forcing a field goal, watching a Montravius Adams penalty give the Eagles a second shot, only to force another field goal.

  • It took three plays for the Steelers to reach the Eagles’ 26-yard line, only to fumble.
  • The Eagles turned that into a touchdown.
  • The Steelers started the ensuing drive strong, only to scuttle it with a Zach Frazier penalty

Thanks to the penalty the Steelers had a 1st and 21, lost a yard on a pass to Cordarrelle Patterson and punted away their last chance to punch their way into this contest.

The Bad: Execution is Elementary for Eagles

The Philadelphia Eagles were the better team in this game and that was evident from the outset.

Jalen Hurts started this game on fire. HE completed 12 of his first 13 passes and finished the evening with 290 yards on 25 completions with two touchdowns.

  • The Eagles converted 10 of 17 third downs
  • They also converted 1 of 1 4th down attempts
  • A.J. Brown had over 100 yards receiving
  • As did DeVonta Smith
  • The Eagles dominated time of possession by almost 20 minutes

To drive that final point home, after the Steelers scuttled their final drive with the Zach Frazier penalty Philadelphia got the ball with 10 and a half minutes and never gave it back.

The fireworks in Philly weren’t limited to the offensive side of the ball. The Eagles defense forced 4 three and outs by the Steelers offense, won the battle at the line of scrimmage, and not surprisingly, held them 3 of 10 on third downs

The Good: Some Progress for Pittsburgh

This was the worst game the Steelers have played in 2024 but, despite that, they’ve improved since their last trip to Philadelphia in 2022.

  • Russell Wilson was only sacked twice, as opposed to 6 sacks for Kenny Pickett in ‘22
  • A.J. Brown’s longest catch was for 21 yards
  • His shortest touchdown was for 27 yards in 2022
  • The Steelers held Saquon Barkley to 3.4 yards – his season average is just under 6
  • T.J. Watt sacked Hurts twice and Alex Highsmith got to him once

And while there’s no doubt that the Steelers offense is struggling without George Pickens, credit Arthur Smith and Russell Wilson for engineering a crafty drive (Ben Skowronek for 17 yards on first down – we all saw that coming) that finished with a phenomenal Pat Freiermuth combat touchdown catch.

Pat Freiermuth, Steelers vs Eagles

Pat Freiermuth makes a combat touchdown catch. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

The duo was looking to do the same with the flea flicker to Calvin Austin hookup that started the second half drive that ended in the fumble.

Needed: A Running Game

If the Steelers have made some progress when measured against elite competition, they clearly remain very far from where they want to be: Russell Wilson may have supplanted Kordell Stewart as the last Steelers quarterback to throw a touchdown pass in Philadelphia, but Mike Nixon still has a win there that continues to elude Mike Tomlin.

There are many reasons for that, but the biggest and perhaps the least obvious reason is that the team cannot establish the run.

The Eagles were successful with their short passing game because they forced the Steelers to respect the run.

  • The Steelers couldn’t command reciprocal respect.

And as a result, Corliss Waitman had another strong outing as a punter. The good news is that, despite that, the Steelers were only a couple-of-three plays away from giving the Eagles a run for their money.

But until Arthur Smith can establish some consistency on the ground, this offense will remain too dependent on parlor tricks to seriously compete with true Super Bowl contenders.

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Steelers Report Card for MNF Win over Giants – Many Students Raising Hands Edition

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Taken from the grade book of a teacher pleased to see so many students raise their hands, here is the Pittsburgh Steelers Report Card for the Monday Night Football win over the Giants.

Calvin Austin, Steelers vs Giants,

Calvin Austin hauls in a touchdown. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Quarterback
In his second start, Russell Wilson went 20-28 for 278 yards and a touchdown. Wilson also had two touchdown passes negated by penalty and instant replay. He was also sacked 4 times.  But Wilson also put the ball on the ground in what could have been a game-changing play. Grade: B-Steelers, Report Card, grades,

Running Backs
This was the Najee Harris we have been waiting for, as he rushed 19 times for 114 yards for his third straight 100 yard game. Jaylen Warren run for 46 yards on 9 carries. Warren and Harris had 2 and 3 carries respectively. Grade: A-

Tight Ends
Pat Freiermuth and 2 catches for 19 yards and Darnell Washington had one for 29. Connor Heyward served as a blocker. Grade: B

Wide Receivers
George Pickens had 4 catches for 74 yards and two touchdowns that were called back, one where he failed to get his feet in bounds. Calvin Austin had as strong game, 3 catches for 54 yards including a touchdown. Scotty Miller was targeted twice. Grade: B

Offensive Line
The offensive line had a mixed night. Its run blocking was exceptional early in the game, although lagged at time. Against a fierce pass rush, the line held its own, as Wilson generally had time to throw although he did suffer 4 sacks. Still, a penalty in the red zone and leakage on third down in the red zone hurt the team. Grade: C-

Defensive Line
Cam Heyward, starting his 202th game for the Steelers turned in a solid night. Keeanu Benton and two tackles and Larry Ogunjobi had 3. Responsibility for the Giants exceptional success rushing the ball doesn’t lie with the defensive line, but it starts there. Grade: C-

Alex Highsmith, Daniel Jones, Steelers vs Giants MNF

Alex Highsmith sacks Daniel Jones. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Linebackers
T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith were quiet in the first half and then morphed into a two man wrecking crew in the second half, with both men authoring drive-wrecking sacks, with Watt’s stripe-sack-recovered fumble coming just after the Steelers had turned over the ball. However, Patrick Queen, Elandon Roberts and Payton Wilson need to do better in stopping the run. Grade: C

Secondary
Joey Porter Jr. actually led the team in tackles, while DeShon Elliott and Beanie Bishop deflected passes with Bishop bagging the final interception. The Giants were 5-15 on third downs, but Darius Slayton, Malik Nabers and Theo Johnson all had some long catches. Grade: C

Special Teams
Another week and another exceptional outing by Danny Smith’s special teams. Chris Boswell was 4-4 on field goals, the Steelers kick coverage did give up a long return, but punt converage was solid. Corliss Waitman pinned the Giants in deep in their own territory twice. The star of the show was Calvin Austin whose 73 yard punt return electrified the stadium. Grade: A

Coaching
Arthur Smith’s offense took another step forward. His team moved the ball down the field early and he is proving that he can keep the defense off balance by committing to the run and then using that to set up deep passes.

The Steelers still need to do better in the Red Zone, and their inability to kill the clock late in the game is a negative.

  • Is Teryl Austin coaching a Super Bowl caliber defense?

Some weeks and for portions of some games the answer seems like a resounding yes. But at other times his defense gives up big plays or can’t seem to make a bread-and-butter stop when needed. The Giants ran effectively against the Steelers, and had things been just a little different, that could have been the difference in the game.

Van Jefferson, Steelers vs Giants 2024 MNF

Van Jefferson makes a 4th quarter catch. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

Mike Tomlin’s decision to throw the challenge flag after he’d already lost a replay was puzzling, although ultimately not costly. That gaffe aside, Tomlin managed to avoid the dreaded “trap game” that has dogged him in the past, and because of it the Steelers are 6-2 and hold the lead in the AFC North. Grade: C

Unsung Hero Award
We understate things when we say that this player has kept a low profile this season. He has. And then some. But against the Giants he stepped up catching the ball 4 of 5 times it was throw to him and the Steelers scored on each of those drives, and for that Van Jefferson wins the Unsung Hero Award for the Steelers win over the Giants on Monday Night Football.

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