Tag Archives: Derek Watt

Steelers Free Agency: Should Pittsburgh Re-Sign Connor Heyward?

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“Bloodlines are important to Steelers coach Mike Tomlin.”

We heard it when they drafted Terrell Edmunds. A year later we heard it again when Kevin Colbert traded up to get Devin Bush Jr.. The words were ringing in our ears when they signed Derek Watt in free agency yet another year later.

By the time they drafted Connor Heyward in 2022, the phrase had almost become passé.

Yet neither Terrell Edmunds, nor Devin Bush, nor Derek Watt stuck around long-term in Pittsburgh. As Connor Heyward reaches free agency, will he be the exception?

Connor Heyward, Connor Heyward 1st touchdown, Steelers vs Falcons

Connor Heyward scores his first touchdown. Photo Credit: Post-Gazette.com

Capsule Profile of Connor Heyward’s Career with the Pittsburgh Steelers

Kevin Colbert drafted Connor Heyward in the 6th round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Heyward was a roster-bubble baby to begin with, but made the team officially as a reserve tight end, with the understanding that his role would be as a hybrid tight end/full back.

After seeing spot duty early in the season, Connor Heyward made his first highlight-worthy play when he caught a field-flipping 45 yard pass from Mitch Trubisky at set up Chase Claypool’s touchdown in the Steelers upset of Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Six weeks later he scored his first touchdown, on a 17-yard strike from Kenny Pickett, giving the Steelers their only touchdown in a 19-16 win over the Atlanta Falcons.

In 2023 Heyward’s role grew in the offense, as his nearly doubled his catch and target total from the previous year. He only made 45 catches over his first two years, but 14 of those converted first downs and Heyward appeared to be building a niche for himself in the Steelers’ offense….

….And then Arthur Smith arrived.

At first glance Smith’s hire seemed like it might be a boon for Connor Heyward, as his offense feature tight ends. Indeed, they do. So much that Smith had a hand in bringing MyCole Pruitt and Jonnu Smith to Pittsburgh.

  • And both players got playing time at Connor Heyward’s expense.

Heyward got 12 targets and 9 catches in 2024 and 2025, combined – or fewer than his rookie season. During 2024 Connor Heyward did earn role as the ball carrier on the Steel City Shove.

Connor Heyward scores a touchdown during the 2025 Steelers win over the Ravens at Acrisure.

Connor Heyward ties the game on the Steel City Shove. Photo Credit: Taylor Ollason, Steelers.com

He rushed the ball 15 times for 45 yards, 11 first downs and 2 touchdowns, including the Steelers first in Mike Tomlin’s final career win.

The Case for the Steelers Re-Signing Connor Heyward

Connor Heyward has delivered excellent value as a 6th round pick. He’s proven to be versatile, both as a blocker, receiver and rusher. Connor Heyward is never going to be the kind of player that opposing defensive coordinators lose sleep game planning against, nor is he ever going to give defenders 2nd thoughts about tackling him the way Darnell Washington will.

But in four years, Connor Heyward has shown he is the kind of player who you delivers when you call his number.

He’s the kind of player who makes plays that help win football games that don’t always show up in the stat sheet.

The Case Against the Steelers Re-Signing Connor Heyward

In four years has Connor Heyward done anything that an undrafted rookie free agent couldn’t do? Sure, Arthur Smith favored his former players at Heyward’s expense, but contrast Connor Heyward’s contributions with Derek Watt’s, a niche player who did deliver a difference.

Derek Watt, Steelers vs Eagles

Derek Watt catches a touchdown. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

The Steelers were 7-1 when Derek Watt got a carry. Can anyone look at the last two years and argue:

You know, what the missing link for Steelers offense has been? They never let Russell Wilson or Aaron Rodgers let it rip to Connor Heyward.

Yeah, right.

Having Connor Heyward as Cam Heyward’s little brother in Pittsburgh has given the franchise a feel good story. But he’s had four years to prove he can be a difference maker and four years later, the Steelers offense is still struggling.

It is unduly harsh to charge Connor Heyward with being part of the problem, but he’s done scant little to suggest he’s earned the right to be part of the solution.

The Curtain’s Call on Connor Heyward and Steelers

Connor Heyward is the type of player you want to have on your team. He’s always going to be one of the guys on the roster bubble, but one of the tricks to making a championship run is to get roster bubble guys who give you a little something extra.

The Steelers have two solid tight ends in Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington. Connor Heyward gives them a versatile 3rd option who can line up in the backfield in a pinch. Mike McCarthy once went into a regular season carrying 5 tight ends on his roster.

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Steelers Last Win in Philly Gave Mike Nixon 15 Minutes of Fame

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Sunday December 15th, Mike Tomlin will attempt something that neither Bill Austin, nor Chuck Noll nor Bill Cowher ever did:

  • Lead the Pittsburgh Steelers to victory on the road in Philadelphia.

While Philly fans are loyal, there’s no question that when it comes to Pennsylvania’s two football teams, the Pittsburgh Steelers are the Keystone State’s 800-pound gorilla. The Steelers lead the Lombardi count 6 to 1 and have appeared in the Super Bowl 8 times compared to 3.

And of course the Steelers lead the Eagles in other measures such as games won since the NFL-AFL merger, division titles, playoff appearances, wins etc. And the Steelers count on a nationwide, no, global fan base.

  • That’s great. But the Eagles OWN the Steelers when they play in Philly.

The last time the Steelers won a game in Philadelphia was at Franklin Field on Sunday, October 24, 1965 during Mike Nixon’s lone season as coach. 21,602 days have passed since the Steelers clocked that milestone, in case you really, really want to know.

The Steelers are 0-10 in at Philadelphia since 1965, but it isn’t just their 59 year losing streak in the City of Brotherly Love:

  • Bad things happen when the Steelers play in Philly.

In 1997 alone, a trip to Philadelphia marked the end of Greg Lloyd’s Steelers career. Heck, the last time the Steelers quarterback threw touchdown pass in Philly was when Kordell Stewart connected with Will Blackwell. (The drubbing the Steelers suffered in Philadelphia 2022 saw Chase Claypool throw a TD to Derek Watt, but Claypool isn’t a QB.)

Much Has Changed Since the Steelers Last Win in Philly

A lot has changed since Steelers last win in the City of Brotherly Love.

Their last win came 360 days before my older sister was born (she’s a Ravens fan, but we still love her just the same) so suffice to say I have no memory. And although my parents were newlyweds living in Pittsburgh in 1965, they’re not much for sports so its no use asking them.

  • But thanks to the Magic of Google Newspaper Archives, we can glimpse of what it was like then.

In 1965, man on the moon was more fiction than science. In fact, the headline of October 25th Pittsburgh Press tells us that the Gemini Mission has been Scrubbed as Agenda Fails. The Post-Gazette led with Gemini story too. Except the Post-Gazette tells us Gemini Launching, Space Docking a ‘Go.’

The first Gemini Space rendezvous occurred later that December, but it was supposed to happen in October. (The lesson then, as it is now, is that you need to read beyond the headlines.)

Just below that story, the Post Gazette tells us that UK Prime Minister Harold Wilson is off to Rhodesia for talks with the white settler government who was vying for independence. “Rhodesia” is now best known (at least in Argentina) as a chocolate bar, and the country in question is Zimbabwe.

The Pittsburgh Press devotes about a 1/3 of its front page to Vietnam coverage, and talks about the record low 25- degree temperature Pittsburgh experienced that weekend. It also informs us that the Civic Arena turned its first profit for the first time since it opened in 1961.

Digging into the Post-Gazette you see that Giant Eagle is selling Roast Pork Butt for 49 cents per pound. The same add tells us that a 9 oz package of Scallops would set you back 89 cents.

Not to be out done, A&P is selling “Long Bologna” for 49 cents a pound and Jane Parker Large Apple Pie for 39 cents (normally it would have cost 49 cents, the ad assures us). In between the two adds, you learn that you could have bought a Polaroid Swinger Camera for $19.95.

Yes, times have changed. But has enough changed for the Steelers to recapture some of that 1965 magic?

Mikey Nixon’s 15 Minutes of Fame

Art Rooney Sr. was notoriously bad at hiring head coaches. Yet even he knew Mike Nixon wasn’t the man for the job. After Dan Rooney accepted/forced Buddy Parker’s resignation during the 1965 preseason, Art Rooney reportedly called Nixon, told him he was going to offer him the job but encouraged him to reject it because he wasn’t ready.

Nixon ignored The Chief’s advice, accepted the job and then preceded to lose his first five games as Steelers head coach. Game six brought the Steelers to Philly, and thus began Mike Nixon’s 15 Minutes of Fame.

  • The Steelers beat the Eagles that day, 20 to 14.
Jim Bradshaw,

1960’s Steelers safety Jim Bradshaw. Photo Credit: Steelers.com

But by the look of the box score, it was an UGLY win. Quarterback Bill Nelsen went 6 of 16 for 79 yards. Running back Mike Lind also got 16 carries, managing 30 yards, but he did catch 2 passes for 11 yards including a touchdown.

The highlight of the day, and one would presume the season, came in the 2nd quarter when safety Jim Bradshaw returned an interception 82 yards for a touchdown, which was one of 3 picks for a total of 101 yards.

The Steelers would win again the next week 22 to 13 over the Dallas Cowboys back at Pitt Stadium. So Mike Nixon can hang his hat on the fact that he’s one of the very few head coaches who went undefeated against Tom Landry during his career.

Alas, after beating Landry, Mike Nixon’s Steelers lost their next 7 games finishing the season 2-12, and Nixon got fired.

Nixon did enough to impress Eagles coach Joe Kuharich, who hired him as an assistant coach, giving Nixon three years of gainful employment before he faded into a footnote in Steelers history.

  • Can Mike Tomlin repeat Mike Nixon’s success in Philly?

He faces long odds. The Eagles take a 9 game winning streak into this game, and look to be a lock for berth in the NFC Championship.

But Russell Wilson is 4-0 playing in Philadelphia, including a playoff win. And I’ll wager Russell Wilson will pass for more than 79 yards and Najee Harris will run for more than 30 (well, he’d better.)

Who knows? Maybe Fitzpatrick can stir up a little “Minkah Magic” and produce an 82 yard pick six. If he can, the Steelers stand a strong chance of taking an 11-3 record into their next game against the Ravens in Baltimore.

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Trip to Philadelphia = Unique Measuring Stick for 2024 Steelers

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The 2024 Pittsburgh Steelers might have started 10-3 with the AFC North lead, but as everyone knows, they face a brutal stretch against the Eagles and Ravens on the road followed by the Chiefs at Acrisure on Christmas.

As starting safety DeShon Elliott explained, “It’s just going to show us how good we can be.”

Elliott is right. And perhaps the game against the Eagles at Philadelphia offers the most unique measuring stick. The Steelers haven’t won in Philadelphia since 1965, when Lyndon Johnson was President and man on the moon was science fiction.

It isn’t just that the Steelers have lost in Philly, it how they’ve lost:

  • In 1979 the Eagles dealt the defending and future Super Bowl Champions their first loss
  • In 1997, the Steelers only lost by 3, but they also lost Greg Lloyd for good
  • In 2008, the Steelers only lost 15 to 6 but Ben Roethlisberger took 9 sacks
  • In 2016, the Steelers lost 34 to 3 and were lucky to get that field goal
  • In 2022, the Steelers lost 35 to 13 bringing the Steelers to 2-6 at the bye

That 2022 loss adds extra relevance to this Sunday’s match up. The final score doesn’t indicate just how lopsided that game was. Neither does the fact that the Steelers were “only” down 21-10 at the half.

Kenny Pickett, Haason Reddick, Steelers vs Eagles

Haason Reddick hits Kenny Pickett. Photo Credit: John Geibeiler, Eagles.com

That 2022 loss to the Eagles was the worst ass-kicking the Steelers have suffered in the post-Roethlisberger era. Philadelphia played like a team headed to the Super Bowl – as it was. The Steelers played like a team positioning itself a top 5 draft pick, which they weren’t.

Shortly after the game Steel City Insider’s Jim Wexell took time out to assure citizens of Steelers Nation that there was a bright side. He drew attention to Jalen Hurts’ journey with the Eagles from a 4-11-1 team in ‘20, to an 9-8 team in ’21 to the then-undefeated that finished the season playing for a Lombardi.

The focus of Wexell’s article was to draw a potential parallel between Hurt’s and Kenny Pickett’s development. Obviously Kenny Pickett will be on the Eagles sideline this week, but at the team-level the metaphor still holds.

Just glance at the Pro Football Reference box score from that game, and you’ll see just how much has changed.

  • The Eagles sacked Pickett six times that day
  • A.J. Brown torched the Steelers for 3 TDs of 27 yards plus
  • Miles Sanders gashed the Steelers for 78 yards and an 8.6 yards-per-carry average
  • T.J. Watt missed this game – Malik Reed and Ryan Anderson took his place
  • The Steelers only touchdown came on a Chase Claypool to Derek Watt pass

The Steelers will bring a changed roster to Philadelphia and the points you see above fuel the reasons why they made many of those changes:

Nick Herbig, T.J. Watt, Steelers vs Jaguars

Nick Herbig and T.J. Watt. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

Not only will T.J. Watt will play but the Steelers will get Nick Herbig and Preston Smith on the field alongside Watt and Alex Highsmith not because they need to, but because they want to.

The Eagles have made their own changes. The biggest one involves Saquon Barkley a running back so good he literally leaps past defenders while running backwards.

The biggest change is the one we haven’t discussed yet – Russell Wilson will be the Steelers signal caller. Wilson not sports a Super Bowl ring but also a 4-0 record playing in Philadelphia, including a playoff win.

No matter how you slice it, the Steelers have improved their roster since that ugly beating suffered on Halloween Eve just over two years ago. Has Pittsburgh beefed up enough to break a 59 year losing streak against an almost certain Conference Championship participant?

It is time to find out.

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Reality Bites: 49ers Kick Steelers in the Teeth, 30-7 to Open the 2023 Season

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Week 1 in the NFL is all about acquainting yourself with reality. And the reality Pittsburgh faces today is that the San Francisco 49ers came to Acrisure Stadium for the 2023 season opener and embarrassed the Steelers to the tune of 30-7.

  • Sometimes reality bites.

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin minced no words declaring, “We got kicked in the teeth today in a lot of ways.” He’s right. The question is why and should we be worried?

 

Kenny Pickett, Drake Jackson, Steelers vs 49ers

Drake Jackson sacks Kenny Pickett. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla

How Quickly Off Season Accolades Feel Hollow

The NFL has dominated sports news, in terms of commanding press coverage and fan interest since the Freeman McNeil verdict brought free agency to professional football. Yet through all of it, the Pittsburgh Steelers have largely remained in the background.

But 2023 was different. The Steelers got out of their comfort zone:

  • Free agents that otherwise would have stayed in Pittsburgh were allowed to walk.
  • Older free agents and/or others with injury histories were brought to the Steel City
  • Omar Khan and Andy Weidl authored a draft that made everyone happy
  • “Flawless” isn’t too much of an exaggeration to describe the Steelers preseason effort

Yet, as Washington Commanders fans can assure us, winning the off season Lombardi counts for nothing when the games actually matter. Oh, it’s not that the everything the Steelers did in the off season blew up in their faces. To the contrary:

And that exercise above, ladies and gentleman, is the football analysis equivalent of having the icing off of the top of your cupcake before eating the rest of your dinner. And by cupcake, I’m not talking about the kind your mother made, I’m talking about a Hostess cupcake. You might enjoy a brief sugar high, but everything else will disappoint you as your appetite is spoiled.

Because really everything else the Steelers did in their 2023 opener disappointed.

Losing It in the Trenches

One of the most heartening things about the off season was the front office’s commitment to returning to “Steelers Football.” By “Steelers Football” we mean winning in the trenches because the ones in Black and Gold are the ones hitting the hardest.

First in free agency and then in the draft, the Steelers invested heavily in bulking up their starters and backups on both lines, while signing thumpers to rebuild their inside linebacking corps. Yet the 49ers pushed the Steelers around like rag dolls.

  • You remember that picture-perfect run Jaylen Warren in preseason against the Bills?

Well, the 49ers executed a similar play to open the 2nd half, where Christian McCaffrey ran 65 yards for a touchdown. McCaffrey ran well on that play, but his lineman watch that play again and try to count all of the Steelers defenders who got manhandled on that play.

  • Nor was that an isolated incident. Take away that 65 run and McCafferty still averages over 4 yards a carry.

And the 49ers hardly executed a one-dimensional offense. The Steelers defense might have “contained” George Kittle and Deebo Samuel, but Brandon Aiyuk torched them for 129 yards and two touchdowns.

Granted, on the first touchdown pass Brock Prudy placed the ball with super-human precision, but either way Aiyuk literally caught everything that was thrown his way.

Chicken, Egg or Both?

During the back-half of 2022 the Steelers formula for success on offense was simple:

  • Control the line of scrimmage
  • Create manageable third downs by running hard on first and or second down
  • Count on Kenny Pickett (or Derek Watt if we dare say) to convert those third downs
  • Dominate time of possession

Sure, the Steelers got stuck in the Red Zone more often than not ensuring that a lot of games went down to the buzzer. But it worked.

Fast forward to September 2023. When Mike Tomlin was asked about the poor performance of his offense, he reference the fact that the Steelers started something like 0-5 on third down conversions.

Take away Najee Harris 24 yard run at the end of the 1st half and he averages 1.4 yards per carry. Jaylen Warren wasn’t much better, averaging 2 yards per carry. Suffice to say, there’s no running back controversy in Pittsburgh this morning.

But the offense’s woes don’t lie entirely on the shoulders of the running backs and offensive line. The Steelers tried opening several drives with short passes, but even when they completed those they still found themselves in third and long.

What’s perhaps more worrisome was how they attacked those third and longs. During the second half of 2022 the knock on Kenny Pickett was that he played it safe, avoiding throwing downfield and/or in the middle of the field.

  • Against the 49ers he attacked the middle of the field, and the middle counter attacked.

Perhaps his first interception was due to Diontae Johnson slipping, but he threw a very poor pass dead center in the middle of the field on his second one, and he should have had a third returned for a touchdown.

In his defense, Pickett faced pressure all day. The 49ers sacked him 5 times and registered a total of 9 hits. Couple that with the 8 tackles for losses registered by 49er defenders and Andy Weidl’s “planet theory” of offensive line building looked more like space dust.

Primary Differentiation on Opening Day

Is all hope lost for the 2023 Pittsburgh Steelers? Of course not. The Steelers opened their previous two seasons with upsets of AFC contenders only to flounder for large portions of both campaigns. Looking further back, during the Cowher Era and opening day blowout was almost a good omen.

  • But with that said, opening day revealed a stark contrast to Steelers Nation.

The San Francisco 49ers looked every bit of the team that’s been to 3 of the last 4 Conference championships and the Pittsburgh Steelers looked like a team still searching for its first playoff win since 2016.

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Key Question: If Kendrick Green Stays at Fullback, Can He Match Derek Watt’s Streak?

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So apparently Kendrick Green at fullback wasn’t a onetime thing.

The big news out of the Steelers annual Friday Night Lights practice at Latrobe Stadium was center/guard Kendrick Green getting reps at fullback.

Green told Steel City Insider’s  Jim Wexell, “I felt like I was a kid again playing backyard football.” Green, who got work at fullback with the team’s third offense tempered expectations conceding, “Just something they were just dabbling with. I don’t think it’s going to be nothing too serious, though. We’ll see.”

Kendrick Green, Kendrick Green Fullback

Steelers guard/center takes reps at fullback. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

After issuing similar cautions before Saturday’s practice, Green got several reps at fullback again for the Steelers, including at least one with the first team offense.

Mike Tomlin, who was not present for the “Friday Night Lights” practice, explained on Saturday “That guy is a unique guy, so we asked KG to provide a quality look for us, and he did,” before revealing “We just put that in our hip pocket.”

The Steelers started the summer with fullback Monte Pottebaum on their roster, but he mysteriously went on the reserve/retired list early in camp. Connor Heyward has been mentioned as an option at fullback, and now so has Kendrick Green is getting reps there.

  • So apparently the speculation that the Steelers will sign Derek Watt is moot.

Which makes dollars and salary cap sense. Derek Watt was an asset during his 3 years in Pittsburgh, but he was a very expensive “Nice to have” for the Steelers offense. Kendrick Green is both cheaper and offers position flexibility.

But if Mike Tomlin decides to take Kendrick Green out of his “Hip pocket” the question should be asked, “Can he match Derek Watt’s rushing streak?”

Thus far Kendrick Green’s reps at fullback have seen him block while catching a few passes from Mason Rudolph. But the hidden value Derek Watt added to the Steelers offense was in short yardage carries: Derek Watt only carried the ball 10 times for the Steelers, but Pittsburgh went 9-1 in those games.

  • If Kendrick Green can deliver at even remotely that level, this little experiment will be worthwhile.

One final factoid to remember: Kendrick Green wouldn’t be the first Steelers guard/center to do double duty at fullback.

During the Steelers 2009 season, center/guard Doug Legursky saw action at fullback. One of those games was Rashard Mendenhall’s 165 yard, career-best performance against the San Diego Chargers – Just Say’in….

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Steelers Cut Anthony Miller, Bolster Special Teams with Nick Kwiatkoski, Rex Sunahara

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Two seasons, one catch for two yards on third and 6 in 41-10 loss. Alas, that stat will define Anthony Miller’s Steelers resume as the team announced his waiver to create roster space for Nick Kwiatkoski.

The Chicago Bears drafted Anthony Miller in the 2nd round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Yet in three years at the Windy City, Miller never started more than 7 games. The Bears traded him to the Texans in July 2021, but he only lasted in Houston until October 6th. The Steelers signed shortly thereafter opening the door to his one catch 2 yard career in Pittsburgh.

Anthony Miller,

Anthony Miller’s Steelers Career consisted of 1 catch for 2 yards. Photo Credit: Steelers.com

Still, Anthony Miller impressed a lot of people in training camp during the summer of 2022 and appeared as a roster lock prior to going on injured reserve in August. The Steelers quickly offered him a futures contract in January and his name was mentioned along side Calvin Austin III as it became apparent that Omar Khan would neither use a premium pick nor a major free agent signing on a wide receiver.

They’ve also signed Hakeem Butler whom they took a long look at going into the 2019 NFL Draft. And of course they’re bringing back Diontae Johnson, George Pickens and Gunner Olszewski.

Steelers Bolster Special Teams with Nick Kwiatkoski and Rex Sunahara Signings

In letting Anthony Miller go the Steelers gave Special Teams coach Danny Smith a boost by signing linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski. The Bethel Park native and West Virginia alumni was a fourth round pick of the Chicago Bears in the 2016 NFL Draft. He brings the Steelers 89 games of experience with 34 starts for the Bears and then the Raiders.

However, injuries limited his 2021 campaign to just 66 defensive snaps for the Raiders and he saw zero defensive snaps on his most recent stop with the Atlanta Falcons. He did log close to 400 combined special teams stops in those cities and special teams will be his ticket to a roster spot in Pittsburgh.

  • The Steelers also signed long snapper Rex Sunahara to compete with incumbent Christian Kuntz.

The Kwiatkoski signing sends a strong signal that the Steelers have turned a page from both Derek Watt and Benny Snell, two running backs who saw few carries over the last two years, but were both special teams standouts.

 

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Should We Believe? Steelers Talk of Pairing Najee Harris, Jaylen Warren in Split Backfield

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The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly came out with something interesting at the end of the first week of Steelers 2023 OTAs: Namely that Steelers coaches are exploring ways to get Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren.

Credit Kaboly for delivering one of juiciest nuggets of come out of what are normally nearly newsless Organized Team Work Outs.

  • Or did he deliver a nugget?

Maybe he did, maybe he didn’t. You are wise don your Doubting Thomas cap on this one. But before we delve into the nuances of the question, let’s look at the facts.

Najee Harris, Jaylen Warren

Could we see Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren paired in the same backfield? Photo Credit: Jordan Schofield via SteelerNation.com

First, Kaboly doesn’t simply acknowledge that fans have a right to be skeptical, he gives them reasons to reinforce their skepticism. He points out that the combos of Le’Veon Bell and DeAngelo Williams, James Conner and Jaylen Samuels, and Harris and Warren have been on the field a total of 24 times.

However, he gets Jaylen Warren on the record explaining, “They have said they are planning to find ways to get us both on the field at the same time and just do different things with me.”

Kaboly goes further to point out that Matt Canada has been tinkering with a two-back offense and cites the success the Steelers had last year when they had two backs on the field. (Fun Fact: While its clear the Steelers won’t bring Derek Watt back, they were 7-1 in games where Watt got a carry. Just say’in…)

All of this is encouraging news to us Generation X Steelers fans who still pine nostalgically for  a return tothe old Pro Set offensive backfield (cue the “If it was good enough for Franco and Rocky why isn’t it good enough for The Bus and FWP?” quotes), but encouraging only to a point.

  • We have heard stories like this come out of OTAs before.

In fact in 2019 Jim Wexell got confirmation from Jaylen Samuels that the Steelers were experimenting with putting him in the same backfield as James Conner. By Kaboly’s count, that happened 11 times in 2019.

And of course they’ve been other rumblings at other points in the 21st century about the two back offense returning to Pittsburgh, just as stories about “this year the Steelers will give the fullback a few carries each game” and “we’re gonna throw to the tight end more” were training camp staples during the 1990’s. That never happened.

  • But why then, might this time be different?

Well, let’s just say that Kaboly has established some credibility here.

Last year, on June 7th to be precise, Kaboly got Steelers running backs coach Eddie Faulkner on the record discussing his plans to reduce Najee Harris’ snap count. At the time, I read the story with great interest but finished with a big mental “Yeah, right.”

But in 2022, Najee Harris had 313 touches of the ball as opposed to 381 in 2021. Moreover, his snap count dropped further, from 980 offensive snaps to 763 offensive snaps.

One of the reasons why the Steelers were able to but reduce Harris’ workload and get him off the field more often is that Jaylen Warren essentially forced coaches to find ways to get him on the field.

Maybe, just maybe Harris and Warren will find ways to force coaches to put them out together….

 

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Steelers 2023 Draft Needs @ Running Back – Does Pittsburgh Have the Picks to Add Depth?

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2022 was a banner year for the Steelers rushing attack. For the first time since 2007, Mike Tomlin ran Willie Parker “Until the wheels fell off,” the Steelers rushed for over 2,000 yards.

That’s a dramatic improvement for a franchise that has struggled to run the ball consistently ever since James Conner got injured in the middle of the 2018 season.

Do the Steelers need to address running back in the 2023 NFL Draft to sustain that improvement? Let’s find out.

Jaylen Warren, Derek Watt, Tyrann Mathieu, Steelers vs Saints

Derek Watt blocks for Jaylen Warren. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

Steelers Depth Cart at Running Back: The Starter

In his rookie season Najee Harris became the first Steelers running back to crack the 1000 yard mark since Le’Veon Bell in 2017. In his sophomore season, Najee Harris became the first Steelers back to have back-to-back 1000 yard seasons since Bell’s ’17 campaign.

  • It wasn’t easy.

As a rookie, Harris ran behind a weak offensive line, but succeeded in running strong and, at times, making it look easy. Harris suffered a foot injury in training camp and the offensive line’s run blocking was subpar during the first half of the season.

Harris struggled through the first 8 weeks of the season. Many of his critics pounced, arguing that his mediocre rushing averages proved that Mike Tomlin and Kevin Colbert had erred in investing a first round pick in him in 2021.

But if his stat line failed to impress, for my money, Harris continued to pass the “eye test” early in the season. The fight was there, even if the blocking wasn’t, and it seemed obvious he was nursing an injury.

Like they did with nearly everyone else on the team, Steelers Nation saw a different Najee Harris after the bye week. Harris began running with authority and power, 6 of his seven touchdown, and logging 3 90 yard plus games, including 111 yard effort in the road win over the Ravens.

Perhaps most impressively, Harris earned his second straight 1000 yard season while playing nearly 20% fewer snaps than he had in 2021.

Steelers Running Back Depth Chart: The Backups

The emergence of Jaylen Warren is the reason why Najee Harris was able to remain on the sidelines for close over 200 more snaps than he had has a rookie. Warren made the Steelers as an undrafted rookie free agent, first earning a roster spot and then carving out a role as their third down back.

As a rookie, Jaylen Warren played in 31% of the Steelers offensive snaps, both on third downs and rotating in with Harris. He only ran for 379 yards with a season-high effort of 76 against the Ravens, but he proved himself to be a true number 2 running back.

Steelers Draft, Steelers Draft Needs scale

Beyond Warren on the depth chart is Anthony McFarland. McFarland returns to the Steelers on a futures contract, after spending 2022 on the practice squad, save for his activation against the Colts. McFarland only ran for 30 yards in that game and caught 2 passes for 11 yards, but for the first time since the Steelers drafted him in 2020, he looked like he belonged in the NFL.

The Steelers also have Jason Huntley and Master Teague on their roster.

The Steelers 2023 Draft Needs at Running Back

As of this writing, both Derek Watt and Benny Snell remain unsigned. The Steelers may have seen enough from McFarland to pencil him in as the third string running back, but there’s no one on the roster remotely capable of taking Watt’s spot.

Ah, remember the good ole days of 2000, when the Steelers opened the season with fullbacks Jon Witman and Chris Fuamatu-Ma’afala on the active roster and Dan Kreider on the practice squad? Yeah, times change.

The Steelers need to beef up their depth at running back this off season, but lacking a 5th and 6th round pick, they’ll be hard-pressed to do it in the draft. Which is a shame because their need at running back going into the 2023 NFL Draft should be considered as Fair.

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Watt’s a Fullback Worth? Ideally, the Steelers Would Resign Derek Watt. But the World Ain’t Ideal

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Believe it or not, but the fullback was once the lifeblood of the Steelers offense. Franchise greats such as Franco Harris and Merril Hoge as well as disappointments such as Walter Abercrombie all played fullback in Chuck Noll and Tom Moore’s offense.

Ron Erhardt’s offense sharply curtailed the fullback’s carries and shifted his focus to blocking. And that’s where it remained for the balance of the 90’s. During the 21st century the role of the fullback faded both in Pittsburgh and the rest of the NFL.

Yet the Steelers went back to their roots in 2020 when they signed Derek Watt to a 3 year contract. That contract is up and he’s now about to be a free agent again. Should the Steelers keep in in Pittsburgh?

Derek Watt, Steelers vs Eagles

Derek Watt catches a touchdown. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

Capsule Profile of Derek Watt Career with the Steelers

Here’s a good test. True or False: “In 2022, Matt Canada greatly expanded Derek Watt’s role in the Steelers offense.” Raise your hand if you answer “True.” I raised my hand.

  • But I shouldn’t have.

The Steelers brought Derek Watt to Pittsburgh in the spring of 2020 and then proceeded to play Watt in 52 or 6% of offensive snaps. The transition from Randy Fitchner to Matt Canada only increased Watt’s snap percentage by 1%. And Watt’s snap count remained at 7% in 2022.

What did change was that in 2022 Derek Watt actually started getting the ball. No, Watt’s carry count didn’t break double digits, but his 9 carries is the highest number of carries by a Steelers fullback since Tim Lester’s 8 carry season in 1996. (As Chris Fuamatu-Ma’afala did line up as a fullback at times, you could argue the point.)

  • And while 9 carries might seem insignificant 8 of those carries converted a 3rd or a 4th down.

Perhaps more importantly, Derek Watt has been a vital part of the Steelers special teams throughout his time in Pittsburgh, logging almost 2/3s of special team snaps.

The Case for the Steelers Resigning Derek Watt

For all the focus on passing and building up Fantasy Football stats, in the NFL games are still won and lost at the line of scrimmage. In Najee Harris, Jaylen Warren, and a growing offensive line, the Steelers have the foundation for a winning rushing attack.

Derek Watt gives you the physicality to push that rushing attack over the top. He also provides special teams consistency.

Oh, and to those who argue that his short yardage success is just a “nice to have,” the Steelers were 7-1 in games when Derek Watt got a carry. Just Sayin….

The Case Against the Steelers Resigning Derek Watt

Fullbacks have authored some of the most glorious moments of the Steelers past. Fullbacks form a fundamental part of the franchise’s legacy.

And that’s the point. They’re part of the franchise’s legacy, not its future. Yes, there still is a place for fullbacks in NFL – for now – but the Steelers have paid Derek Watt just under 10 million dollars over the last three years to touch the ball 19 times and make 28 special teams tackles.

Surely Omar Khan can find some combination of veteran minimum salary players and/or undrafted rookie free agents to do the same for a faction of the salary cap space. Can’t he?

Curtain’s Call on the Steelers and Derek Watt

This is a tough nut to crack. The old school Generation X Steelers fan in me screams, “Bring him back! You never appreciate what a fullback can do until you don’t have one!”

Watt Bowl, Steelers vs Texans

T.J. and Derek prevailed over JJ in the Watt Bowl

And even if you can’t make sentimental personnel decisions, Mike Tomlin is right when he says “You can never have enough Watts.” Which is a way of saying that Derek Watt brings a lot more value to the team than his numbers suggest.

But does that value justify 3.3 million in salary cap space per year?

  • The change in front office is another factor to consider.

Mike Tomlin and Kevin Colbert worked extremely well together. In business terms you’d say, “Coaching achieved alignment with the Front Office.” But there are times when the two were been out of step. See Max Starks‘ career arc for an example.

  • Its been suggested that Derek Watt this could be another example of this.

If it is, then will Omar Khan back Derek Watt the way Kevin Colbert backed Max Starks? Or will he be differential to the coaching staff?

At the end of the day, Derek Watt is a good player. He isn’t as dynamic as T.J. Watt is on the field, but like his brother his brings the kind of character to locker rooms that helps you win Super Bowls. The Steelers should keep in Pittsburgh, but only at the right price.

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

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Steelers 2023 Free Agent Tracker

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The Steelers 2023 off season is about to kick into high gear. The Scouting Combine is this week and free agency is only a few weeks away.

And this will be the first time Mike Tomlin has navigated the free agent waters without Kevin Colbert. General Manager Omar Khan and Assistant General Manager Andy Weidl will now work with Tomlin to guide the Steelers through the first off season of the Kenny Pickett Era.

Omar Khan, Pittsburgh Steelers General Manager Omar Khan

Pittsburgh Steelers General Manager Omar Khan, Photo Credit: Nola.com

Although the Steelers salary cap situation is generally considered to be healthy, Omar Khan will certainly need to make moves to allow the Steelers to maneuver.

And maneuver they will need to do, as Pittsburgh has 23 free agents to make decisions on this spring.

Here is a look at the lay of the land before the chess pieces begin to move.

Click on the highlighted names for a full profile of each Steelers free agent.

Steelers 2023 Free Agent Signings

Christian Kuntz, long snapper
Signed 1 year exclusive rights free agent tender 2/23/2023
Jamir Jones, Outside linebacker
As an exclusive rights free agent, signed one year deal on 2/27/2023
Patrick Patterson, Cornerback
Signs 2 year 14 million dollar contract with $5.85 million in guarantees on 3/13/2023
Larry Ogunjobi, Defensive Tackle
Signs 3 year 28 million dollar contract on 3/14/2023
Damontae Kazee, Safety
Signs 2 year contract on 3/14/2023
Nate Herbig, Guard
Signs 2 year contract on 3/14/2023
Cole Holcomb, Inside Linebacker
Signs 3 year contract on 3/15/2023
Elandon Roberts, Inside Linebacker
Signs 2 year contract on 3/16/2023
Isaac Seumalo, Guard
Signs 3 year contract on 3/18/2023
James Pierre, Cornerback
Signs 1 year contract on 3/22/2023
Le’Raven Clark, Offensive Tackle
Signs 1 year contract on 3/24/2023
Zach Gentry, Tight End
Resigns with Steelers on 3/25/2023 — signing not confirmed 1 week later
Keanu Neal, Strong Safety
Signs 2 year contract with Steeles on 3/30/2023
Breiden Fehoko, Nose Tackle
Signs 1 year contract on 3/30/2023

Steelers 2023 Free Agent Losses

Cam Sutton, Cornerback
Signs 3 year contract with the Detroit Lions, for 33 million dollars in change and 22 million in guarantees
Robert Spillane, Inside Linebacker
Signs 2 year contract with Las Vegas Raiders
Devin Bush, Inside Linebacker
Signs 1 year contract with Seattle Seahawks
Malik Reed, Outside Linebacker
Signs 1 year contract with the Miami Dolphins
Terrell Edmunds, Strong Safety
Signs 1 year contract with Philadelphia Eagles
Trent Scott, Right Tackle
Signs 1 year contract with Washington Commanders
Steven Sims, Wide Receiver
Signs 1 year contract with Houston Texans
J.C. Hassenauer, Center/Guard
Signs 1 year contract with New York Giants

Restricted Free Agents

Jeremy McNichols, Running Back

Unrestricted Free Agents

Mason Rudolph, Quarterback,
Derek Watt, Fullback
Benny Snell Jr., Running Back
Chris Wormley, Defensive End
Miles Boykin, Wide Receiver
Tyson Alualu, Nose Tackle
Karl Joseph, Safety
Marcus Allen, Inside Linebacker

Yeah, Omar Khan certainly has his work cut out for him. Steel Curtain Rising will be here to cover it all, adding capsule profiles as they’re ready and updating signings as they occur.

Follow Steelers free agency. Click here for all Steelers 2022 free agent focus articles.

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