Tag Archives: Olasunkanmi Adeniyi

Steelers 2021 NFL Draft Needs @ Outside Linebackers, Thin Depth Behind Watt & Highsmith

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The Steelers boasted one of the best outside-linebacker duos in the NFL over the past two seasons, as both T.J. Watt and Bud Dupree combined for 49 quarterback sacks. With But Dupree departing for the Titans as a much-sought-after free agent, where do the Steelers stand at the position in terms of starters and depth heading into the 2021 NFL Draft? Let’s dive in and find out.

Alex Highsmith, T.J. Watt, Steelers vs Ravens

Alex Highsmith after intercepting LaMarr Jackson. Photo Credit: Nick Wass, AP.

Steelers Depth Chart at Outside Linebacker: The Starters

T.J. Watt, the Steelers’ first-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, heads into his fifth season as not only the Steelers best linebacker; he’s their best player and most valuable asset. Furthermore, he’s arguably the most dominant defensive player in the NFL today, despite coming up short in the Defensive Player of the Year voting each of the past two seasons.

With 49.5 career sacks to his name, Watt is on pace to shatter the Steelers’ all-time mark of 84.5 set by the legendary James Harrison. But Watt’s pass-rush prowess can’t just be measured in sacks; the pressure he puts on opposing linemen and quarterbacks is non-stop game-in and game-out. In fact, some credited Watt’s presence with the sudden career uptick experienced by Bud Dupree starting in 2019. Dupree, a first-round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, struggled with injuries and consistency through four seasons before coming on strong to close out his Steelers’ career.

With that in mind, maybe Alex Highsmith, the Steelers third-round pick out of Charlotte a year ago and the presumed replacement for Dupree as the weak-side starting outside linebacker can also benefit from playing alongside Watt. Alex Highsmith started five games in 2020 and recorded 48 tackles, two sacks and one pass defended. Highsmith also notched a game-changing interception in an important road win vs. the Ravens and M&T Bank Stadium.

Depth Chart at Outside Linebacker: The Backups

To say the Steelers’ depth at outside linebacker is sparse would be an understatement. Olasunkanmi Adeniyi left as a free agent, leaving the newly acquired Cassius Marsh, a 28-year old journeyman originally drafted in the fourth round by the Seahawks back in 2014, as the top backup.

Rounding out the Steelers depth chart is Christian Kuntz, a 2017 undrafted free agent out of nearby Duquesne University.

Steelers 2021 Draft Needs at Outside Linebacker

steelers, draft, needs, priority, 2021 NFL DraftI believe there is optimism that Highsmith can continue to improve and make a huge enough leap from his first to his second year that Pittsburgh should have itself a fine replacement for Dupree in 2021.

  • But, again, the lack of depth has to be a major concern heading into the draft.

While it didn’t draw much discussion, in a normal year, the Steelers likely would have found a way to keep Ola Adeniyi, who if nothing else would have secured a proven special teams contributor who was familiar with the Steelers defense. 

As the Steelers depth chart at outside linebackers stands now, one has to wonder if Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin won’t be tempted to hold Invincible like open tryouts just to fill out the roster.

OK, that’s a bit of an exaggeration. But Pittsburgh does need to improve depth and perhaps do it with someone who can develop into a future starter so the priority of outside linebacker for the Steelers heading into the 2021 NFL Draft must be: Moderate

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Steelers 2021 Free Agent Tracker – Pittsburgh Navigates Rough Waters

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2013’s Steelers Free Agent Focus article started with a quote and a clip from the Dark Knight Rises. The Steelers were coming off of an 8-8 finish, their first no-winning effort of the Tomlin years, and Kevin Colbert had committed to change. Moreover, the Steelers were in salary cap purgatory, forcing them to attempt addition by subtraction.

  • While the context is different this year, the Steelers salary cap situation is actually worse.

So perhaps a stroll down memory lane is in order:

“There’s a storm coming Mr. Wayne. You and your friends better batten down the hatches.”

The final number of the 2021 NFL salary cap remains undefined. Its floor is 180 million and some suspect it could go up by 2 or 3 million more. The Steelers need every penny they get, having planned for a salary cap of a about 220 million.

Thanks to Maurkice Pouncey and Vance McDonald’s retirements, Cam Heyward‘s contract restructure, Ben Roethlisberger’s new contract that gives the Steelers an additonal 15 million dollars in salary cap space this year, the Steelers might not need to cut players just to get into compliance.

JuJu Smith-Schuster, James Conner, Steelers 2021 Free Agents

JuJu Smith-Schuster and James Conner in September 22, at Levi Stadium. Photo Credit: Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

So fortunately, life will not imitate art here: They’ll be no literal blowing up of the Steelers roster to mimic the cinematic destruction of Heinz Field.

  • But the Steelers have a horrendously long list of free agents, and must say good bye to far too many of them for comfort.

Free agency is almost here and staff writer Tony Defeo and I are doing profiles of each player.

Steelers 2021 Free Agent Focus Profiles

Bud Dupree, Outside Linebacker, Unrestricted Free Agent
– Signs with Tennessee Titans, 3/15/2021
J.C. Hassenauer, Center, Exclusive Rights Free Agent
– Steelers sign Hassenauer to 1 year deal, 3/09/21
Robert Spillane, Inside Linebacker, Exclusive Rights Free Agent
– Steelers sign Robert Spillane to one year deal, 3/12/21
Ray-Ray McCloud, Wide Receiver/Returner, Restricted Free Agent
– Steelers sign McCloud to 1 year deal, 3/11/21
Ola Adeniyi, Outside Linebacker, Restricted Free Agent
– Steelers decline to offer RFA tender to Adeniyi
Marcus Allen, Safety/Inside Linebacker, Exclusive Rights Free Agent
– Steelers sign Marcus Allen to 1 year deal, 3/09/21
James Conner, Running Back, Unrestricted Free Agent
JuJu Smith-Schuster, Wide Reciever, Unrestricted Free Agent
– Steelers resign JuJu for 1 year contract, 3/19/21
Cam Sutton, Cornerback Unrestricted Free Agent
– Steelers Resign Cam Sutton, 3/15/21
Alejandro Villanueva, Offensive Tackle, Unrestricted Free Agent
Zach Banner, Offensive Tackle, Unrestricted Free Agent
– Steelers resign Zach Banner to 2 year deal, 3/17/2021
Matt Feiler, Offensive Guard/Tackle, Unrestricted Free Agent
Jordan Dangerfield, Safety/special teams, Unrestricted Free Agent
Sean Davis, Safety, Unrestricted Free Agent
Jayrone Elliot, Outside Linebacker, Unrestricted Free Agent
Tyson Alualu, Nose Tackle, Unrestricted Free Agent
– Signs 2 year deal with Steelers, 3/27/21
Avery Williamson, Inside Linebacker, Unrestricted Free Agent
Joshua Dobbs, Quarterback, Unrestricted Free Agent
Mike Hilton, Cornerback, Unrestricted Free Agent
– Signs contract with Bengals, 3/18/21
Chris Wromley, Defensive Tackle, Unrestricted free agent
– Signs 2 year contract with Steelers, 3/22/21
Cassius Marsh, Outside Linebacker, Unrestricted free agent
– Signs 1 year contract with Steelers, 3/24/21

Here is the list of Steelers free agents we’ve yet to profile:

2021 Unrestricted Free Agents

Jerald Hawkins, Offensive Tackle
Danny Isidora, Guard
Jordan Berry, Punter

With his back against the wall, Kevin Colbert did a respectable job at managing the Steelers free agency situation and put together a decent opening day roster. However, injuries would ravage that roster where it could least afford them, leading to a 2-6.

That 2-6 start however led to a 6-2 finish, which set the franchise up for its second, albeit failed Super Bowl run of the Roethlisberger era. But many of those personnel moves set the team up for its late season comeback.

Can Art Rooney II, Kevin Colbert, and Mike Tomlin do something along those lines that allows the Steelers to contend for a Super Bowl in 2021?

The odds are against it, but try they will, and we will cover it as they do.

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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4 Insights the Steelers 2020 Draft Class Gives Us Now

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The 2020 NFL Draft is now history. The Steelers 2020 Draft Class is set and the assessments of Pittsburgh’s most unusual draft class in over a half century are already beginning.

  • Defining “Winners” and “Losers” two days after the draft is as understandable as it is silly.

It is understandable because in every draft a select few teams lay foundations for future championships while the rest undermine their shot at a Super Bowl.

  • The silliness comes in pretending to know which team falls on which side of the fence days after the draft.

Vito Stellino is one of the best NFL journalists there’s ever been, but he famously panned the Steelers 1974 Draft class. As Tony Defeo reminds us, it’s the nature of the beast that so many are already second guessing Steelers 2020 picks of Claypool and Highsmith. But how many of those voices rushed to declare Antonio Brown as a “steal” of the 2010 NFL Draft or call out Kelvin Beachum as 2012 NFL Draft’s true sleeper?

  • You get my point.

Pittsburgh Steelers 2020 Draft Class

Steelers 2020 Draft Class. Image Credit: Steelers Twitter Feed

The Steelers 2020 Draft class is getting a B- in a lot of circles, but those grades are about as accurate as an early April batting average. However, Steelers picks nonetheless tell us something important about how Pittsburgh’s brain trust sees it the team.

Steelers 2020 Draft Class at a Glance

2nd Round – Chase Claypool, Wide Receiver from Notre Dame
3rd Round – Alex Highsmith, Outside Linebacker, Charlotte
4th Round A – Robert McFarland, Jr., Running Back, Maryland
4th Round B – Kevin Dotson, Guard, Louisiana
6th Round – Antoine Brooks, Safety, Maryland
7th Round – Carlos Davis, Nose Tackle, Nebraska

That’s 6 picks, evenly divided between offense and defense with an early emphasis on offensive skill positions. Here are some conclusions that we can make now:

1. The Steelers Remain “All In” on a Roethlisberger Rebound

This has been true since the Minkah Fitzpatrick trade and is nothing new. Everything decision the franchise has made since that loss against Seattle suggests it is banking on a full recovery from Ben Roethlisberger. Taking Chase Claypool with their only pick in the top 100 players in the 2020 NFL Draft confirms the trend.

2. Steelers are Sold on Benny Snell Jr.

Before the draft Mike Tomlin was non-committal about whether the Steelers would draft a running back early. But he did commit running better in 2020 regardless of who the Steelers picked. A lot of folks are up in arms over the Steelers decision to leave J.K. Dobbins on the board in the 2nd round.

  • They may be right.

But the Steelers are giving a huge vote of confidence in Benny Snell’s  ability to carry the load should James Conner succumb to injury (again.)

3. The Steelers are Comfortable with Inside Linebacker Depth

Going into the draft with just six picks forced Pittsburgh to prioritize more than normal. Outside of tight end, every other position area could use a shot in the arm.

Yet, after making their first pick, the Steelers chose to address outside linebacker, running back, offensive line and safety at the expense of inside linebacker.

By implication, that suggests they’re a lot more comfortable with Ulysees Gilbert serving as “The next man up” at his position than they are with Jordan Dangerfield, Ola Adeniyi and/or Tuzar Skipper at theirs.

4. Steelers are Hedging on Dupree and JuJu’s Returns

Let’s look at some objective facts:

  1. The Steelers had no first round pick
  2. They have no obvious starting spots to be won
  3. Pittsburgh’s highest profile free agents for 2021 will be Bud Dupree and JuJu Smith-Schuster
  4. The Steelers first two picks were at wide receiver and outside linebacker

Coincidence? Perhaps. But during the 1990’s the Steelers would routinely drafted with an eye towards replacing future free agents. (The strategy worked, for a while.) Could they be doing the same thing here?

Time will tell, but judging by how the a lot of different stars are lining up, the Steelers appear to be hedging their bets when it comes to the prospect of keeping JuJu and Bud Pittsburgh beyond 2020.

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Steelers Draft Alex Highsmith in 3rd Round of 2020 NFL Draft. Video Highlights OLB from Charlotte

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The Steelers drafted Alex Highsmith in the 3rd round of the 2020 NFL Draft, closing out day 2 by using their compensatory selection on the outside linebacker from Charlotte.

IF Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin ignored the “advice” offered to them via the Steelers 2020 Draft Needs Matrix, when they drafted Chase Claypool, they stuck to it by picking Alex Highsmith with their last premium pick, as outside linebacker was rated as Pittsburgh’s second most urgent area of need.

  • At least it can be made to appear that way on the outside.

In truth, the Steelers (wisely) are probably sticking to their policy of drafting the best player available, as Kevin Colbert has been high on the depth at outside linebacker in the 2020 NFL Draft. And he didn’t hold back in his praise for Alex Highsmith explaining:

He kind of stood out in the East-West practices. A long, fast, athletic guy, he continued to impress us athletically at the Combine. And when you really looked at his history, what he did as a walk-on, that was a special-teams standout as a young player, to end up putting out the stats that he has this season, we don’t think this kid’s anywhere near where he might be somewheres down the road.

The Steelers have had their eye on Highsmith since last fall, as Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin openly talked about him backing up T.J. Watt and Bud Dupree, something which High Smith relishes, confessing:

I’m so excited to learn from those guys, two of the best pass-rushers in the league. So I’m just ready to soak up everything like a sponge. I’m just ready to learn so much from them and do whatever I can to help this team get back to another Super Bowl.

Its not every 3rd round compensatory pick that arrives talking about helping his team win a Super Bowl, but the ambition and attitude are welcome.

Alex Highsmith, Steelers 2020 3rd round pick

Alex Highsmith, the Steelers 2020 3rd round pick. Photo Credit: Charlotte 49ers.

Alex Highsmith Video Highlights

Alex Highsmith played for four years at Charlotte, appearing in just under four dozen games. As Kevin Colbert alluded to, the Wilmington, North Carolina native had to pull himself up by the bootstraps, making Charlotte as a walk on.

But each year his production jumped, and he soared as a senior, topping out at 75 tackles and 13 sacks.

Here is a look at his highlight tape:

Highsmith’s time in the 40 was 4.7, or .2 seconds better than Jarvis Jones was (oh, but the track was muddy at Georgia the day they timed him…) and you can see he’s certainly has an explosive burst.

While Watt and Dupree are fixed as starters, Alex Highsmith can and should immediately push Tuzar Skipper and Ola Adeniyi for playing time as “The next man” up at outside linebacker, although the key to getting a helmet on game day will be his ability to perform on special teams.

Welcome to Steelers Nation Alex Highsmith.

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Steelers Browns “Body Bag Game” Ends as Myles Garrett Tries to Maim Mason Rudolph

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We can be forgiven if we’ve forgotten, but there was actually a football game in Cleveland Thursday night that saw the Browns defeat the Steelers 21-7. Had the game ended at the 59:52 mark, Thursday night’s contest already was one of the ugliest football games on record.

  • Just how ugly was the game?

To put it into perspective, even before the WWE style shoot weapons match that marred the final 8 seconds, you could already call it the Steelers “Body Bag Game.” Here we’ll focus first on the X’s and O’s before taking a look at the infamous final 8 seconds.

Mason Rudolph, Myles Garrett, David DeCastro, Myles Garrett attacks Mason Rudolph helmet

Myles Garrett attacks Mason Rudolph with his helmet. Photo Credit: Jason Miller, Getty Images via Slate.com

Slow Start by Steelers Defense

Its no secret that the Steelers defense had led the way, and then some, during the four game winning streak that Pittsburgh took into Cleveland. Yet the Cleveland Browns scored on their first drive almost effortlessly.

Keith Butler’s defense forced a few punts, but on the Brown’s first possession of the 2nd quarter, Cleveland scored again. When asked where the breakdown had occurred, Mike Tomlin was succinct:

  • “Baker out of the pocket.”

That’s accurate, but only to a point. The Steelers pass rush indeed pressured Baker Mayfield, only for Baker to elude the rush time and time again, and early in the game Baker made the Steelers pay. Something was clearly off with the Steelers defense early in the game.

Two plays before the Browns first touchdown, the Steelers barely got their 11th man over the line of scrimmage before the snap to avoid an off sides penalty. Joe Haden appeared to come out of the game, then went back in and when Mayfield connected with Jarvis Landry in the end zone there wasn’t a Steeler in sight.

  • But what’s largely forgotten is that the Steelers defense settled down and played qualify football after that.

No, there were no Minkah Fitzpatrick fireworks, and while T.J. Watt did get a sack, unlike previous weeks, it wasn’t a game changer. But after their second score, the Browns went 10 straight possessions without another score.

And while Baker Mayfield would continue to slip past would-be Steelers sackers, as the night wore on the Steelers secondary’s coverage was tight enough they forced Baker to throw the ball away on his extended roll outs.

Giving up 14 points in a game’s first 20 minutes is never something to applaud, but the Steelers defense’s performance wasn’t simply “Above the line” after that point, they kept Pittsburgh in the game.

Steelers Offense, Rudolph, Sputter Out of the Gate, Never Recover

While he’s only started seven games, one thing about Mason Rudolph stands in stark contrast to Ben Roethlisberger: Mason Rudolph doesn’t excel at the school yard style football that typified Roethlisberger early in his career.

Instead, Mason Rudolph is a student of the game. He’s got a voracious appetite for film study, and if anything he is perhaps too patient in working through his reads.

  • But with each week, Mason Rudolph has been making progress.

With each game, he’s taking steps forward, and has made strides towards taking command of the Steelers offense. The question going into the Cleveland game, was could Mason Rudolph continue that progress on a short week?

  • Alas, the answer against Cleveland was a resounding “No.”

Mason Rudolph did do some nice things. He’s beginning to transfer the college rapport he had with James Washington to the NFL. He did a masterful job on the Steelers lone touchdown drive, and showed some quick decision making on his touchdown pass to Jaylen Samuels.

It would be easy to look at how the game evolved and chalk up Mason Rudolph’s struggles to having to throw to Tevin Jones and Johnny Holton as his number 2 and number 3 wide outs. It would also be easy to point a finger at the Steelers offensive line, which failed to protect him.

  • But as it so often is, the easy answers are the wrong answers.

The fact is that Mason Rudolph played poorly vs. the Cleveland Browns. He threw four interceptions, interceptions which got uglier as the night progressed. A lot of Steelers fans are ready to write of Mason Rudolph’s future based on that one night (never mind he’s looked far better his 1st 7 starts than Terry Bradshaw looked in his.)

The key takeaway from the Browns game as far as Mason Rudolph is concerned can’t be found by looking back, but rather by looking forward. It all depends on how Mason Rudolph reacts, and whether he can rebound.

Body Bags Mount for Pittsburgh

This was a particularly brutal trip to Cleveland for the Steelers. During the course of the game, the Steelers:

All of this occurred before the now infamous final 8 seconds of the game. The status of the players above remains unknown although one would have to expect that all 3 offensive players named above will not be playing next week in Cincinnati against the Bengals.

Unfortunately, if Mason Rudolph is to rebound from his worst game as a pro, he’ll likely need to do it on his own.

8 Seconds that Will Live in Infamy

It all could have been so simple. Mason Rudolph had just completed an 11 yard pass to Trey Edmunds with 14 second remaining. The Steelers could have run their final play, and then headed to the locker room to tend to their wounded.

He could have let up after Mason Rudolph released his pass. After making impact, he could have let it stand there. He could have been content with a late hit, but instead forced Mason Rudolph to the ground.

  • The two men scuffled. David DeCastro tried to break things up.

Myles Garrett could have ignored Rudolph, but instead tore his helmet off and swung it viciously at his head. Mason Rudolph could have been seriously injured, or worse. Had this happened on the street, Myles Garrett could have, would have and should have faced criminal charges.

The NFL has suspended Myles Garrett indefinitely, as well as Maurkice Pouncey and Larry Ogunjobi

Regardless of what happens moving forward, this incident and how they respond to it will define the 2019 season for both teams.

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Steelers Defeat Colts 26-24 as Game Comes Down to “Who Makes the Last Mistake”

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The Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Indianapolis Colts 26-24 as Adam Vinatieri shanked a field goal with 1:13 left to play.

  • The win evened the Steelers record to 4-4 and included several impressive defensive performances as well as a number of gritty offensive plays.

But that doesn’t hide the fact that Pittsburgh made more than its share of mistakes and sloppy plays. In that sense, the Steelers victory over the Colts affirmed the wisdom of the late Washington DC area sports radio journalist Ken Beatrice, who often reminded listeners, “More games are lost every week in the NFL than are won.”

Adam Vinatieri, T.J. Watt, Steelers vs Colts, Adam Vinatieri miss Heinz Field

T.J. Watt signals “No Good” after Adam Adam Vinatieri’s miss. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune Review

Steelers Defense Goes Big Play or Bust in 1st Half

The story on the 2019 Steelers thus far had been this:  After the week 1 debacle against New England, only a handful of plays separated a 3-4 Pittsburgh squad from victories over Seattle, San Francisco and Baltimore – 3 of the toughest teams in the league.

While the Ben Roethlisbergerless offense was finding its way, a resilient defense reaffirmed the Steelers relevance. That story while true, came with a big “But,” attached to it:

  •  “Oh, But the Steelers haven’t beaten anyone.”

That was true. Cincinnati and Miami are competing for the 1st pick overall in the 2020 NFL Draft, while the Chargers could contend for top 10 pick. The Colts brought a 5-2 record to Heinz Field were certain to offer a stiffer test. And they delivered on their promise.

Despite losing starting quarterback Jacoby Brissett, relief pitcher Brian Hoyer moved the Colts offense with alarming ease during much of the first half, leading Indianapolis to two touchdown drives.

But the Colts defense more than held its own against the Steelers, limiting Mason Rudolph and the Steelers offense to two field goal attempts on the Steelers only two trips to the Red Zone.

  • Yet the Colts were making mistakes of their own.

The Colts answered Fitzpatrick’s touchdown with a six play 1:36 minute touchdown drive but one that ended with Cam Heyward blocking the extra point. That left 0:42 seconds in the second half, and Mike Tomlin was determined to be aggressive.

Unlike Miami last week, Frank Reich’s defense only allowed piecemeal yardage, yet on what should have been the last play of the half, Darius Leonard got greedy and hit Vance McDonald late. The extra 15 for a personal foul gave Chris Boswell the yards he needed to attempt a 51 yard field goal which he nailed.

Two miscues by the Colts in the last 42 seconds of the 1st half netted 4 points for Pittsburgh. Four points which would come in handy for the Steelers down the stretch.

Who Makes the Last Mistake?

A few critical plays often define the difference between defeat and victory in the NFL. Sometimes contests are decided by who has the ball last – think the Steelers 2009 win over Green Bay at Heinz Field.

Other times, games come down to who makes an error at a critical juncture – think how the Steelers have sabotaged themselves with poor ball security over the last year.

  • The truth is that the in the Steelers match up against the Colts hinged on who made the last mistake.

Both teams made mistakes aplenty in the second half.

It says here that the Steelers won because they did marginally better at taking advantage of those mistakes, but they still needed the Colts to continue making them. Bud Dupree ended the Colts first procession with a strip sack, and the Steelers converted it into a touchdown thanks to a Mason Rudolph to Vance McDonald touchdown.

Yet on their next possession, the Steelers gave up a safety, only to have Ola Adeniyi, Terrell Edmunds force a fumble which Johnny Holton recovered. But despite getting the ball at their 17, the Steelers had to settle for a field goal.

Chester Rogers fumble, Terrell Edmunds, Steelers vs Colts

Chester Rogers fumbles a punt return. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

With James Conner and Benny Snell out injured, the Steelers offense figured to see a lot of Jaylen Samuels. And see him we did. While Trey Edmunds got his first extended NFL action, Jaylen Samuels functioned as the focal point of the Steelers offense for much of the afternoon.

The Steelers gave Jaylen Samuels 21 touches, and while he did well, perhaps the biggest mistake Randy Fichtner made was in relying on him a little too much. Samuels was less effective in the 2nd half, particularly in the Red Zone.

And with the Steelers holding a 23 to 18 lead with just under 12 minutes left to play, he fumbled the ball, a fumble which the Colts only needed 7 plays to transform into a touchdown. But, in keeping with the tenor of the afternoon, Terrell Edmunds batted away the two point conversion, leaving the Colts with a meager 1 point lead.

Twice afterwards the Steelers had the chance to put the Colts away for good, but after a drive that started with an impressive 40 yard catch by James Washington and an opportune pass interference penalty on Diontae Johnson stalled at the 8, Pittsburgh had to settle for another Chris Boswell field goal.

  • The Steelers got the ball back with 3:58 left and conceivably Pittsburgh could have put the game out of reach with one first down.
  • Yet, they failed to get that first down.

The Colts got the ball back, and on the heels of one questionable pass interference call and another less questionable pass interference non-call, Indianapolis got all the way to the Steelers 22. Even after Bud Dupree dumped Marlon Mack for a 3 yard loss, all Adam Vinatieri had to do was knock in a 43 yard field goal.

  • And, almost as if on cue, he hooked it wide to the left, and the Colts had lost to the Steelers.

Mike Tomlin explained it perfectly as he closed his press conference, “We’re far from where we want to be. But we’ll take it.”

 

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NFL Places Anthony Chickillo on Commissioners List. Steelers Resign Jayrone Elliott

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Anthony Chickillo is already feeling some of the consequences resulting from his alleged involvement in a domestic dispute with his girlfriend last weekend at the Nemacolin Woodlands Resort. As seems to becoming standard operating procedure in the NFL, Roger Goodell has placed Anthony Chickillo on the Commissioner’s exempt list.

While on this list, Anthony Chickillo will continue to receive his salary, but can neither play nor attend games, although he can be at team headquarters for injury therapy or non-football related activities.

Ola Adeniyi is also an available backup behind starters T.J. Watt and Bud Dupree.

Interestingly enough, the New York Giants waived Steelers preseason stand out Tuzar Skipper. Tuzar Skipper had made the Steelers final 53 man roster, but the Steelers waived him prior to the loss to the Patriots to make room for Johnny Holton.

Pittsburgh had hoped to bring him back on to the practice squad, but the Giants claimed him off of waivers. Clearly the Steelers see something more in Elliot, but they could still add Skipper to the practice squad.

Anthony Chickillo, DeShone Kizer, Steelers vs Browns

Anthony Chickillo in happier times, who found himself on the NFL’s Commissioner’s list. Photo Credit: David Richard, AP via PennLive.com

Steelers Exit Bye Week, Return to Health

Mason Rudolph has cleared the concussion protocol and will start for the Steelers this Monday against Miami. Steven Nelson, Roosevelt Nix, Vance McDonald and James Washington have returned to practice and are expected to play.

While the Steelers offense could certainly use a shot in the arm from Jaylen Samuels, Benny Snell Jr. acquitted himself well in relief of James Conner in the win at Los Angeles. If Joe Haden cannot start, Artie Burns could get the nod to start his second straight game in over a year, although Cam Sutton would be a candidate as well based on his performance against the Chargers.

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More Bad News for Steelers: Anthony Chickillo Arrested for Simple Assault

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The 2019 season has not been kind to the Pittsburgh Steelers, who can’t even seem to cut a break during their bye week. According to news reports, backup linebacker Anthony Chickillo was arrested over the weekend for an incident that took place in Wharton Township, Franklin County.

Anthony Chickillo, Steelers Browns 2017 opener, Anthony Chickillo Touchdown

Anthony Chickillo recovers a blocked punt for a touchdown in the 2017 season opener at Cleveland. Photo Credit: Scott R. Galvin-USA Today via BTSC

WTAE’s Jim Madalinsky reports that the incident involves Anthony Chickillo’s girlfriend and that it took place at the Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, a luxury complex situated in southwestern Pennsylvania. Steelers PR director Burt Lauten told Joe Rutter of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, “We are aware of an incident involving Anthony Chickillo last night and are still gathering information. Until we have further details we will not provide any further comments.”

  • That’s pretty much a standard boiler plate statement for the Steelers in situations like these.

How the Steelers, and the NFL handle this will bears watching. The NFL has been under fire for its horrendously inconsistent treatment of players involved in or accused of being involved in domestic violence incidents. The Steelers have had their own issues in this regard, going back to 2008 when both Cedric Wilson and James Harrison were involved in domestic violence.

The Steelers cut Cedric Wilson yet gave James Harrison a considerable bit more slack, as Deebo finished the season as NFL Defensive Player of the year (the charges against Harrison were eventually dropped.)

The Steelers drafted Anthony Chickillo in the 6th round of the 2015 NFL Draft. Entering his fifth season, Anthony Chickillo serves as the primary backup to T.J. Watt and Bud Dupree, and has started 9 games in his NFL career. Last spring the Steelers resigned Anthony Chickillo to a 2 year, 8 million dollar contract in free agency. The move came as a bit of a surprise, but word was that the New England Patriots had made a similar and slightly higher offer.

Beyond Anthony Chickillo the Steelers also have Ola Adeniyi as a reserve outside linebacker.

When the bye week arrives, Mike Tomlin reputedly tells his players, “Don’t get yourselves in the news.” Chickillo it seems, wasn’t apparently listening.

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Le’Veon Bell’s Holdout Leaves Steelers Depth Chart at Running Back in Familiar, Precarious Position

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Le’Veon Bell’s absence and refusal to sign his franchise tender has been discussed to death in Steelers Nation. But there’s one story element that has largely been ignored: Le’Veon Bell’s holdout leaves the Steelers running back depth chart in both a familiar and precarious position.

Last week, while heading down to La Boca for the Buenos Aires edition of the #SteelersWorldWide photo, Agustin Esposito asked me, “¿No te parece con Nix, Conner, Ridley, Samuels, Nix y Bell y los Steelers estan quedando con demasiados corredores?”

James Conner, Steelers vs Bengals, Jesse James, Leveon Bell's holdout

James Conner 4th quarter run in 2017 Steelers win over Bengals. (Photo Credit: Justin K. Aller, Getty Images via Fansided.

Since most of you don’t speak Spanish, Agus was asking if by keeping James Conner, Stevan Ridley, Jaylen Samuels Roosevelt Nix and Le’Veon Bell, the Steelers weren’t carrying too many running backs.

  • My response was no, the Steelers weren’t keeping too many running backs.

The answer surprised Agus and he asked me to explain. And I pointed out to the Steelers of starting Ben Tate, Fitzgerald Toussaint, Dri Archer and Jordan Todman in all too recent playoff games.

  • The Steelers locker room is rallying around James Conners, who has had a strong preseason.

Maurkice Pouncey even argued that were it not for his injury history, former Pitt Panther James Conners would have been a first round pick. I don’t follow college ball, but Pouncey went to a major NCAA program, so he has the credentials to speak on the subject.

James Conner ran very well in his limited opportunities in 2017, and he authored a very strong preseason. And if Conners comes out and rips off a 100 yard game against the Browns and then again against the Chiefs, momentum will build in the Steelers Nation for Kevin Colbert to simply lift the tag and let Le’Veon Bell walk (which he won’t do.)

  • But what if James Conner gets hurt?

Stevan Ridley brings the Steelers solid experience, and his resume is that of a respectable number 2 NFL running back. But could he carry the load over the long or even medium term? Jaylen Sanders started the summer slow, but finished preseason as one of the player whom Mike Tomlin termed as “leaning into the tape.”

That probably earned Sanders a spot in the roster, although the suspicion here is that had Bell reported on Labor Day, Jaylen Sanders very well might have joined Olasunkanmi Adeniyi on IR. Sanders will be on the roster and likely get a helmet on game day against the Browns.

Which is good. Expect the rookie’s pass catching skills to be in demand with Vance McDonald out, and an injured Xavier Grimble starting opposite Jesse James in the number 2 tight end spot.

Pro offenses have evolved, and the Steelers roster composition has evolved with it. The days of carrying 5 running backs and a fullback are probably over. Moreover, when Ben Roethlisberger is your quarterback, investing so much salary cap and roster space in your running back depth chart makes even less sense.

  • But carrying only 3 running backs plus a fullback is cutting things a little too close.

As observed here last month, the Steelers have struggled to keep their top two running backs healthy for an entire season during the Mike Tomlin era. In 2008, the Steelers lost Willie Parker for a spell, then lose Rashard Mendenhall. Fortunately they had Mewelde Moore and Gary Russell to shoulder the load.

In 2010 Rashard Mendenhall and Isaac Redman remained healthy for the entire season, with Mewelde Moore and Jonathan Dwyer only seeing spot duty carrying the ball.

  • Both of those season ended with the Steelers going to the Super Bowl.

That remains Pittsburgh’s goal this year, but even if James Conner performs above expectations, Le’Veon Bell’s holdout greatly reduces the Steelers ability to adsorb an injury at running back.

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Keeping Up with the Joneses: Keion Adams, Brain Allen & Nat Berhe Among Surprising Steeler Cuts

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Landry Jones isn’t alone. The Steelers cutting Landry Jones wasn’t the only surprise cut to come out of Pittsburgh.

In addition to saying good bye to a man that many thought was untouchable as their backup quarterback, the Steelers cut safety Nat Berhe whom they’d signed as a free agent, linebacker Keion Adams whom they’d picked in the 7th round of the 2017 NFL Draft and cornerback Brian Allen a 5th round pick from the 2017 NFL Draft who held a roster spot throughout 2017.

Brian Allen, Steelers 2018 cuts

Brian Allen, Steelers 5th rounder from 2017 was a surprise cut. Photo Credit: Tribune-Review

Both Keion Adams and Brian Allen were seen as two players with significant “upside.” However, Adams was outplayed by undrafted rookie free agent Olasunkanmi Adeniyi. Based on how one interprets one of his tweets, Nat Berhe could be returning to the Steelers, but such a move would require them to put someone in injured reserve.

  • The Steelers also parted ways with Fitzgerald Toussaint, who was having a strong camp and played a key role on special teams.

The Steelers also placed Eli Rogers on the PUP list, and designated wide receivers Damoun Patterson and Marcus Tucker, offensive lineman Joseph Cheek, safety Malik Golden and linebacker Keith Kelsey as “injured waived” freeing them to sign with another NFL team but allowing the Steelers to retain their rights should they go unclaimed.

  • Jordan Berry, whose preseason performance had been mixed – put generously – avoided a visit from The Turk as the Steelers cut punter Matt Wile.

Joshua Frazier, whom the Steelers picked in the 7th round of the 2018 NFL Draft, was the only member of the Pittsburgh’s draft class to get cut, and Frazier will likely return on the practice squad.

The rest of the Steelers cuts included:

Running Backs
Jarvion Franklin
James Summers

Wide Receivers
Trey Griffey
Quadree Henderson
Tevin Jones

Tight Ends
Bucky Hodges
Pharoah McKever
Christian Scotland-Williamson

Offensive Linemen
Larson Graham
Patrick Morris
Oni Omoile
R.J. Prince
Jake Rodgers
Chris Schleuger

Cornerbacks
Dashaun Phillips
Malik Reaves
Jamar Summers

Linebackers
Matt Galambos
Farrington Huguenin

Defensive Linemen
Parker Cothren
Greg Gilmore
Lavon Hooks
Casey Sayles
Kendal Vickers

The Steelers will need to make at least one additional personnel move as Le’Veon Bell is not officially part of their 53 man roster.

Tight End Health Not a Concern – Yet

Thanks to a little inductive reasoning, we can also reasonably conclude that Mike Tomlin and Kevin Colbert are not concerned about the health of Vance McDonald and Xavier Grimble or of Jesse James for that matter. McDonald has been injured all summer, and Xavier Grimble has had wrist/thumb surgery calling into question just how stable tight end would be for the Steelers in 2018.

The fact that the Steelers cut Bucky Hodges and Pharoah McKever would seem to indicate that they’re not concerned about the health of their tight ends.

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