Tag Archives: Matt Spaeth

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

Posted on by Standard Reply

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.

Please lend a hand by sharing this on Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp etc... Thanks.

Trading Up for Isaiahh Loudermilk Was a Mistake by the Steelers. But, Should He Be Done in Pittsburgh?

Posted on by Standard Reply

The Pittsburgh Steelers are conservative about making draft-day trades involving future draft picks. So when they do it raises eyebrows and turns heads. This was the reaction when they traded up for Shamarko Thomas in 2013.

When they did it again in 2021 with Isaiahh Loudermilk triggered memories of that ill-fated draft-day trade.

As he reaches free agency, there’s no question that, like Shamarko Thomas before him, Loudermilk clearly hasn’t been worth trading up for. The question remains, can anything be salvaged with an extended stay in Pittsburgh?

Isaiahh Loudermilk, James Conner, Steelers vs Cardinals

Isaiahh Loudermilk tackles James Conner. Photo Credit: SteelersNOW.com

Profile of Isaiahh Loudermilk’s  Steelers Career

When the Steelers traded their 2022 4th round pick for the Dolphin’s 2021 5th round pick and drafted Isaiahh Loudermilk, little did they know that their defense line was about to fall off a cliff. First Stephon Tuitt retired. And then, 5 quarters into the season, Tyson Alualu was lost.

Suddenly, the Steelers defensive line was down to Cam Heyward playing alongside a bunch of J.V. defensive lineman whose names no one remembers. Loudermilk got pressed into service sooner than expected appearing in 15 games clocking in at 29% of the defensive snaps.

  • And the early look on Loudermilk was good.

In his rookie year he batted down 3 passes, recorded a sack and logged 23 tackles – not bad for a 5th round draft pick, right? Steel City Insider’s Jim Wexell even flirted with the idea that Loudermilk reminded him a bit of a young Aaron Smith.

Unfortunately, Loudermilk had difficulty building on that, as he averaged below 20% of defensive snaps for 2022 and 2023. While Larry Ogunjobi and Keeanu Benton’s arrivals had a lot to do with that, Loudermilk failed to push either man for playing time.

Loudermilk’s snap count did increase in 2024, but he only registered 1 more tackle than 2023. He’s also been a regular contributor on special teams, highlighted by his block of Brandon Aubrey’s field goal attempt in the Steelers loss to the Cowboys.

The Case for the Steelers Resigning Isaiahh Loudermilk

Let’s embrace the elephant in the room: Isaiahh Loudermilk has not proved himself worthy of trading a future 4th round pick in order to get him in the 5th round.

But that’s not his fault any more than it was Matt Spaeth’s fault that the Steelers traded up to the third round to grab him. If you view Loudermilk as solely on his status as a 5th-round draft pick who has developed into a serviceable back up and solid special teamer you see him in a different light.

That makes him the perfect “…He knows the system” veteran that you resign at the veteran minimum for depth and to staff special teams.

The Case Against the Steelers Resigning Isaiahh Loudermilk

The good news is that the Steelers defensive line has improved since suffering its historic lows of the Loudermilk’s rookie season. The bad new is that there’s scant evidence to show that Loudermilk has contributed to that improvement. Worse yet, the 2024 NFL playoffs reinforced the reality that the Steelers defensive line is a long, long way away from being championship caliber.

Has Loudermilk shown us any evidence to suggest that he can be a component of a championship caliber NFL defensive line?

No he hasn’t.

Ergo Omar Khan and Mike Tomlin should like Loudermilk walk and find this generation’s Nick Eason or Travis Kirschke elsewhere.

Curtain’s Call on the Steelers and Isaiahh Loudermilk

Defensive line is clearly Pittsburgh’s biggest need in the 2025 off season. They must add quality and quantity. An ideal scenario would see them adding a 3-down capable nose tackle or a pure defensive end capable of taking Cam Heyward’s place. And, if they could find someone capable of replacing Larry Ogunjobi either now or in the future that would be even better.

Loudermilk’s fate likely hinges on how the draft unfolds for the Steelers.

If the Steelers come out of the 2025 NFL Draft with 3 new defensive lineman, Loudermilk likely gets caught up in a numbers game. If they don’t then he’ll likely get return for at or near the veteran minimum.

 

Please lend a hand by sharing this on Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp etc... Thanks.

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

Posted on by Standard Reply

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.

Please lend a hand by sharing this on Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp etc... Thanks.

Good Enough? Does Zach Gentry Deserve a 2nd Contract from the Steelers?

Posted on by Standard Reply

The Steelers struggle to replace Heath Miller has been well-known. Fortunately, with Pat Freiermuth’s arrival in Pittsburgh the Steelers have found their TE No. 1.

However, they’ve also been searching legit new TE No. 2 since Matt Spaeth was let go in 2016.

During 2021 Zach Gentry looked like he could be that man. However, he’s played 17 more games since then and he’s about to become a free agent. Has he done enough to earn a second contract?

Zach Gentry, Steelers vs Chiefs, Steelers vs Chiefs 2021 Wild Card, Ben Roethlisberger, Ben Roethlisberger last pass

Zach Gentry catching one of Ben Roethlisberger’s last passes. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

Capsule Profile of Zach Gentry Career with the Steelers

The Steelers drafted Zach Gentry in the 5th round of the 2019 NFL Draft out of University of Michigan after beginning with the Wolverines as a quarterback before converting to tight end.

Gentry’s developmental status and injuries limited him to six games and 69 snaps over his first two years in Pittsburgh (he had 13 special teams snaps, if you really need to know.) In his third year Gentry appeared in all 17 games and formally started 12 as the number 2 tight end.

Gentry’s 19 catches on 25 targets didn’t provoke any Fantasy Football bidding wars, but 11 of those did go for 1st downs and he 76% catch rate. However, Gentry didn’t make the proverbial “second year leap” in 2022. He made 19 catches on another 25 targets, which boosted his catch rate but the number of first downs he earned were nearly cut in half.

And while I don’t presume to have analyzed his blocking skills, both Steel City Insider’s Matt C. Steel and Pro Football Reference have and their evaluation has not been positive.

If nothing else, Zach Gentry will always be the player who caught Ben Roethlisberger’s last pass in the 21′ Steelers playoff loss to the Chiefs.

The Case for the Steelers Resigning Zach Gentry

The Steelers drafted Zach Gentry as a project. Both Gentry and the Steelers stuck with the project through a series of injuries. While he may not have made much of a leap in his second year as a starter, he’s a 6’8” tight end.

The Steelers should be able easily keep him in Pittsburgh at a very cap-friendly cost.

The Case Against the Steelers Resigning Zach Gentry

Who would you rather have as your TE number 2? Connor Heyward? Or Zach Gentry? Enough said.

Curtain’s Call on the Steelers and Zach Gentry

Zach Gentry’s future in Pittsburgh likely comes down to how the draft and the rest of free agency pans out. The Steelers have needs on both lines, the secondary, at linebacker and arguably receiver that are far more urgent than tight end.

On top of that, the Steelers have neither a 5th nor a 6th round pick, which is where you’d normally draft a backup tight end. It is possible that when the dust settles, the Steelers will decide to bring Zach Gentry back in Pittsburgh, but don’t expect to see him at the podium with Omar Khan any time soon.

But if the Steelers have a chance to upgrade the position, they should by all means take it.

Follow Steelers free agency. Visit our Steelers 2023 Free Agent tracker or click here for all Steelers 2023 free agent focus articles.

Please lend a hand by sharing this on Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp etc... Thanks.

Another Wolverine to Pittsburgh! Steelers Draft Zach Gentry, Tight End, Michigan in 5th Round of 2019 NFL Draft

Posted on by Standard Reply

It must have been déjà vu all over again in the Steelers draft room during the 5th round. Except this time it wasn’t a surprise. Four years ago when it came time for the Steelers to pick, they drafted Jesse James.

  • The Steelers followed form in the 5th round of the 2019 NFL Draft by picking Michigan’s Zack Gentry.

The move counted as a bit of a surprise, as Heath Miller was still going reasonably strong, and the team had just resigned Matt Spaeth. The move turned out to be a wise one, as Heath Miller retired in after the 2016 season, and injuries to Ladarius Green and Vance McDonald made Jesse James the defacto starter at tight end in 2016 and 2017.

  • The Steelers released 2018 practice squader Bucky Hodges just days before the draft, prompting many to think Pittsburgh would address the position sooner.

Instead, the Steelers drafted inside linebacker Devin Bush, wide receiver Dointae Johnson, cornerback Justin Layne, and running back Benny Snell before turning to Zack Gentry in the 5th round.

Zach Gentry, Steelers draft Zach Gentry 5th round 2019

Steelers draft Zach Gentry in 5th round of 2019 NFL Draft. Photo Credit: Mike Mulholland via MLive.com

Draft analyst Lance Zierlein (son of former Steelers offensive line coach Larry Zierlein) described Zack Gentry this way:

With his size and background at Michigan, teams might be tempted to play him as a combination tight end with run-blocking duties, but he’s much better-suited in space than in the trenches. Gentry runs pretty well and moves fluidly as a route-runner, but his hands and focus can be maddening. He showed flashes of what he could do with a more capable quarterback last year, but his disappointing workouts and testing might have pushed back and out of the draft.

Is is the case with Dontae Johnson and perhaps Benny Snell, the Steelers appear to value Zack Gentry a little more highly than do the pundits.

Zack Gentry Highlight Tape

Zack Gentry actually played quarterback during his freshman year for the Wolverines, sat out 2016 presumably due to injury, and was back as a tight end in 2017 and 2018. During that time he caught 49 passes for four touchdowns.

Here is a look at some of his highlights:

IF nothing else Zach Gentry appears to have good hands. Welcome to Steelers Nation Zach Gentry.

Please lend a hand by sharing this on Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp etc... Thanks.

Jesse James Free Agency: Why the Steelers Should Keep “The Outlaw” in Pittsburgh

Posted on by Standard Reply

Tight ends occupy an peculiar place in Pittsburgh Steelers history. While tight ends such as Larry Brown, Randy Grossman, Bennie Cunningham and Heath Miller have made key contributions in securing the franchise’s six Super Bowls, their roles have often been unheralded.

As a (mostly) backup tight end, Jesse James has done well occupying the role of an unheralded understudy. As he is about to become a free agent, the key question is, has Jesse James done enough to secure a second contract with Pittsburgh?

Jesse James, Jesse James free agent, Steelers vs Panthers.

Jesse James scores a touchdown in the Steelers win over Panthers. Photo Credit: Phillip G. Pavely, USA Today

Capsule Profile of Jesse James Steelers Career

The Steelers drafted Jesse James in the 5th round of the 2015 NFL Draft with an eye towards grooming him to replace Matt Spaeth. James played sparingly as a rookie, starting against Oakland where he scored a 4th quarter touchdown, and playing in the subsequent win against the Colts.

Heath Miller’s retirement and Ladarius Green’s lingering health issues thrust Jesse James into the spotlight in 2016. Jesse James started 13 games and made 39 catches for 339 yards and three touchdowns.

Nonetheless, injuries to Vance McDonald saw Jesse James start 14 games and as he increased his receiving total to 43 catches. In 2018 a healthy Vance McDonald limited Jesse James to seven starts as James saw his reception count drop to 30.

Moreover, James’ role in the passing game tapered off in the later part of the year, even as Ben Roethlisberger threw more and more frequently.

The Case for the Steelers Resigning Jesse James

Judged solely on the stats above, Jesse James body of work projects an image of a quality run of the mill backup NFL tight end.

  • Numbers do not lie, but sometimes the truth they tell can be deceptive.

Such is the case with Jesse James. When looking at what Jesse James has brought to the Steelers since 2015, it is better to judge him by the quality of his work, rather than the quantity. Consider:

Those plays illustrate critical contributions that Jesse James has delivered with games on the line in ways that plain numbers simply fail to measure.

With Antonio Brown heading out of Pittsburgh, the Steelers are going to need all of the offensive firepower they can get. Jesse James is not a player who will give opposing defensive coordinators fits.

But Jesse James IS a player who can come up with a critical catch when the games is on the line, and the Steelers must keep him in Pittsburgh.

The Case Against the Steelers Resigning Jesse James

When asked about Jesse James at the NFL Scouting Combine, Steelers General Manager Kevin Colbert was quite forthcoming: “Jesse’s been a nice complementary tight end to us.”

  • While that is hardly a damming assessment, one must consider the Steelers wider context.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have an urgent need to boost their roster at inside linebacker, cornerback and wide receiver. They’re also facing close to 20 million dollars in salary cap dead money thanks to the impending Antonio Brown trade.

And that means that spending top dollar on a backup tight end isn’t feasible. Jesse James has had a good career for the Steelers as 5th round picks go, but his time in Pittsburgh has run his course.

Curtain’s Call on the Steelers and Jesse James

Kevin Colbert was even more blunt when asked about the likelihood of Jesse James returning to the Steelers in 2019, when he clarified: “Any of our players that have an opportunity maybe to look elsewhere where they might have a better chance to be a starter, again, we encourage them.”

  • That seems to spell things out pretty clearly.

To keep Colbert’s comments in context, he’s clearly leaving the door open for James to return, but only after encouraging him to look around elsewhere first.

  • In my view, the Steelers are making a mistake by not trying to sign him before he becomes a free agent.

While you don’t break the bank for a backup tight end, the Steelers should be making him a competitive offer. Jesse James is never going to be a game-breaking tight end, but he’s a dependable player who helps you win.

The Steelers should keep the outlaw in Pittsburgh.

Has Steelers free agency left you scrambling? Click here for our Steelers 2019 Free Agent tracker or click here for all Steelers 2019 free agency focus articles.

Please lend a hand by sharing this on Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp etc... Thanks.

The Wild Ride of William Gay’s Steelers Career Comes to an End. Thank You Big Play Willie Gay!

Posted on by Standard Reply

In a long anticipated move, the Steelers cut William Gay the veteran cornerback who has served as a pillar of stability in Pittsburgh’s secondary for the last decade. In doing so they severed ties with the final draft pick from the 2007 NFL Draft, the Steelers first draft with Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin at the helm.

Defensive back is a young man’s game, and William Gay will be 4 months shy of his 34th birthday on the Steelers opening day in 2018. He also carries a $1,750,000 salary that the Steeler figure to use more constructively elsewhere.

Judging by his Instagram post, he isn’t ready to being “Life’s Work” but with his time in Pittsburgh over, we now look back at the wild ride that was William Gay’s Steelers career and take a moment to say “Thank you Big Play Willie Gay.”

William Gay, William Gay Pick Six, William Gay interception, Big play Willie Gay, Steelers vs Falcons

William Gay’s 52 yard pick six vs Falcons in 2014. Photo Credit: Steelers.com

2007-’08 – William Gay Goes from “Trying to Survive” to Starter

With Ike Taylor, Deshea Townsend and Bryant McFadden topping the depth chart, cornerback didn’t figure to be a priority for Pittsburgh in the 2007 NFL Draft. After going (almost) all-in on defense by drafting Lawrence Timmons, LaMarr Woodley and Ryan McBean with their first, second and fourth picks the Steelers went back to defense in the 5th round, drafting William Gay out of Louisville.

As Steel City Insider’s Jim Wexell pointed out, when questioned about an impressive preseason outing Mike Tomlin responded “William Gay’s just trying to survive!” William Gay not only survived but contributed in his rookie year, but his efforts were confined to special teams and spot duty in the secondary.

  • But it was in in 2008 William Gay began to turn heads.

Due to injuries, Gay made 4 starts at cornerback and effectively alternated with Bryant McFadden at other times. The Steelers 2008 defense was a special unit, and Gay’s played a small, yet important role in their success that culminated in Super Bowl XLIII.

William Gay played so well in 20018 that made Bryant McFadden expendable as he departed for Pittsburgh West aka Arizona.

2009 – William Gay Not Ready for Prime Time

Unfortunately, William Gay wasn’t quite ready for Prime Time.

  • 2009 proved to be a rough year not only for Gay, but for the entire Steelers secondary.

Troy Polamalu got injured in the season opener, and the Future Hall of Famer only played 4 more games that season. The rest of the Steelers defensive backfield struggled in his absence. By late November Steelers 2009 secondary was shell-shocked, and William Gay was in far enough in over his head that Mike Tomlin rotated Joe Burnett with him in the Steelers infamous ’09 loss to Cleveland.

William Gay seemed destined to become a footnote in Steelers secondary history.

2010- ’11 – Moving to the Slot Rejuvenates William Gay’s Steelers Career

Bryant McFadden’s return to Pittsburgh seemed to spell doom for Gay as it forced him into the role of slot corner. Instead the move probably rejuvenated his career. During the 2010 season, Gay led the Steelers in passes defensed and also recorded two sacks.

Going into 2011 Bryant McFadden remained the starter nod, but injuries led to Gay starting most of the season, where he defensed another 13 passes, and recorded two interceptions, including a game-clincher against Cincinnati in November.

However, with Cortez Allen on the rise (or so we thought) and Keenan Lewis showing signs of development, the Steelers opted to let Gay sign with Pittsburgh West and, once again, William Gay’s Steelers career seemed to have come to and end.

2013-’17 – “Big Play Willie Gay” Shines in His Second Steelers Act

…And like Bryant McFadden before him, William Gay’s stay with the Cardinals would only last one season. The Cardinals cut him, and the Steelers wasted little time in resigning him. Second acts with the Steelers have become a stable of the Colbert-Tomlin era, as Larry Foote, Antwaan Randle El, Byron Leftwich, Will Allen and Matt Spaeth all departed Pittsburgh as free agents only to return.

  • But Big Play Willie Gay probably had the brightest second act of any Steeler.

When the Steelers resigned William Gay in March of 2013, it was rightly interpreted as a Moneyball type move made in an effort to sort of secure a compensation prize for franchise too salary cap strapped to resign Keenan Lewis.

That may have been the case, but it was Moneyball at its best. The Steelers brought William Gay into man the slot, but Ike Taylor’s decline and Cortez Allen’s implosion led to Gay starting 52 games between 2013 and 2017.

A dispassionate analysis of William Gay’s contributions during this time would likely credit him with providing stability to a secondary staffed by plugins and accidental starters (see Antwon Blake and Brice McCain). But it was his penchant for explosive plays that earned him the love of Steelers Nation:

William Gay also had another interception returned for a touchdown negated by a penality in the Steelers 2016 win over the Bills. While he didn’t add any more pick sixes, Gay did intercept a pass against the Colts on Thanksgiving and again in 2017 in the Steelers home win against the Bengals.

As it happens to all great athletes, Father Time began gaining in the footrace with William Gay in 2016, as Artie Burns displaced him as the starter by the middle of the season, and rookie Mike Hilton took over the slot role in 2017.

There’d been talk of moving Gay to safety, and while Gay did play in a little bit of a hybrid safety-linebacker in 2017, the role never really emerged.

William Gay’s Place Among Steelers Corners + Thank You

When history ranks great Pittsburgh Steelers cornerbacks Hall of Famers Mel Blount, Rod Woodson and Jack Butler will come first followed by Ike Taylor and then probably Dwayne Woodruff. That gives Steelers Nation an undisputed top 5.

  • Should the work William Gay put on tape for the Steelers earn him a spot some where in the top 10?

Steel Curtain Rising will leave that for others to debate and decide. But there’s no disputing the fact that from 2013 until 2017 William Gay was most consistent contributor to the Steelers secondary.

He was also class act in the lockeroom and pillar of the community, and someone Steelers Nation should be proud to have had as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Thank you on behalf Steelers Nation and Good luck and God Speed Big Play Willie Gay!

Has Steelers free agency left you scrambling? Click here for our Steelers 2018 Free Agent tracker or click here for all Steelers 2018 free agency focus articles.

Please lend a hand by sharing this on Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp etc... Thanks.

Does Ben Roethlisberger Target Antonio Brown Too Often? The Numbers Paint an Interesting Picture

Posted on by Standard Reply

Does Ben Roethlisberger target Antonio Brown too often?

Early in the Steelers 2017 season, the answer appeared to be an unequivocal “Yes.” Ben to Brown seemed to be the only thing working, and that seemed to be holding the offense back. In the Steelers win over the Vikings, Tony Defeo noted that Roethlisberger appeared to be ignoring receivers in an attempt to force the ball to Brown.

Martavis Bryant’s outbursts, even if uncalled for, also appeared to at least indirectly lend credence to the “Ben’s too intent on forcing it to Brown story line” even if rookie JuJu Smith-Schuster was the target of his Instagram tirade.

While the Steelers offense has improve during the second quarter of the season, Ben to Brown remains its most potent combination, but do the numbers suggest that Ben is trying too hard to get the ball to Brown? Let’s take a look.

Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown, Ben Roethlisberger pass distribution stats, Antonio Brown targets

Does Ben Roethlisberger try too hard to force the ball to Antonio Brown? Find out below. Photo Credit: CBS Sports

Ben Roethlisberger’s Pass Distribution History

Eight games gives you a good base of data to see what types of trends are developing during a football season. Sometimes a trend can rapidly reverse itself (think the Steelers anemic sack production during the first half of 2016 vs. the second half of 2016), but 8 games give you an idea of where things are heading.

Here’s how Ben Roethlisberger’s pass distribution has gone during the first 8 games of 2017:

Ben Roethlisberger targets 2017, Ben Roethlisberger pass distribution stats 2017, Antonio Brown targets 2017, Le'Veon Bell targets 2017, JuJu Smith-Schuster targets 2017, Jesse James targets 2017, Martavis Bryant targets 2017

Ben Roethlisberger’s top 5 targets 8 games into 2017

Well, now the data really seems to make the case doesn’t it? Not only is Anotnio Brown Ben Roethlisberger’s top pass target, but he’s more than doubling the targets of the next guy below him, Le’Veon Bell. What’s more at 26% the combined total targets of his next two wide receivers, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Martavis Bryant, still fall 8 percentage points of Antonio Brown’s 34.1%.

  • That data also suggest that there’s a justification of Ben’s forcing the ball to Brown (if in fact he’s forcing it)

Antonio Brown’s catches account for just shy of 40% of the Steelers receiving yards. The only player who remotely seems to have an argument that he should be the ball more is JuJu Smith-Schuster.

But before closing this case, perhaps its wise to take a look at how pass distribution broke down in 2016. Given the rash of injuries the Steelers experienced at wide receiver, and given the relative inexperience of the rest of the depth chart, its quite probable that Ben Roethlisberger targeted Antonio Brown even more, right?

Let’s see what the data tells us:

Ben Roethlisberger targets 2016, Ben Roethlisberger pass distribution stats 2016, Antonio Brown targets 2016, Le'Veon Bell Targets 2016, Jesse James Targets 2016, Eli Rogers Targets 2016, Sammie Coates Targets 2016

Ben Roethlisberger’s top 5 targets in 2016

The data in fact tells us something else. Ben Roethlisberger targeted Antonio Brown far less in 2016 and Brown accounted for a much smaller slice of the Steelers receiving yards. This suggest that Brown was double and triple teamed a lot.

  • But Brown’s catch percentage also suggests that Roethlisberger’s passes to him were more accurate.

The Steelers 2016 season was abnormal in terms of injuries to the wide receiver corps. Let’s see what data from 2015 tells us which was more of a typical year.

Ben Roethlisberger targets 2015, Ben Roethlisberger pass distribution stats 2016, Antonio Brown targets 2015, Markus Wheaton Targets 2015, Martavis Bryant Targets 2015, DeAngelo Williams Targets 2015, Heath Miller targets 2015

Ben Roethlisberger’s top 5 targets in 2015

In 2015 we can see that Ben Roethlisberger targeted Antonio Brown 32.7% of the time, or just over 1% less than he’s targeting Antonio Brown in 2017 thus far. We can also see that Brown is still making the most of is catches, as he accounted for 38% of the Steelers receiving yards, or about 1.5% less than he’s accounted for in 2017 thus far.

That data from 2015 also helps us appreciate that an aging Heath Miller was still more productive than Jesse James in either his 2nd or 3rd year, although James is proving to be a fairly reliable target.

We can also see how much more dynamic Le’Veon Bell is as a pass catcher than DeAngelo Williams, although Williams did well when thrown the ball.

To complete the picture, let’s go back to 2014 to view Ben Roethlisberger’s ball distribution in the 1st year that the Steelers 4 Killer Bees played together:

Ben Roethlisberger targets 2014, Ben Roethlisberger pass distribution stats 2014, Antonio Brown Targets 2014, Markus Wheaton targets 2014, Martavis Bryant Targets 2014, Le'Veon Bell Targets 2014, Heath Miller targets 2014

Ben Roethlisbergers top 5 targets in 2014

2014 marks the first year (in this survey) that Brown’s target percentage from dipped below 30% (we should note that Landry Jones and Mike Vick threw a portion of those passes in ’15 and ’16.) It looks like it was Le’Veon Bell and Heath Miller who took those targets away from Bryant, although Markus Wheaton’s 14.1% is a healthier targeting percentage than any of the Steelers other receivers.

Conclusion: Ben Roethlisberger Isn’t Targeting Antonio Brown Too Often

There are a lot of different takeaways from this data. Le’Veon Bell seems to be almost as reliable of a pass catcher as he was two years ago, although his yards after catch appear to be down. That could be due to the absence of Heath Miller’s and Matt Spaeth’s blocking, however.

Martavis Bryant, for all of his big play capability, he’s never been much more than a 50/50 catch to catch what’s thrown his way. Sammie Coates was clearly a dud down the stretch in 2016.

  • But the data also shows that Ben Roethlisberger isn’t trying too hard to force the ball to Antonio Brown.

Indeed, if we really are seeing Father Time begin to exact his toll on Ben Roethlisberger’s abilities, then we can know for certain than Ben Roethlisberger is very lucky to have Antonio Brown on his team.

Please lend a hand by sharing this on Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp etc... Thanks.

Steelers Fullback Roosevelt Nix Has Put the “Full” Back in Fullback in Pittsburgh

Posted on by Standard Reply

About 10 years ago, when Dan Kreider‘s best days were behind him, and Carey Davis took his place in the Steelers backfield, the fullback was seen as a dying breed in the NFL, a dinosaur on-par with the rotary phone.

  • Bruce Arians in fact, liked to insist that his offense “didn’t have a fullback.”

True enough, while Davis did actually play the fullback position, he was known more as a receiver out of the backfield and a special teams ace, than as a true chauffeur for Fast Willie Parker, the team’s top tailback in the late-2000’s. One get the feeling that Arians designating Cary Davis as a “fullback” was more of a way of humoring factions within the Steelers organization that favored the fullback.

Cary Davis was gone by 2010, and the keys to the fullback position, when they weren’t collecting dust in some drawer on the South Side, were often handed off to tight end David Johnson, who certainly needed to find a way to make himself more useful while third on the depth chart behind Heath Miller and Matt Spaeth.

  • When the situation demanded a blocker out of the backfield, Doug Legursky would also do double-duty as a fullback.

But more often than not, one-back sets were the norm on most plays, especially after all-world running back Le’Veon Bell became a star and the team’s workhorse in 2014.

  • Besides, with passing becoming more and more prevalent in the NFL, why would anyone really need a fullback anymore?

But if you’ve been following the Steelers in 2017, while Antonio Brown shows no signs of slowing, the Ben Roethlisberger of today certainly isn’t the Ben Roethlisberger of 2014. As for Martavis Bryant? Well, there’s a reason why Mike Tomlin has benched Martavis Bryant.

  • All of this translates into a reliance on Le’Veon Bell, as well as utilizing him more as a true tailback, and not as a tailback who wants to be paid like a wide-receiver.

This leads us to Roosevelt Nix, one of the Steelers 2014 Undrafted Rookie Free Agents out of Kent State, who played defensive line in college, tried to switch to linebacker in the pros, only to switch sides of the ball and become a fullback in-order to make his NFL dreams come true.

Rosie Nix made the Steelers in 2015; in two-plus years in Pittsburgh, he doesn’t have a  single carry to his name, with his only offensive contributions coming on a combined four receptions.

  • But Roosevelt Nix, who is also a special teams demon, seems to be relishing his role as a blocking fullback.

And he’s already started two games this season, as Pittsburgh is now opening up in more run-oriented alignments.

Obviously, one-back sets and hand-offs to Le’Veon Bell out of the shotgun formation are still very-much en-vogue in Todd Haley’s offense, but the sight of No. 45 acting as the chauffeur or bodyguard for No. 26 is becoming more and more familiar.

And, as I said before, Nix doesn’t seem to care about his number of carries or any other offensive stats, than the ones that belong to Bell and the other tailbacks he seems to love escorting on long runs downfield.

Roosevelt Nix, Rosie Nix, Steelers Fullback Roosevelt Nix

Steelers Fullback Roosevelt Nix leading the way. Photo Credit: MSN Sports

Take last Sunday’s Steelers win against the Bengals, for example, and how Rosie Nix seemed to make it his personal mission to protect Bell from the very dangerous and factually dirty linebacker, Vontaze Burfict, who began the game by kicking Nix in the facemask, but ended it with just four tackles and certainly didn’t do much to slow Bell down on his way to 134 yards rushing.

Unlike some previous match-ups against the Cincinnati Bengals, Bell ended the day healthy and ready to do battle again. With Ben Roethlisberger slowly taking a backseat to Le’Veon Bell as the main cog in the Steelers offensive attack, the latter’s health is of the utmost importance.

  • The Steelers offense may go only as  far as Le’Veon Bell can take it in 2017.

It’s nice to know he’ll have his own personal bodyguard in Roosevelt Nix protecting him on his and the team’s journey.

 

Please lend a hand by sharing this on Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp etc... Thanks.

What the Steelers Decision on Free Agent David Johnson Will Reveal about Ladarius Green

Posted on by Standard Reply

“So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.” Matthew 20:17

Fear not, Steel Curtain Rising isn’t suddenly going religious, but this quote seems applicable to the story of Pittsburgh Steelers tight end David Johnson. The Steelers drafted David Johnson with their final pick of the 2009 NFL Draft following Super Bowl XLIII.

If the Steelers 2009 Draft is perhaps one of the most misunderstood of the Colbert-Tomlin era, it is perhaps fitting that David Johnson is the last member of that group to remain with the team.

David Johnson, Xavier Grimble, Steelers vs Chiefs, David Johnson Steelers free agent

David Johnson on a 26 yard reception in the Steelers 2016 win over the Kansas City Chiefs. Photo Credit: Joe Sargent, Getty Images

Capsule Profile of David Johnson’s Steelers Career

Fits and starts – that’s best description of David Johnson’s Steelers career. Johnson had to settle for the practice squad in 2009, but he earned a roster spot as the team’s 3rd string tight end in 2010 doing double duty that year and in 2011 at fullback. In 2012 Todd Haley announced he was moving David Johnson to fullback full time, but Johnson tore his ACL in preseason.

The Steelers brought Johnson back in 2013, ostensibly as a fullback, but he ended up beginning the season as the Steelers number 1 tight end while Heath Miller and Matt Spaeth were injured. David Johnson’s season was off to a strong start when disaster struck again as he tore an ACL, ending his season.

In May of 2016 the Steelers made a surprise move by resigning David Johnson. The move looked to be little more than an insurance policy, yet with Matt Spaeth headed to waivers and Ladariyus Green to the PUP, David Johnson once again found himself beginning the 2016 season as the Steelers number 1 tight end.

The Case for the Steelers Resigning David Johnson

David Johnson provided vital veteran stability to a tight end corps that lost a collective 20 years of experience and dependability with the departures of Heath Miller and Matt Spaeth.

David Johnson isn’t going to keep a lot of opposing defensive coordinators up late with worry, but David Johnson will frustrate opposing linebackers who think that running his way will give them a free shot at Ben Roethlisberger or Le’Veon Bell.

  • Jesse James confirmed in 2016 what he’d flashed in 2015 – that he’s a legitimate NFL tight end.

Xavier Grimble had flashes of his own in 2016, but didn’t have the kind of breakout year some were expecting and hoping for. Ladarius Green was a field flipper when he was healthy, but his season only lasted 6 games and one has to wonder if he can, or should, continue to play given his history with concussions.

David Johnson gives the Steelers a valuable, viable insurance policy at tight end who can resigned for the veteran minimum. This is one easy deal Kevin Colbert should get done.

The Case Against the Steelers Resigning David Johnson

The conventional wisdom is that the Steelers will draft a tight end fairly early given the uncertainty surrounding Ladarius Green. The Steelers uncharacteristically kept 4 tight ends in 2016, there’s no chance that they’ll keep 5 in 2017.

  • David Johnson would seem to be the odd man out.

The story of a veteran hanging around as an old hand, acting as sort of a mentor, player coach is romantic, but the fact is that every veteran like that is taking up a roster spot for a younger player who has more upside.

Curtain’s Call on the Steelers and David Johnson

Let’s face it, David Johnson’s impending foray into free agency in 2017 isn’t quite as dramatic as Rod Woodson’s free agent debut in 1997.

Seriously, this writer admits to being somewhat of a homer for David Johnson, but even with that acknowledged, the truth he represents one of Kevin Colbert’s less consequential decisions this spring. David Johnson showed that he still can play and probably remains the Steelers best blocking tight end.

  • Given the Steelers success with the “Big Boy Package” a strong blocking tight end is a must.

But the Steelers also have the luxury of allowing this situation to evolve on its own terms. No NFL team is going to throw money at David Johnson, and the Steelers can go into the draft looking for a tight end, without having to reach for one, because Johnson will still be available afterwards.

Finally, if the decision the Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin have to make on free agent tight end David Johnson isn’t terribly consequential, it does promise to reveal something important. If Steelers David Johnson before the 2017 NFL Draft, then we’ll know they’re concerned about Ladarius Green’s future, protestations to the contrary.

If they take a wait and see approach, then we’ll know their confidence level in Green’s return is high.

Struggling to keep up with Steelers free agency? Click here for our Steelers 2017 Steelers Free Agent tracker and/or click here for all Steelers 2017 free agency focus articles.

Please lend a hand by sharing this on Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp etc... Thanks.