Tag Archives: Isaac Redman

Steelers Key to Success vs Vikings in Dublin? Avoid Jet Lag

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The NFL released its 2025 schedule last week proving once again the league retains its power as a marketing juggernaut.

A generation ago baseball, the Stanley Cup and NBA Finals would have driven North America’s sports talk. By transforming the schedule release into a media event, the NFL has shifted the focus to football.

The Steelers  finally learned the date and opponent of their long-awaited game in Dublin.

This will be the first regular season NFL game played in Ireland, but it will be the Steelers second trip to the Emerald Isle and their second international game. Prior to the 1997 season, the Steelers played a preseason game in Ireland against the Bears, and in 2013 the Steelers played the Minnesota Vikings in London.

The Steelers’ London date with the Vikings came was on September 29th in the 4th game of the season. The Steelers will face the Vikings in Dublin on September 28th in week four of the season.

So things are lining up nicely for history symmetry buffs…. Perhaps a little too nicely.

Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers vs Vikings, Steelers vs Vikings London, Mike Adams

1 of 5 Minnesota Vikings sacks of Ben Roethlisberger in London. Photo Credit: Matt Dunham, AP via NY Daily News

When asked by Missi Matthews if the Steelers planned on doing anything differently for its second international trip, Art Rooney II told her he didn’t expect it and that the Steelers travel plans would probably remain the same.

That’s a problem.

Because the Steelers left Pittsburgh the Thursday before the game, arrived on Friday, practiced on Saturday, and then promptly lost the battle of 0-3 teams in a game that wasn’t nearly as close as the 34-27 final score suggested.

Before that game, Dejan Kovacevic, then with the Tribune Review sounded the alarm about jet lag. In his podcast this week, he confirmed that several players, including LaMarr Woodley, looked completely out of it in their Friday pre-game press conference.

For those of you who’ve never made a trans-Atlantic flight, I can assure you it typically takes 2 if not 3 days to acclimate. The Vikings, wise to this reality, came in early.

Was it just the jet lag?

It is hard to say. The 2013 Steelers were in salary cap purgatory. They arrived at St. Vincents that summer with precarious depth. Attrition forced four players on injured reserve before the Steelers even played their 4th preseason game.

They started their season opener with RB Number 1 (Le’Veon Bell) in street clothes. RB Number 2, Isaac Redman was starting with a career-ending injury. RB Number 3 Jonathan Dwyer, had been cut. TE’s Number 3 and 4, David Johnson and David Paulson, were TE number 1 and TE number 2 thanks to injuries to Heath Miller and Matt Spaeth.

That’s how the 2013 Steelers began game 1. They then promptly went about proving Murphy’s law:

Starting center lost. Backup tackle doing double duty as tight end shifts over to play center. For the first time in his life. All within 8 plays of the season. 3 players lost for the year on opening day. Some guy named Kion Wilson manning the inside linebacker position and, get this, calling the defensive plays.

Oh, yeah, and Cortez Allen also got injured in the 2013 season opener (although he was back for London) but by the time Kion Wilson had played his last NFL snaps on defense and was got cut season’s end.

By week 3 in a road game against Chicago the Steelers offensive line was so bad that it prompted Dale Lolley, then with the Observer-Reporter, to make the tweet of the year:

The offensive line managed to get worse on the other side of the Atlantic – that was perhaps the only game when I saw Ben Roethlisberger look lost in the face of a fierce pass rush.

  • So maybe it wasn’t just the jet lag.

But the bottom line is, the NFL is hyper competitive, and teams need every edge they can get. Or at least avoid yielding opponents an edge by giving yourself jet lag.

Moral of the story?

Mike Tomlin would do well to get the Steelers to Dublin early as he can.

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The Steelers Will Tender Jaylen Warren. Should They Go Further?

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During the Mike Tomlin Era, RB No. 2 has been anything but a prestige position for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Isaac Redman had a respectable run from 2010 to 2012. DeAngelo Williams did a fantastic job in 2015 and early 2016 until injuries took their toll. But beyond those two, this era’s backup running backs provide perfect fodder for Final Jeopardy answers (think Najeh Davenport and Benny Snell.)

  • For the last three years, Jaylen Warren has re-written this script.

And unlike his predecessors, he’s not only excelled as RB No. 2, he’s played so well his performance has prompted many to suggest he should be the Steelers starting running back.With Najee Harris headed for free agency, and Jaylen Warren reaching restricted free agency, we’re about to find out if Omar Khan and Mike Tomlin share those feelings.

Jaylen Warren, Marion Humphrey, Steelers vs Ravens

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

Capsule Profile of Jaylen Warren’s Career with the Steelers

When Eddie Faulkner promised in June 2022 to reduce Najee Harris’ carry-count in the coming season, even the most innocent homer had to be skeptical. Mike Tomlin notoriously runs his starting starting running backs “until the wheels came off, as Willie Parker, Rashard Mendenhall, and Le’Veon Bell can attest.

But a few weeks later an undrafted rookie free agent started showing signs he was going to help his coach remain truthful. Jaylen Warren turned heads at St. Vincents and during the preseason doing well enough to earn a helmet as the Steelers 3rd down back.

Warren made strong enough impression as a rookie, that fans entered the 2023 season calling for him to start over Harris, even though Warren only had 74 carries to his name. Harris continued to start, but Warren saw his role grow, as he rushed 149 times for 784 yards and caught 61 passes, nearly doubling his 2022 totals.

In 2024 injuries limited Warren to 15 games, but that was enough for him to rush for 511 yards and catch 38 passes.

The Case for the Steelers Resigning Jaylen Warren

There really isn’t any question that the Steelers are going to give Warren a restricted free-agent tender the only question is whether they’ll make it high enough to ensure they get draft compensation should someone sign him.

The larger question is do they only want a one-year rental with Warren, or do they want to lock him down for 2 or 3 years more?

In Jaylen Warren the Steelers have a dynamic running back who has repeatedly proven that he hits holes decisively and moves the chains when it counts. Like number 33 Merril Hoge before him, Jaylen Warren gives his all every time he touches the ball — the man doesn’t even take his helmet off during games.

Jaylen Warren, Robert Spillane, Steelers vs Raiders

Former Friends: Robert Spillane tries to tackle Jaylen Warren. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

He’s also a pass-catching threat out of the backfield, and his pass blocking might not impress any Fantasy Football owner who starts him, but Kenny Pickett, Justin Fields and Russell Wilson would certainly attest to how much of an asset that makes him to the Steelers offense.

Warren has shined during his 3 year apprenticeship, now its time for him to take over as the master.

The Case Against the Steelers Resigning Jaylen Warren

Jaylen Warren has a great story. He’s kind of like Isaac Redman but without the “Red Zone” factor. And Redman’s experience should be instructive to the Steelers.

Redman came out of nowhere and proved he was a viable backup running back. But thanks to injuries, Redman wasn’t even a long term answer at backup.

  • Injuries plagued Warren early in 2024.
  • His rushing average dropped by a full yard.

That, plus the fact that Warren has a 1.2% fumble rate, are warning signs that the Steelers braintrust must heed. Bringing Warren back 2025 is the right move, but the Steelers must hedge their bets.

Curtain’s Call on the Steelers and Jaylen Warren

Sometimes there’s nothing more tempting than a third down back who seems to out-perform the starter. During the dark days of the Steelers 1999 season, pundits argued it was imperative for the Steelers to leave Jerome Bettis behind because of Richard Huntley’s third down play.

OK. That analogy only goes so far. Najee Harris is no Bettis, and Warren far better than Huntley. But the example underlines the fact that, while Jaylen Warren is a player you need on your team, he’s never been tested as a starter. If nothing else, his fumble rate signals the risk in making a long-term commitment to him.

Expect the Steelers to offers Jaylen Warren a restricted free agent tender high enough that the draft pick a signing team would have to give up is too high, but don’t expect them to go beyond that.

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Steelers Lose to Lions 24-17, Finish Preseason 0-3 But Starters Look Strong

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The Pittsburgh Steelers dropped a 24 to 17 decision to the Detroit Lions at Ford Field thus ending their preseason effort with an 0-3 record.

But despite being winless in preseason, the Steelers effort in the Motor City should leave Steelers Nation with positive takeaways as well as some areas for legitimate concern heading into the regular season.

MyCole Pruitt, Steelers vs Lions preseason

MyCole Pruitt goes for 22 yards. Photo Credit: AP via Tribune-Review

Steelers Varsity Dominates Lions JV – With a Twist

Until last night the Steelers 2024 preseason effort has offered a mirror image of its 2023 predecessor. If you’ll remember, one summer ago, the Steelers first units would enter a game, dominate for a couple-of-three-series and then watch the rest of the game from the sidelines as second and third stringers continued dictating the rest of those games to their opponents.

  • Against the Lions, the Steelers starters reverted to 2023 form.

Just look at the first drive. Russell Wilson completed two passes. The first was a 6-yard loss to George Pickens, the second a 31-yard bomb on 3rd and 11. Cordarrelle Patterson ran twice. The first time he went off tackle to the strong side and lost two yards. On his next play, Patterson ran 31 yards up the middle behind textbook blocking from Zach Frazier and Isaac Seumalo.

On the ensuing drive, Nick Herbig registered two sacks on a six-play series to get the ball back for the Steelers offense. Justin Fields came in for the Steelers at quarterback and quickly hit MyCole Pruitt for a 22-yard gain to put the Steelers into the Red Zone. Once there Fields tag teamed with La’Mical Perine and after 3 tries, got the ball into the end zone.

  • In the blink of an eye, the Steelers were up 14 to 0 with as many sacks as it had touchdowns.

What is Steelers Nation to make of this? Can we chalk this up as another caffeine-laced sugar high similar to the ones that misled us just one year ago? That’s a tempting conclusion, especially given that Dan Campbell sat the lion’s share )no pun intended) of his starters.

But look closely and you’ll see that the tactics Arthur Smith used to guide the Steelers offense to such a quick lead reveal something fundamentally different from what we saw last summer.

As Matt C. Steel pointed out on Steel City Insider, Patterson’s touchdown run came out of an under-center formation, went straight up the middle on 2nd and 12. When was the last time you saw a Steelers offensive coordinator call a running play, let alone one under center or 2nd and 12?

  • You’d probably need to return to the days when Ken Whisenhunt wore the headset to find an example.

The same dynamic was evident on the Steelers next drive. The Fields-Pruitt hook-up came out of the shotgun, but was set up with play action and targeted the middle of the field. And the Steelers used play action effectively because they’d committed to and succeeded in establishing the run.

Even after factoring in, “its only preseason,” it is hard to argue with a team that only needs 11 minutes to go up 14 points.

I will however quibble with Mike Tomlin’s decision to limit Russell Wilson to a single series. Tomlin justified his decision explaining, “We just needed results that were indicative of how we worked. They were able to put together a scoring drive and really just provided opportunity to get Justin in there sooner.”

Fair enough. Tomlin knows more about using the preseason to prepare veterans for the regular season than I do. With that said, I’d prefer to see my starting quarterback throw more than 12 passes in preseason – even if he did complete 10 of those.

Good and Bad in a 3 Quarter Slog

Mike Tomlin began pulling starters aggressively after the Steelers took a quick lead.

And over the next three quarters he saw that lead slip away in an effort that shows why preseason football had gotten such a bad name.

There was a lot of sloppiness on both sides of the ball from both teams, and there were few, if any, stand-out moments from rookies taking advantage of their final chance to realize their NFL dream (think Stefan Logan and/or Isaac Redman in 2009.)

Dez Fitzpatrick impressed with two catches and made his case for a long look at a slot on the 53-man roster. Nick Herbig of course has a roster spot locked up, but he’s showing himself worthy of working himself into a rotation with Alex Highsmith and T.J. Watt. La’Mical Perine and Aaron Shampklin rushing averages are not that impressive, but both men made some strong runs.

On defense, Mark Robinson continued to stake his claim to that elusive inside linebacker slot. DeMarvin Leal again looked like the player we thought he was going to be at the tail end of 2022 and Keeanu Benton looked strong as well.

Sleepers like Jacoby Windmon might not have done enough to make the final 53, but flashed practice squad potential while German-born Julius Welschof showed enough to earn a practice squad slot on merit and not just because he has an exemption.

  • Finally, there’s John Rhys Plumlee.

Throughout training camp we’ve heard good things about the team’s 4th string quarterback, and the Steelers coaches also see something they like, as they’re giving the rookie a shot at earning a roster spot as a kick and punt returner.

  • John Rhys Plumlee looked good doing both and completed 3 of 4 passes.

While the Steelers are unlikely to keep four quarterbacks as they did in 1995 and 1999, Plumlee’s evening once again proved when Mike Tomlin says he gives every rookie a fair shot based on performance, he means it.

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Looking Back @ Mike Tomlin Opening Day Blowout Losses & How Steelers Have Responded

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Last Sunday the San Francisco 49ers kicked the Pittsburgh Steelers “in the teeth,” to borrow Mike Tomlin’s words. Perhaps a Pittsburgh loss to San Francisco wasn’t unexpected, but no one foresaw the Steelers suffering such a spanking.

But if the Steelers got knocked down in the first round of a 17 round fight, what does that first round performance tell us about their prospects for the other 16 rounds? After all, the Steelers are a franchise that lends itself to trends thanks to their stability.

Take the uncanny nature of opening day results during the Cowher Era.

For Bill Cowher teams, and an opening day ass kicking was basically a good omen. In contrast, opening day wins preceded difficult seasons (with the exceptions of 1992, 2004 and 2005.)

  • The loss San Francisco brought Mike Tomlin’s opening day record to 10-6-1.

Here we look back at those other opening day blowout to see what, if anything, we can gain from them. (The 2015 loss to the Patriots is excluded, as it wasn’t a blowout.)

Talaona Hufanga, Connor Heyward, Steelers vs 49ers

Talanoa Hufanga intercepts Kenny Pickett while Connor Heyward can only watch. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

2011 – The Blowout at Baltimore

September 11th 2011 @ M&T Bank Stadium
Baltimore 35, Pittsburgh 7

The Steelers entered this game as defending AFC Champions and holding a 7-3 edge over the Baltimore Ravens to start the Tomlin era, including two playoff victories. Everyone expected the good times to continue, perhaps even members of the Steelers organization.

  • The Ravens kicked the Steelers asses.

The 35 to 7 score makes this one look closer than it was. Baltimore dominated Pittsburgh in every phase of the game, prompting Warren Sapp to declare that the Steelers defense was “Old, slow and done.”

The Steelers responded the next week with a shutout of the Seattle Seahawks. The 2011 team struggled a bit after that against the Texans, but a mid-season win over the Patriots seemed to confirm that they were still contenders.

But injuries ravaged the Steelers by the time they reached the playoffs, and the loss to Tim Tebow slammed the Super Bowl window shut.

2012 – Peyton Manning Outfoxes Polamalu

September 9th @ Sports Authority Field at Mile High
Denver 31, Pittsburgh 19

The Steelers began the rebuilding process in the 2012 off season, but they still took what they felt was a strong team to Denver where Peyton Manning made his debut.

Looking back at this game, it is easy to forget that the Steelers actually held a 19-14 lead in early in the 4th quarter.

However, Peyton Manning had been engaged in a chess match all night with Troy Polamalu, and by the 4th quarter he maneuvered the Steelers defense into checkmate, leading two scoring drives for ten points while a Tracy Porter interception of Ben Roethlisberger added on another six.

  • This game, in many ways signaled the wired dynamic that defined the 2012 season.

For all that was made of the tension between Ben Roethlisberger and Todd Haley, the offense did fairly well in the first half of the season while the defense struggled. The defense found its footing by midseason, thanks largely to James Harrison returning to health, only to see the offense falter due to injuries to Roethlisberger and overall dysfunction.

2013 – The Titans Bring Opening Day Armageddon

September 8th 2013 @ Heinz Field
Tennessee 16, Pittsburgh 9

By the spring of 2013 the Steelers were in full rebuilding mode. They were also doing it with stuck in salary cap purgatory. Going into the game Bob Labriola described the Steelers situation at offensive line as walking a tight rope without a net (hold on to that one.)

Injuries had already taken their toll on their opening day roster as they started their number 3 and number 4 tight ends, their number 2 running back, Isaac Redman (who was already playing with a career-ending injury) and with their top backup at inside linebacker (Sean Spence) on IR.

Things got worse. Fast. Maurkice Pouncey was lost for the season after about a half dozen plays. Inside linebacker Larry Foote would be lost for the season before too long. So would 3rd down back LaRod Stephens-Howling whose Steelers career would consist of 6 carries. Oh, and the Steelers also lost starting corner Cortez Allen during the game.

  • Despite the injuries, the Steelers were in it until the end.

But things got worse before they got better. The Steelers would lose their next 3 in route to a 2-6 start to the season. Nonetheless, they clawed their way back to respectability and an 8-8 finish and only missed the playoffs due to a blown call in another game.

2019 – Brady, Patriots Pulverize Steelers One Last Time

September 8th, 2019 @ Gillette Stadium
New England 33, Pittsburgh 3

In hindsight, we should have seen this coming. But we didn’t.

The Steelers defense had improved in 2018 enough make Tom Brady look mortal in an upset at Heinz Field. While this was the first game of the post “Killer Bees” era for the offense, but the unit had looked sharp in route to a 3-1 preseason record.

Gunner Olszewski, Steelers vs Patriots, Steelers vs Patriots 2019, Gunner Olszewski first game

Gunner Olszewski’s first games was against the Steelers in 2019. Photo Credit: David Butler II, USA Today, via Bemidji Pioneer

Regular season reality set in fast. Tom Brady led the Patriots to 20 unanswered first half points. The offense’s best play was a 2 yard dink from Ben Roethlisberger to Ryan Switzer. The lasting memory on defense is of substitute safety Kameron Kelly who seemingly forgot not only that he was supposed to try to stop the receiver from catching the ball, but also that he was supposed to chase and tackle him afterwards.

The Steelers followed this with losses to Seattle, where Ben Roethlisberger was lost for the season, and San Francisco, where Mason Rudolph made his first start. Mike Tomlin coaxed a 1989-Steelersque like turn around that put Pittsburgh in contention for the playoffs.

But the rally fizzled down the stretch as the Steelers ended with three straight losses.

Take Aways from Tomlin’s Season-Opening Blowouts

The good news? In each case, Mike Tomlin’s teams improved following their season-opening blowouts.

  • The bad news? Only one of those teams made the playoffs.

And, with exception of the 2011 team, none of the teams authored dramatic, rebound wins. Instead, improvement came gradually, or in the case of the 2012 Steelers, unevenly. And the injuries suffered in those openers formed and important part of the backstories of each of those seasons.

Does that tell us something going into the Browns game at Acrisure Stadium on Monday Night Football?

Maybe. But as Mike Tomlin would retort, the 2023 Pittsburgh Steelers are writing their own story.

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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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Steelers 2021 Free Agent Focus: Ola Adeniyi – Will “Mr. Preseason” Get an RFA Tender?

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The digital era has changed the way the NFL presents its product. By in large, those changes have been for the better, bringing fans closer to the game they love. Preseason football has not aged well in the digital transition.

  • Once upon a time, preseason football was an oasis. 

Football starved fans who’d been suffering a long off season could finally get their fill of gridiron action. It was enough, even if it didn’t feature top talent (although starters did get a fair number of preseason snaps well into the 1990s). Today, YouTube, Twitter and Tiki Toki fill that void from February to August. Preseason football is now perceived as a painstaking rite to be endured, rather than a welcome appetizer that precedes the main course.

  • Yet preseason remains an invaluable experience for unknown players to prove themselves.

Yet names like Donnie Shell, Dwight Stone, Merril Hoge, Lee Flowers, James Harrison, Willie Parker, Isaac Redman and Ramon Foster might ring a bell for Steelers fans. That’s because these “training camp roster spot holders” parlayed preseason performances into careers with the Steelers.

Ola Adeniyi was another no pedigree preseason standout in 2018 and is now a restricted free agent. Has he done enough to earn him that coveted “second NFL contract?” Let’s find out!

Olasunkanmi Adeniyi, Ola Adeniyi, Steelers preseason

Ola Adeniyi closes in for one of his patented preseason sacks. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

Capsule Profile of Ola Adeniyi’s Career with the Steelers

An undrafted free agent out of Toledo in 2018, Ola Adeniyi quickly made a name for himself when he recorded several sacks that preseason. While Adeniyi did make the Steelers roster during his rookie campaign, he was unable to capitalize on his preseason success thanks to an injury that forced him onto the Injured Reserve list for the majority of the season.

Adeniyi made the Steelers roster in 2019 and again in 2020, but the outside linebacker was afforded very few defensive snaps playing behind the dynamic pass-rushing duo of T.J. Watt and Bud Dupree. Adeniyi’s primary role during his Steelers career has been on special teams.

The Case for the Steelers Resigning Ola Adeniyi in 2021

Adeniyi is a restricted free agent but one without much of a resume. It should be fairly easy and inexpensive to retain his rights for at least one more season. Besides, with Bud Dupree likely gone in free agency, the Steelers depth at outside linebacker will be a primary concern heading into 2021. It appears that the Steelers may have found themselves a suitable replacement for Dupree in one Alex Highsmith, a third-round pick in 2020. However, Adeniyi, 23, is still really young and perhaps has room to grow as a player. He knows the system and, again, is a major contributor on special teams.

The Case Against the Steelers Resigning Ola Adeniyi in 2021

The Steelers coaches know more than we do. While Adeniyi’s rookie preseason was eye-opening, it did primarily come against players of his level. Perhaps the coaches realized this right away, which is why they really haven’t given Adeniyi much of a chance to be a major player on defense.

Curtain’s Call on the Steelers and Ola Adeniyi

Again, it should be fairly inexpensive to retain Ola Adeniyi’s services. I see no real problem in him remaining on the Steelers roster in 2021. If he does still have some upside, maybe someone like Highsmith won’t be able to block it as easily as Dupree did. 

With that said, Ola Adeniyi is a restricted free agent, and restricted free agent tenders will clock in at around 2.3 million dollars. The Steelers need every salary cap penny they can get, and could very well opt not to tender Adeniyi yet still bring him back at a veteran minimum.

Has Steelers free agency left you scrambling? Click here for our Steelers 2021 Free Agent tracker or click here for all Steelers 2021 free agency focus articles.

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NFL Concussion Protocol be Dammed Steelers Should Sit Mason Rudolph vs Chargers

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Twitter can be addictive. Which is why I don’t neither stay logged into it on my desktop nor my mobile devices. But yesterday afternoon a retweet caught me by surprise.

mason rudolph, mason rudolph nlf concussion protocol

Mason Rudolph practices while in Step 4 of NFL Concussion Protocol. Photo Credit: Matt Freed, Post-Gazette via Twitter

The original tweet was from Matt Freed, a photograph from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. It does of course show Mason Rudolph throwing the football at the Steelers practice facility on the South Side.

The fact that Mason Rudolph is able to go out and throw a football a few days after suffering a hit that knocked him unconscious is a welcome sign. The sight of Mason Rudolph laying there motionless as JuJu Smith-Schuster signaled frantically for the medical staff to take the field was harrowing.

  • Early word was that Mason was doing well, but was not talking to the press as he was in the NFL’s Concussion protocol.

Can players practice while in the NFL’s Concussion Protocol? Well, according to the NFL’s 5 step guidelines, they can. After a player has rested and proceeded through the light exercise phases of the protocol, he entered Step Four: Step Four: Football Specific Activities.

Per Joe Ruttner’s reporting in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Mason Rudolph not only threw, but was running reps with the scount team, which would put him in Step Five of the NFL’s Concussion Protocol which Step Five: Full Football Activity/Clearance.

In pure football terms this means that if Mason Rudolph can make it through a week’s practice without showing signs of a concussion, he and not Devlin Hodges could actually start for the Steelers on Sunday Night against the LA Chargers.

Given that the Steelers will take the field without Jaylen Samuels and James Washington and with other key starters such as Vance McDonald and James Conner already having missed portions of games with injuries, this is a welcome sign in pure football terms.

  • But football is not the only concern here.

Mason Rudolph’s long-term health is. I do not pretend to be an expert on concussions, but everything we know indicates that if a player has suffered one concussion they’re more susceptible to other concussions and this is at its highest immediately after a concussion has been suffered.

  • NFL Concussion Protocol be dammed, the Steelers should sit Mason Rudolph for the Chargers game no matter what.

Sit him out for a week. Give him the bye week off, and give him 3 full weeks before he’s exposed to the risk of another concussion. Mike Tomlin has always deferred to his medical staff when it comes to clearing an injured player to return. That is as it should be.

But concussions are different. Isaac Redman once admitted he lied while in the concussion protocol to return to play. Hines Ward once lashed out at Ben Roethlisberger for NOT lying about having headaches so that he’d be able to play. After retiring, Troy Polamalu admitted to having suffered far more concussions than had ever been publicly diagnosed.

One would hope that Mason Rudolph would be smart enough NOT to do that, but one never knows, which is exactly why the decision should be taken out of his hands.

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Is the Steeler 2019 Draft Need @ Running Back Stronger than Conventional Wisdom Indicates?

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Ask a fan, a journalist or even a team employee what the Steelers top needs are entering the 2019 NFL Draft and they’ll tell you inside linebacker, cornerback and wide receiver – probably in that order.

  • Few would, or should argue.

But after those positions, there’s little agreement over what comes next. Some would argue for edge rusher, others tight end while still others will insist that the Steelers add another safety. Those arguments all have their merits.

Few, however, think of, let alone mention running back – is this a mistake? Let’s find out.

James Conner, Steelers vs Browns, James Conner Fumble

James Conner fumbles late in the 4th quarter of the Steelers-Browns tie. Photo Credit: Photo credit: Sporting News Canada

Steelers Running Back Depth Chart Going into the 2019 NFL Draft: The Starters

Home town hero and cancer survivor James Conner became an immediate fan favorite when the Steelers picked the former Pitt Panther in the 3rd round of the 2017 NFL Draft. James Conner saw little action in his rookie season which unfortunately ended in the December showdown against the New England Patriots.

  • James Conner’s body of work was so scant that the Steelers did not seriously consider him as an alternative to Le’Veon Bell.

Nonetheless, with Le’Veon Bell made good on threats to hold out/backed away of his stated intention to report and play in the franchise tag (Bell made both), James Conner became the Steelers starting running back.

James Conner proved to be up to the task as a quick look at his performance reveals.

James Conner, James Conner 2018 statistics

James Conner’s 2018 statistics

James Conner not only proved to be a capable replacement to Le’Veon Bell, by some measures, he was an improvement to Le’ Veon Bell. (One of those, unfortunately, was not ball security.) James Conner of course got hurt in the Steelers loss to the Chargers, but his return in week 17 should do nothing to dissuade fans that Conner is a championship caliber NFL running back.

  • The other Steelers starter at running back would be Roosevelt Nix, their fullback.

While Roosevelt Nix continued to play well when called upon by the Steelers, but in Randy Fichtner’s offense, Roosevelt Nix’s role decrease, as his 2018 snap count dropped to 9.86%, down from 16.37% in 2017.

Steelers Running Back Depth Chart Going into the 2019 NFL Draft: The Backups

Behind James Conner the Steelers have Jaylen Samuels who was thrust into the starting role after Conner’s injury despite never having worked as a starting running back in his NFL life.

Given his lack of experience, the rookie Jaylen Samuels did incredibly well, rushing for 256 yards on 56 carries and catching another 26 passes for 29 yards which included 3 through the air.

Behind Samuels, the Steelers also have Trey Edmunds, brother of Terrell Edmunds, who got activated from the practice squad when Conner got injured, and remains an unknown commodity.

For those of you taking notes at home, the Steelers also have running backs Malik Williams and Ralph Webb on their roster.

Steelers Need @ Running Back Going into the 2019 NFL Draft

Although he only has a year of starting experience under his belt, James Conner already shares something in common with Willie Parker, Rashard Mendenhall, Le’Veon Bell, Isaac Redman and DeAngelo Williams.steelers, draft, needs, priority, 2018 NFL Draft

  • What might that be?

James Conner, like his Tomlin-era predecessors, suffered a late season injury that complicated “December football” for the Steelers because there was little proven depth behind him.

To be fair to the coaching staff, as soon as it became clear that Le’Veon Bell’s holdout would become permanent, the Steelers dramatically cut down on his workload as the table above indicates.

Perhaps that’s a sign that Mike Tomlin is learning that he shouldn’t take his credo of rushing a running back until his wheels start to fall off too literally.

  • However, the Steelers made no apparent attempt to target a running back during free agency.

And that leaves a bare cupboard behind James Conner and Jaylen Samuels. Steel Curtain Rising is already on record saying that beefing up running back depth is one of the under appreciated Steelers 2019 off season priorities. And with that in mind, the Steelers need at running back going into the 2019 NFL Draft must be considered Moderate High.

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Watch Tower: National Press Declares Open Season on Steelers, Ben Roethlisberger

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The Watch Tower’s lights have been dim for quite some time, but that’s due to lack of time and certainly not for lack of material. Today we shine our lights on the national press piling on Pittsburgh in light of the Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell shake ups, some historical background on those two stories, and more.

Ben Roethlisberger, Myles Garret, Steelers vs Browns, Steelers Browns tie

Myles Garrett sacks Ben Roethlisberger in Steelers tie with Browns. Photo Credit: Barry Reger, PennLive.com

National Media Declares Open Season on the Steelers, Roethlisberger

The Pittsburgh Steelers have taken a pounding from the national press. Certainly, the Steelers bear some responsibility. But much of the heat directed at the Steelers is unfounded.

  • Just how bad is it?

Well, when someone like Mark Madden can take the press to task for sloppy journalism, you know things are bad. The facts of the two stories are well established:

  • Antonio Brown quit with the playoffs on the line and then humiliated his team on social media
  • Le’Veon Bell turned down a 70 million dollar contract from the Steelers, held out, and ended up with a smaller contract from the New York Jets.

But you wouldn’t know that if you’d been following the national press. Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell were victims of the Rooneys, Kevin Colbert, Mike Tomlin and perhaps worst of all Ben Roethlisberger.

Antonio Brown, Antonio Brown trade, Steelers trade Antonio Brown, Ben Roethlisberger, Mike Tomlin

Antonio Brown, Ben Roethlisberger & Mike Tomlin in happier times. Photo Credit: Gregory Shamus, Getty Images via BTSC

  • The Watch Tower lacks both time and space to shine its revealing light on each culpable national journalist.

But we will start with what is perhaps the most egregious offender Sport Illustrated’s Robert Klemko. Josh Harris, last seen in the Steelers January 2015 playoff loss to the Ravens, tweeted that Ben Roethlisberger had intentionally fumbled in the 2014 season finale against the Bengals.

Accusing a fellow player of intentionally fumbling is an explosive charge, far more serious than a quarterback calling out a receiver for running the wrong route, but given that Josh Harris’ 9 NFL carry career ended 4 years ago, it likely would have and should have gone unnoticed.

Yet Robert Klemko gave Josh Harris a national platform in a feature length story that included interviews with Harris and Isaac Redman. From a journalistic stand point, that’s a completely ethical story line if you’re objective.

  • But Robert Klemko didn’t even feign objectivity.

Klemko could have requested a response from Roethlisberger, yet gives no indication that he tried. He could have talked to 9 of the other players in the huddle then. He did not. He could have analyzed the video from the play. He did not.

  • When Bruce Gradkowski offered a detailed rebuttal, he could have interviewed Gradkowski and done a follow up story. He did not.

Instead he took the words of Josh Harris, a player whose career doesn’t even merit a footnote in Steelers history, and treated them as if they had come from the Burning Bush. Klemko’s story was so one-sided that Isaac Redman publicly called him out for taking his words out of context.

Antonio Brown, Le'Veon Bell, Steelers vs Colts

Happier Times: Antonio Brown & Le’Veon Bell celebrate a touchdown. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune Review

Wolf pack journalism and the use of negative headlines to sell papers er, um, generate clicks are nothing new.

  • But the Watch Tower wonders whether the digital media landscape has exacerbated both tendencies.

Stories from Jenny Vrentas of SI.com and ESPN’s Jeff Darlington perhaps offer examples. For a long time, teams, agents, and players depended on the media to get their message across. Now, thanks to social media, individual actors no longer need third parties to mediate for them.

Yet one of the few ways that independent press outlets can differentiate themselves from the “Content aggregators” is by getting one-on-one access to players.

  • But it seems as if this access is coming at a price.

While it has been normal for agents and PR reps to set ground rules in exchange for interviews, the press still retained leverage. Jenny Vrentas interview with Le’Veon Bell and Jeff Darlington’s interview with Antonio Brown suggest this is changing. Both Bell and Brown made outlandish claims to Vrentas and Darlington, claims that in a serious journalistic context would have been challenged.

Yet neither journalist showed any interest in challenging their subjects in name of finding the truth. If this is indicative of the direction professional sports journalism, then the Watch Tower shudders for its future.

Shout Out for the Good Guys

While the Steelers have largely remained silent against this onslaught of negative news, members of the Pittsburgh press and Steelers-focused bloggers have not.

  • Gerry Dulac, Ed Bouchette, Jim Wexell, Joe Starkey, Mark Kaboly, Mark Madden, Ian Whetstone and Simon Chester, to name just a few, have pushed back.

While their focus has been on the Brown and Bell stories, the national press has seemingly come at the Steelers from every angle. For example, Bill Barnwell (among others) have called out the Steelers for the salary cap of Brown’s 2018 contract re-structure.

Fortunately, scribes like Ian Whetstone have been quick to set the record straight:

Ian Whetstone has been particularly aggressive in this regard, so aggressive that a complete accounting of his efforts could easily fill up an entire column.

  • Ian Whetsonte wins Watch Tower kudos for his effort to promote the truth.

Simon Chester of Behind the Steel Curtain has been a particularly strong voice in the effort to set the record straight. Jesse James free agent defection to Detroit was unfortunate if not unexpected. Jesse James was asked about the situation in Pittsburgh as one might expect.

Jesse James.

Jesse James scores against the Panthers.

  • The national media took a few stray comments from James out of context, and tried to make it sound like his goal was to get out of Pittsburgh as soon as he could.

A full reading of his press conference, reveals a very different attitude. Fortunately, Simon Chester detailed this in a feature length story, which is a welcome benefit to those of us too busy working 10-12 hour days to research the story for ourselves.

And while it would be unfair for the Watch Tower to claim that national press as a whole has refused to admit that Le’Veon Bell lost his gamble, there are no shortage of writers who insist that Bell “won.” Again, Simon Chester was ready with a fact-based refutation of the Bell apologists.

Finally, The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly exposed the NFL Network for splicing together two separate Ben Roethlisberger quotes regarding the infamous route running incident in Denver:

Not that the national media had it out for the Steelers, or anything like that….

Pounding the Pavement on the Brown and Bell Stories

None of what has transpired over the last few months occurred in a vacuum, and the Watch Tower would like to shout out a few journalists who’ve earned their salaries as reporters during the time these stories have evolved.

  • Jeremy Fowler of ESPN earns Watch Tower Kudos for his reporting on both the Brown and Bell stories.

Jeremy Fowler got Le’Veon Bell on the record saying he would report to the Steelers during bye week. Bell of course never showed up, but Fowler was the only journalist to get Bell on the record at that time.

Fowler also provided perhaps the most detailed account of Antonio Brown’s conduct and special treatment by the Steelers organization, even unearthing the Brown didn’t stay at St. Vincent’s during training camp. That was an incredible story that took a lot of diligent reporting to write, and Jeremy Fowler deserves praise for putting it together.

Finally, Jim Wexell also offered an important detail that added important depth to the Bell story by reporting that Le’Veon Bell insisted offered to report late in the season before the deadline but only if the Steelers paid him the full 14.5 million.

Suffice to say, there’s a lot going on, much more than can be contained in this single column. Hopefully the Watch Tower will be back with more much sooner.

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The “Other” Steelers 2019 Off Season Priority: Beefing Up Running Back Depth

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What’s the Pittsburgh Steelers biggest priority of the 2019 off season? Well, improving at inside linebacker and at cornerback (if not safety as well) top everyone’s list. As they should. Next comes finding someone to “replace” Antonio Brown.

  • That’s where most people’s lists tend to end. They should not.

There’s another off season priority for the Steelers, and while it make take a backseat to the priorities listed above, ignoring it will only come at Pittsburgh’s peril. The Steelers need to strengthen the depth of their offensive backfield. In doing so they’d be wise to remember the contributions of the Mewelde Moore back in 2008…

Mewelde Moore, David Jones, Steelers vs Bengals 2008

Mewelde Moore, the unsung hero of the Steelers 2008 season. Photo Credit: Gregory Shamus, Getty Images via Zimbo.com

 

Steelers Busted Up Backfield Syndrome

It is kind of funny if you think about it. Steelers fans find no shortage of topics to criticize Mike Tomlin on these days, whether its clock management, challenges, talent evaluation, locker room control or getting tripped up on trap games.

Yet the numbers are there for all to see. Whether we’re talking about Willie Parker, Rashard Mendenhall, Le’Veon Bell or the duo of Jonathan Dwyer and Isaac Redman, Mike Tomlin has shown little inclination to limit the work load of his starting running backs.

  • While that’s a debatable strategy to begin with, it is even more dubious if when you fail to adequately staff your running back depth chart.

This is after all the team that started Ben Tate, Josh Harris and Dri Archer in the playoffs one year, and Fitzgerald Toussaint and Jordan Todman a year later.

First Step – Admitting You Have a Problem

While the Steelers brass hasn’t issued a mea culpa, there are signs that the coaches have realized they have a problem. Before it became clear that Le’Veon Bell’s hold out would become permanent, James Conner was on track to touch the ball 378 times this year.

James Conner, James Conner 2018 statistics

James Conner’s 2018 statistics

Although the Steelers dramatically cut back on Conner’s carries starting with the Panther’s game, James Conner got hurt anyway. That forced rookie Jaylen Samuels into the starting role despite never having played running back full time in his football life.

Fortunately, Samuels was up to the task. Unfortunately, it left the Steelers one play away from starting Stevan Ridley or Trey Edmunds as their starting running back.

The Steelers offense couldn’t control the clock, and airing the ball out resulted in more turnovers – even if Ben Roethlisberger’s interception percentage was down.

Solution Staff Moore Running Back Depth

While it is easy to play arm chair head coach and criticize Mike Tomlin and Randy Fitchner for passing too much, the fact is that their personnel left them little choice. This is one case where the arm chair general managers have the upper hand. Steelers history backs this up.

  • It certainly is true that the passing game is preeminent in today’s NFL
  • It may also be true that “Three yards and a cloud of dust” smash mouth “Steelers football” only delivered wins in Super Bowl’s IX and Super Bowl XL

But it is also true that the Steelers lone Lombardi Trophy of the Tomlin era came in 2008, when the front office had the foresight to staff a running back depth chart that was 3 and arguably 4 players deep. The plan was rely on Willie Parker and Rashard Mendenhall, with Mewelde Moore and Gary Russell serving as backups.

Mewelede Moore hadn’t just been overlooked by the Pittsburgh media, having signed as a free agent the same day Ben Roethlisberger signed his first extension, the coaches had ignored him too as Carey Davis got the call when Mendenhall got injured in Baltimore.

Moore rushed for 120 yards the following week, and piled up just under 800 all-purpose yards while only making 4 starts. I’ve long argued that Mewelede Moore was the unsung hero of the Steelers 2008 season which ended in victory at Super Bowl XLIII.

  • How might have 2018 turned out had the Steelers dedicated a roster spot to another running back instead of say, Justin Hunter?

We’ll never know. But we do know that the Steelers brass’ decision to staff running back depth charts which are essentially only two players deep has carried steep costs in December and January time and time again.

James Conner and Jaylen Samuels give the Steelers two good backs going into 2019. Regardless of whether he comes from free agency or the 2019 NFL Draft, the Steelers must bring a third running back to Pittsburgh; Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin must find the 2019 equivalent of Mewelde Moore.

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