Tag Archives: Martavis Bryant

Steelers Free Agency: Should Pittsburgh Re-Sign Calvin Austin?

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With NFL free agency about to open, the Steelers again face questions about their wide receiver room and whether they should keep one of their own. It wasn’t always this way….

…Once upon a time, word was that “The Pittsburgh Steelers have the touch of gold when it comes to finding wide receivers.”

Sure, that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but the Steelers opened the last decade fielding the following four wide out set: Hines Ward, Mike Wallace, Emmanuel Sanders and Antonio Brown.

When Martavis Bryant started sabotaging himself with substance abuse, the Steelers drafted JuJu Smith-Schuster seemingly as easily as if it were stopping in at Giant Eagle to get a half pound of Kielbasa, a half pound of chipped ham and a package of Kondikes.

  • Alas, their golden touch began to leaden as decade closed.

Yes, Kevin Colbert drafted good wide receivers like former Steelers Diontae Johnson, Chase Claypool and George Pickens, but they all turned into divas, and each of them got traded away. So finding wide outs that they want to keep in Pittsburgh has been a problem.

Calvin Austin III becomes a free agent next week, and today we look at whether he should be the one to break the recent trend.

Calvin Austin catches to go ahead touchdown pass during the 2025 Steelers regular season finale win over the Ravens.

Steelers wide receiver Calvin Austin catches the go-ahead touchdown vs the Ravens in the 2025 season finale. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

Capsule Profile of Calvin Austin’s Career with the Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers drafted Calvin Austin in the 4th round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Austin, unfortunately, lost his rookie season to injury. He returned for his season as WR No. 3 behind Johnson and Pickens and appeared in all 17 games, but only made 17 catches for 180 yards and a touchdown.

In 2024, Austin started 8 games and in many ways made the proverbial “second year leap.” While he didn’t prove he was someone who could “step up” in George Pickens’ absence, Austin did show an ability to make tough catches late in the season.

Calvin Austin, Greg Newsome, Pittsburgh Steelers

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

Injuries hampered Austin to start 2025, and he was less of an impact player than he’d been the year before. Still, he came on strong in the season finale, and will always hold the distinction of being the man to catch the last touchdown pass of the Mike Tomlin era.

The Case for the Steelers Resigning Calvin Austin in 2026

After seeing Calvin Austin down the stretch in 2024 and 2025 something is clear – he’s not a legit NFL No. 2 wide receiver, let alone a No. 1. And that’s the point – Calvin Austin wasn’t drafted to be one. Asking him to be says more about the team than it does about Austin.

Austin has shown himself as a legit number 3 wide receiver who, despite his small size, can make tough catches.

Calvin Austin, Steelers vs Ravens

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

No one is going to throw a lot of money at Calvin Austin and Pittsburgh’s wide receiver room is perilously thin. They can and should keep him in Pittsburgh on a cap-friendly deal.

The Case Against the Steelers Resigning Calvin Austin in 2026

The Steelers wide receivers have been atrocious for the last two seasons. Calling them a JV wide receiving corps might be generous. Calvin Austin has been part of the problem and isn’t part of the solution.

  • The 2022 Draft was Kevin Colbert’s last and arguably his worst.

Connor Heyward and Calvin Austin are all that remain of that class. Time to finish ripping off the band aid.

The Curtain’s Call on Calvin Austin and the Steelers

Word was last summer at St. Vincents that the Steelers might be targeting Austin for a contract extension. They did not, and Omar Khan can be glad he kept Art Rooney II’s check book shut. Because Austin didn’t continue to improve in 2025 the way he had in 2024.

  • But that doesn’t mean the Steelers should give up on him.

The Steelers have nothing behind D.K. Metcalf at wide out. Sure, Roman Wilson gets a fresh start with a new coaching staff, but you can’t count on him. For this scribe’s money retaining Calvin Austin and asking him to play or complete for the WR No. 3 role would be a win-win for both sides.

  • But it isn’t this scribe’s money.

The Steelers rarely give second contracts to wide receivers and Mike McCarthy has a history of favoring tall wide outs. Calvin Austin is 5’9”. All of which means that the touchdown pass he caught helping Mike Tomlin win his last game during the 2025 season finale is likely Calvin Austin’s last as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

 

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Grading the Steelers 2018 Draft Class – Setting the Stage for Stagnation

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In homage to Chuck Noll’s principle that, “It takes 5 years to judge a draft class,” Steel Curtain Rising grades draft classes 5 years after they’re in the books. Alas, “work to do and bills to pay” prevented me from grading the 2019 and 2018 drafts on schedule.

Last week we graded the Steelers 2019 Draft Class (hint: this report card landed Kevin Colbert on restriction) and today we do the Steelers 2018 draft class.

But before we dive into the details, here’s fun fact on the Steelers 2018 Draft Class: 2 members played critical roles in upsets of Tom Brady.

Hum, that makes it seem like this is some sort of sleeper draft class. But is it….?

D.K. Metcalf, Terrell Edmunds, Steelers vs Seahawks

D.K. Metcalf burns Terrell Edmunds for a touchdown. Photo Credit: Yahoo.com

First Round – Terrell Edmunds, The Optical Illusion

Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin shocked everyone by drafting Terrell Edmunds in the first round. Steel City Insider’s Jim Wexell had projected Terrell Edmunds as a 5th rounder.

Yet, if you’d left for Mars after the draft, returned in 2023 and saw that Edmunds had started 75 of 84 games and logged 93.8% of the Steelers defensive snaps, you’d be impressed. And if I told you, “…And his best game came when Edmunds led a short-handed Steelers secondary in an upset of Tom Brady and Tampa Bay,” you’d have thought, “Wow! Colbert got a steal with Edmunds!”

  • But you’d only be proving the power of optical illusions.

Terrell Edmunds provided stability for the Steelers at strong safety, but he only played his fifth year in Pittsburgh because in the spring of ’22 no one wanted him in free agency. Steelers coaches liked him, the front office, not so much. So Edmunds went to Philadelphia in ‘23, got traded to Tennessee, signed with Jacksonville in ‘24, got cut in August and returned to Pittsburgh in September.

Terrell Edmunds’ Steelers encore lasted just 5 games.

It is almost like, after pausing and then looking at him again from a different angle, the coaches realized they were seeing an optical illusion. Grade: Disappointment

steelers, draft, grades, evaluations, bust, Kevin Colbert

True NFL Draft grades only come with years of hindsight

Second Round – James Washington, The Farm Boy Flasher

On the heels of unloading Martavis Bryant, turning Sammie Coates loose AND tiring of Antonio Brown’s antics, the Steeler opted to inject talent with character in their wide receiver room by drafting James Washington. By all accounts, James Washington, who was born and raised on a farm, was a stand up guy, a positive presence in the locker room guy with strong character.

Unfortunately, all of those attributes never translated into Washington becoming a quality wide receiver. Washington may never have flashed greatness, but there were times he flashed “goodness” (think the pass he took to the house from Devlin Hodges in the 2019 comeback win over the Bengals.)

But he never sustained those flashes of “goodness.” One reason was that he never established a rapport with Ben Roethlisberger. Ironically, it was Washington who caught Roethlisberger’s last touchdown pass. Grade:  Disappointment

James Washington, Charvarius Ward, Steelers vs Chiefs, Ben Roethlisberger's Last Game

James Washington makes a combat catch against Charvarius Ward. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

Third Round – Mason Rudolph, The Survivor

The Steelers drafted Mason Rudolph as a “compromise pick.” He spent his first year taking virtual reality snaps as a 3rd stringer. Six quarters into his second year, Mason Rudolph became the starter.

Rudolph lost his first start, won his second, got brutally concussed in his third, came back and won 3 straight games, suffered a deadly assault attempt by Myles Garrett, got benched, watched the Duck Hodges phenomenon, replaced Hodges against the Jets, started leading a rally and then got hurt.

Mitch Trubisky, Mason Rudolph, Kenny Pickett, Steelers 2022 quarterback competition

Mitch Trubisky, Kenny Pickett and Mason Rudolph. Photo Credit: Brandon Sloter / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images and The Athletic.)

He then watched as the Steelers brought in Dwayne Haskins, Mitch Trubisky and Kenny Pickett while remaining buried depth chart as QB No. 3, before saving Christmas and Pittsburgh’s 2023 season with 3 straight wins.

Mason Rudolph is a survivor. Grade: Quality Value Pickup

Third Round – Chukwuma Okorafor, The Deceiver

Chuks Okorafor was the last offensive lineman drafted of the Mike Munchak era. He started a game as a rookie against Von Miller and another in his second year against Aaron Donald, looking good in both. He became a full-time starter in 2020 and 2021 and did well enough to earn a 2nd contract.

However, he was benched for Broderick Jones midway through 2023 and the move started the team’s offensive turnaround. Not a bad player or pick, but you expect more from a third rounder. Grade: Serviceable Pickup

Fifth Round – Marcus Allen, The Other Marcus Allen

The Steelers drafted Marcus Allen as a safety, and he only appeared in 3 games during his first two years. They moved him to inside linebacker in 2020, where he struggled due to his size, but was forced into starting duty due to injuries. Marcus Allen played two more years in Pittsburgh, mainly on special teams, and then was out of the league. Grade: Disappointment

Fifth Round – Jaylen Samuels, The One Game Wonder

Perhaps it’s a little unfair to label 2018’s 5th round pick Jaylen Samuels a One Game Wonder, but  19 carry 142 yard explosion during his rookie year in the Steelers December 2018 upset of the Patriots was incredible. Unfortunately, that game and his 53-yard effort a week later in New Orleans amount to 41% of his career rushing total.

In 2019 and 2020, Jaylen Samuels’ role evolved into more of an H Back. He had his moments and spring of 2021 the late, great Craig Wolfley suggested that Samuels might be the answer the Steelers were seeking at running back. But he wasn’t. The Steelers cut him in 2021. He played a few games for the Texans in late 2021 and was done. Grade: Quality Valuable Pickup

Seventh Round – Josuha Fraizer, First Karl Dunbar Pick

Joshua Frazier had been coached at Alabama by Steelers coach Karl Dunbar but got cut in training camp and never spent time on an NFL roster or practice squad.

Overall Grade for the 2018 Draft Class

The Steelers 2018 Draft Class is an interesting one. At the time, Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin were seen as sticking to their board as opposed to reaching for need. That’s generally a smart strategy, but for it to work must get your board right.

And the Steelers didn’t get their board right in 2018 – three of their first four picks were Disappointments. All of them had to be replaced, and the Steelers clearly see Rudolph as a backup.

  • Not to mention that they passed on Lamar Jackson to take Terrell Edmunds.

And in that light, the Steelers 2018 Draft Class set the stage for what’s come since, a team that’s keeping its head above water but failing to make progress towards a championship. Grade: C

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Steelers Trade George Pickens to the Cowboys – Buyer and Seller Beware

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The Pittsburgh Steelers are trading wide receiver George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys in a move screams “Both Buyer and Seller Beware.” The Steelers send George Pickens and a 2027 6th round pick to Dallas, and in exchange the Cowboys send their 2026 3rd rounder and 2027th 5th rounder to Pittsburgh.

Since even before the 2024 season ended, speculation abounded as to whether the Steelers would move on from George Pickens.

Coming out of the NFL combine Steel City Insider’s Jim Wexell reported Pickens had soured his trade value in the league, and that a trade would be “next to impossible.”

Yet, prior to the draft, George Pickens reportedly deleted references to the Steelers from his social media accounts, and Omar Khan did field calls about a potential trade but could not get more than a 4th round pick.

With the draft over, Jerry Jones has increased his offer for the ultra-talented, mercurial wide receiver and brought him to Texas.

George Pickens, Nick Cross, Steelers vs Colts

George Pickens fumbles at the 5 yard line. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Steelers Exchange High Short-Term Risk for Long Term Value

George Pickens began tantalizing Steelers fans from the moment he stepped foot on Chuck Noll Field at St. Vincents College.

George Pickens, Steelers 2022 training camp, Cam Sutton

George Pickens making a catch on the first day @ St. Vincents. Photo Credit: Post-Gazette.com

In terms of pure pass-catching capability, Pickens is in the conversation with Lynn Swann and Antonio Brown.

  • Alas, Pickens mimicked Brown’s attitude issues. And then some.

For as unglued as Antonio Brown became in his final year in Pittsburgh, Brown’s self-centered disposition rarely, if ever, reared its head on the field.

  • The same cannot be said for George Pickens.

His immaturity was on display on the sidelines in the Steelers 2022 win over the Atlanta Falcons, prompting Cam Heyward to initiate a “heart-to-heart” on the sidelines. (Heyward, to his credit, said the young wide out simply needed a “Pick me up.”)

The antics continued through his second season, with Pickens declining to block for Jaylen Warren near the goal line, citing injury concerns. This is only the tip of the iceberg.

George Pickens, Noah Igbinoghene, Steelers vs Dolphins

George Pickens with another Lynn Swann like catch. Photo Credit: Yahoo! Sports

Pickens proved, time-and-time again, he could make belief defying catches.

Yet it was almost like he was bent on establishing a 1-1 relationship between those feats and team-destructive incidents, whether it was cutting off routes, showing up late, taking plays off, using his face paint to complain about lack of targets, getting into shoving matches with defensive backs in Hail Mary situations, or needing to be restrained from fighting with fans by Pat Freiermuth.

As he did with Kenny Pickett, Justin Fields and Russell Wilson, Omar Khan began the off season singing Pickett’s praises and talking about his plans to keep in in Pittsburgh.

  • Now Pickens is headed to Dallas.

In football realpolitik the Steelers got a steal. They weren’t going to resign him, they may not have gotten a good compensatory pick for him, and unhappiness over lack of a new contract could have been a season-long disruption.

If the Steelers get four compensatory picks for the 2026 NFL Draft, they’ll have 12 picks at their disposal.

But by playing the long game, Omar Khan has once again exposed the team to short-term risk.

Another Year of Longing for Lockett and Hill?

Last season the Steelers dealt problem child wide receiver Diontae Johnson. It was a wise move. Donte Jackson delivered solid play at cornerback while Johnson got himself cut three times.  However, Omar Khan never filled the gaping hole that Johnson’s departure left on the roster.

Dwight Stone, Dwight Stone Steelers career

Dwight Stone’s Steelers career ran from 1987 to 1994. Photo Credit: Amazon

Early in the season, this scribe opined that the lack of a number two wide out opposite Pickens was enough to make Gen X Steelers fans long for the days of Charles Lockett, Derek Hill and Dwight Stone.

The Steelers of course added D.K. Metcalf in the off season, and Calvin Austin improved noticeably last year, but outside of that they’ve got a wide receiver room filled with roster bubble players or unproven youth, such as Roman Wilson, with Robert Woods taking Van Jefferson’s place.

When the Steelers drafted Kaleb Johnson word was he excelled in running against stacked boxes at Iowa.

Good thing he’s already used to playing in Black and Gold, because he’s going to see plenty of other familiar sights in Pittsburgh. Seller be wear.

Now Jones and Schottenhimer to Try Their Hand

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin stood behind George Pickens for as long as he could. He opted not to air his dirty laundry and instead focus trying to break through to Pickens.

  • At times it appeared to work.

After an awful game against the Colts in December 2023, no one would have criticized Tomlin if he just decided to bench Pickens for the rest of the year. Instead, Tomlin talked to him and Pickens exploded for two break out games on Christmas and New Years. He even showed up as a blocker in the season finale against the Ravens.

Yet, after two senseless personal foul penalties in the road win over the Bengals last year, Tomlin said it was time for Pickens to grow up.

  • Clearly, he feels he’s mentored Pickens as far as he can.

Now Brian Schottenheimer and Jerry Jones will launch a wide receiver reclamation project. Other head coaches have tried and failed with similar endavors with Steelerss cast offs such as Brown, Johnson, Martavis Bryant and Chase Claypool.

Buyer beware.

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Steelers Trade for D.K. Metcalf – Now Who Will Throw Him the Ball?

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He may have taken his time, but Omar Khan made the Steelers first major move of the 2025 free agent season, and he did so with a bang. The Pittsburgh Steelers have reached an agreement with the Seattle Seahawks to trade their 2025 second-round pick in exchange for wide receiver D.K. Metcalf.

D.K. Metcalf, Terrell Edmunds, Steelers vs Seahawks

D.K. Metcalf burns Terrell Edmunds for a touchdown. Photo Credit: Yahoo.com

The Steelers have been linked to via trade for Metcalf for close to a year, and now those rumors have come to fruition. With the trade comes a new contract for Metcalf, as the Steelers have tacked on 4 years to his existing 5-year deal, that will pay the wide receiver 150 million over the next five seasons.

  • The Steelers we expected to add a veteran wide receiver room this spring.

Omar Khan said as much at the 2025 NFL scouting combine when confirming that the Steelers wanted a quarterback under contract for the start of free agency as that would impact what wide receiver they signed.

The Steelers of course do not have a quarterback under contract, begging the question, “Just who is going to throw Metcalf the ball?”

The Steelers had hoped to sign either Justin Fields or Russell Wilson last week. Its been indicated that the Steelers did make an offer to Fields, but that Fields declined to accept, instead wanting to test the free agency waters. The conventional wisdom has been that the Steelers been unable to sign Fields, they’d rever to Wilson, who actively wishes to return.

However, multiple reports suggest that the Steelers plan to make an offer to free agent Sam Darnold, most recently of the Minnesota Vikings. The Steelers can begin formally negotiating with Darnold today, Monday March 10th, at noon.

Impact on Pickens?

Time and time again it was shown throughout the 2024 season that the wide receivers were the Steelers weakest link. George Pickens proved he was a legitimate NFL number 1 receiver, but the Steelers had nothing behind him save for Calvin Austin.

  • But Pickens has maturity issues.

These maturity issues have been evident since his rookie year, but have not been improving. That’s led some to suggest that the Steelers should be looking to off load Pickens this spring. Don’t expect that to happen in the wake of the D.K. Metcalf trade.

Yes, Kevin Colbert managed to get a third and 5th round pick for Antonio Brown and a third for Martavis Bryant. Omar Khan got a 2nd round pick for Chase Claypool and got Donte Jackson for Diontae Johnson.

But don’t expect the Steelers to reap a similar bonanza for George Pickens in the wake of the Metcalf trade. From the Steelers perspective, they still have a very thin depth chart at wide receiver.

And Pickens’ reputation precedes him in the NFL, making it highly likely the Steelers could get anything other than a day 3 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

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Definition of “At a Crossroads” The Steelers Mason Rudolph and Free Agency

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What difference does 365 days make? For Mason Rudolph, everything.

Last year when Mason Rudolph reached free agency, I debated over whether it was worth the time to do a free agent profile on him or not. Omar Khan’s comment about “keeping the door open for Mason” nudged the scales in his favor.

  • But felt like an academic exercise.

But of course Mason Rudolph returned to Pittsburgh. He authored another strong preseason. Yet he remained nothing more than a clipboard holder until, wait for it, the eve of Christmas Eve when Rudolph began leading the franchise to the playoffs.

Now Mason Rudolph is a free agent again, and this time he’s the one holding… well at least some of the cards. Let’s take a look at how this could play out.

Mason Rudolph, Steelers vs Dolphins,

Mason Rudolph launches a 45 yard touchdown to Diontae Johnson. Photo Credit: Barry Reeger, PennLive

Capsule Profile of Mason Rudolph’s Career with the Steelers

The Steelers and Mason Rudolph have reached a cross roads. And they took a unique route to get here. So instead of focusing on the nuts and bolts of Mason Rudolph’s journey with the Pittsburgh Steelers, we’ll instead focus on how that journey started.

Kevin Colbert, Mike Tomlin, Steelers 2022 Draft Class, Kevin Colbert last draft

Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin at their final press conference. Photo Credit: Steelers.com

Early in the 2018 off season Steel City Insider’s Jim Wexell was working into his pre-draft profiles and devoted some time to Oklahoma’s Mason Rudolph, mentioning that Tomlin and Colbert had shown real interest.

In the comment’s section a reader shared a picture noting “Went to the osu game at Heinz Field. Colbert was never more than 5 feet away from him entire pregame.”

Yet, when the 2018 NFL Draft came the Steelers passed on Lamar Jackson and took Terrell Edmunds in the first round and then picked James Washington in the 2nd round (ouch!). But Kevin Colbert also robbed er um traded Martavis Bryant to the Raiders for a third round pick. And with that extra pic, the Steelers took Mason Rudolph.

Then two interesting factoid’s leaked: 1. The Steelers had a first round grade on Rudolph; 2. Rudolph was described as a “compromise pick.”

While Steel Curtain Rising has no access to sources on the South Side, the translation of the above into simple English is this: Kevin Colbert was Mason Rudolph’s champion.

  • If this is true then Rudolph’s career arc with the Steelers becomes easier to understand.
Mason Rudolph, Joshua Dobbs, Steelers developing quarterbacks

Mason Rudoph and Joshua Dobbs square off @ St. Vincents. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

It easier to see why Mason Rudolph became the first quarterback of the Tomlin era to get benched for performance. The same can be said for Tomlin’s decision to bring back Joshua Dobbs, sign Dwayne Haskins, Mitch Trubisky and draft Kenny Pickett. Likewise, Tomlin’s decision to look past Rudolph’s strong performances during the 2022 and 2023 preseasons take on a different light.

  • That doesn’t necessarily mean that Tomlin mishandled Rudolph’s development.

In a non-football context you’d say, “the business drivers” of each of those decisions were strong. And in both 2022 and 2023, Rudolph only had one year remaining on his contract. Pickett and Trubisky had multiple years so it made perfect sense to focus precious practice and preseason snaps on that duo.

Now Mason Rudolph’s contract is about to expire. Mike Tomlin, Omar Khan and Art Rooney II all say they want him back.

But just how badly do they want him?

The Case for the Steelers Resigning Mason Rudolph

The Tomlin era has seen the Golden Age of Steelers third string quarterbacks. So when Rudolph resigned last spring, he seemed destined to get a start. He got four, including one in the playoffs.

  • And Mason Rudolph was undisputed best quarterback on the roster.

The Steelers fielded a different, more dynamic offense with number 2 at the helm. George Pickens exploded. Diontae Johnson did his damage. Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren had some of their best games. The defense, freed from the obligation of carrying the team, also played some of its best ball despite being critically short-handed.

The only question is, what is Omar Khan waiting for?

The Case Against the Steelers Resigning Mason Rudolph

Yes, Mason Rudolph looked good. He elevated the team. Everything about his four game audition, complete with the way he maintained his poise after the interception vs Buffalo says the Steelers would be insane to let him walk.

Yet, before cutting a check, the Steelers brass would be wise to remember a few names: Brock Osweiler, Matt Flynn, Rob Johnson and Scott Mitchell.

These are four NFL quarterbacks who parlayed varied amounts of success in a limited number of starts into mammoth free agent contracts to be starters elsewhere.

  • For those four, the grass truly was greener on the other side.

But none of these quarterbacks proved be worthy of their fortune, fame or salary cap space for the teams that signed them.

The only thing worse for the Steelers than losing Mason Rudolph would winning a bidding war to keep him. Mason Rudolph has shown he’s worth of an NFL starter’s contract, but light years away from earning a franchise quarterback deal.

Curtain’s Call on the Steelers and Mason Rudolph

Everyone wants Rudolph back and Rudolph seems open to it.

  • But there are three “but’s” at work here.
Mason Rudolph, Kenny Pickett, Steelers 2022 Training Camp, Steelers St. Vincents 2022

Mason Rudolph and Kenny Pickett in 2022 at St. Vincents. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

On the numbers side, you can take it at face value that the Steelers want to keep Rudolph in Pittsburgh. But you can also be sure that the Steelers have a number in mind and won’t go much beyond that (see Cam Sutton last spring.)

Then there’s a trust issue. Mike Tomlin has confirmed that Kenny Pickett will arrive at St. Vincents as the number 1 quarterback but assures that “He’ll have competition.” And Tomlin sounded serious. But he also sounded great to Melvin Ingram, Morgan Burnett and LeGarrette Blount who came to Pittsburgh as free agents and left disgruntled feeling that Tomlin promised them something he didn’t deliver.

  • This phenomenon isn’t limited to outsiders. Just ask James Harrison.

Finally, there’s Russell Wilson. The conventional wisdom has been that the Steelers would bring Mason Rudolph back to Pittsburgh to provide “competition” and if they couldn’t, they’d fall back to a veteran free agent such as Ryan Tannehill or Jacoby Brissett. But Russell Wilson has already visited the Steel City and talked with the Steelers brass.

  • Maybe this Russell Wilson flirtation is Omar Khan and company pressuring Rudolph to sign…
  • …but maybe it’s a signal that Tomlin doesn’t see Rudolph as a long-term starter and never will.

Mason Rudolph is good guy to have in the locker room. His teammates love him. He takes his preparation seriously. He puts the team first. He will elevate any quarterback room he joins.

In an ideal world for the Steelers, Rudolph would elevate the quarterback room in Pittsburgh. But if Russell Wilson’s visit to the Steelers is anything more than a “kick the tire” due diligence exercise, then that’s a clear signal that in Rudolph’s ideal world his NFL career will continue elsewhere.

Keep up with Steelers Free Agency. Click here for all of Steelers 2024 coverage.

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Grading Omar Khan’s First Year as Steelers General Manager – A Khan Artist? Or Just a Risk Taker?

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Omar Khan’s first year as Pittsburgh Steelers General Manager has drawn praise from through out Steelers Nation. He’s been called a “Khan” artist. Some of the Black and Gold Faithful are already fitting him for a Gold Hall of Fame Blazer.

Khan addressed the media at St. Vincents, in Latrobe as Mike Tomlin and his staff began their first practices with the team.

With that in mind, it’s time to take an objective look at Khan’s first year on the job and ask, is Omar really a “Khan Artist?”

Omar Khan, Pittsburgh Steelers General Manager Omar Khan

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

A Subtle, but Important Shift on Contract Extension Timing

The under Tom Donahoe and Dan Rooney, Steelers were pioneers in targeting key players for contract extensions before they hit the free agent market. Kevin Colbert continued Donahoe’s policy.

  • However, Colbert was a bit more cautious, particularly in the Tomlin era.
Troy Polamalu, Troy Polamalu Interception Ravens, Troy Polamalu Interception AFC Championship Game, Troy Polamalu pick six AFC Championship

Troy Polamalu’s pick six vs Ravens the 2008 AFC Championship Game. Photo Credit: Post-Gazette.com

Colbert typically waited to finalized contract negotiations shortly before the regular season began. James Farrior, Troy Polamalu, Stephon Tuitt and Cam Heyward were all players who inked deals at the tail end of summer.
While this injected some “will so-and-so get his deal” uncertainty into the summer, it did allowed the Steelers to hedge against injury.

  • Omar Khan hasn’t hedged when it comes to contracts.

Last year the Steelers signed Minkah Fitzpatrick, Chris Boswell and Diontae Johnson to extensions early or before training camp. This year they got Alex Highsmith’s name on a long-term contract.

Injuries can and do happen during training camp and preseason (think Senquez Golson and/or Sean Spence) so Khan’s approach does carry a bit of extra risk. But it also provide certainty and helps ensure roster continuity.

Taking the Steelers Out of Their Comfort Zone on Free Agents

The Steelers were aggressive players in free agency during the spring of 2023, but that continued a trend Kevin Colbert started during the spring of 2022. And that new found aggressiveness is probably due to the fact that the team both doesn’t have a franchise quarterback’s contract to carry and didn’t have a lot of veterans to resign.

  • But under Khan, the Steelers did slide a bit out of their free agent comfort zone.

Entering the off season, resigning Cam Sutton seemed like almost a no brainer. Sutton wanted to stay, the Steelers said they wanted up. Yet, they were never able to get a deal done. The happened a few times under Kevin Colbert.

  • What makes Khan unique is the way he reacted.

The Steelers replaced Cam Sutton by signing Patrick Peterson, who will be 33 this year. Giving a major free agent contract to such an old player was almost unheard of under Kevin Colbert.

Khan also moved out of his comfort zone when it came to injuries, making major signings with Cole Holcomb and Keanu Neal who were either coming off of injuries or had significant injury history.

Khanning Others with Trades?

What’s really earned Khan his title of “Kahn Artist” is his work with trades.

First he traded Chase Claypool for the 32nd pick in the 2023 NFL draft and then watch from afar as Claypool make 14 catches for 140 yards over the last 7 games of the season. Today, trading Chase Claypool for Joey Porter Jr. looks like a very, lopsided deal.

Next he swapped 7th round picks to bring veteran receiver Allen Robinson to Pittsburgh from the Los Angeles Rams – with LA agreeing to pay 10 million of the 15 million he’s owed during the final year of his contract.

He also traded up to get Brodrick Jones in the 2023 NFL Draft, and then swapped 3rd round picks with the Panthers and got Carolina’s 4th round pick, getting them back into that critical depth round.

Even if we accept the obvious caveat that every trade carries risk, Khan has shown incredible negotiating savvy with these moves.

  • But credit for Khan’s savvy here doesn’t come as the result of comparisons to Colbert.

Kevin Colbert’s first major trade brought Troy Polamalu to Pittsburgh. His next major trade bagged Santinio Holmes, who was MVP of Super Bowl XLIII. He also suckered a 3rd round pick out of the then Oakland Raiders for Martavis Bryant (after declaring that he wasn’t available for trade). And Colbert committed highway robbery by getting a 3rd and a 5th for Antonio Brown.

Conclusion? Not a “Khan Artist” but Rather a Risk Taker

In his first year as Steelers General Manger, Omar Khan has shown himself as someone who can both live by the “Steelers Way” while acting as his own man.

And in that respect, he shown himself to be more of a risk taker, than a “Khan Artist.”

During these next three weeks on the fields at St. Vincents we’ll start see if those risks pay off.

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Time for a Clean Slate: Steelers QB Mason Rudolph Reaches Free Agency

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Who is the most popular player on the Steelers roster? Well, for 20 years the answer never changed – it was always the backup quarterback. Whether it was David Woodley, Jim Miller or Pete Gonzalez, Steelers fans were always convinced themselves that QB Number 2 was the next Terry Bradshaw.

Mason Rudolph never enjoyed such a honeymoon. Now that he’s about to hit free agency, it is time to take a look at whether he should or will stay in Pittsburgh.

Mason Rudolph, Steelers vs Dolphins,

Mason Rudolph launches a 45 yard touchdown to Diontae Johnson. Photo Credit: Barry Reeger, PennLive

Capsule Profile of Mason Rudolph’s Career with the Steelers

The Steelers drafted Mason Rudolph in the 3rd round of the 2018 NFL Draft with the pick they obtained from trading Martavis Bryant to the Oakland Raiders. The decision was described as a “compromise pick” as we learned that the front office had put a “first round grade” on Rudolph.

That was all academic for a year as Mason Rudolph held the third string QB’s clipboard during all of 2018. In 2019 Josh Dobbs departed and Mason ascended to the backup role where everyone figured he’d stay, after all it had been 2 years since Ben Roethlisberger missed a full game right?

Wrong. Six quarters into the season against the Seattle Seahawks, Roethlisberger left the game with a season ending elbow injury, and Mason Rudolph’s roller coaster ride began.

To the naked eye, Rudolph played well enough in losses to the Seahawks and 49ers, but perhaps its telling that coaches had to install a Wild Cat offense for his first home start and win against the Bengals. A week later without the Wild Cat, Rudolph was authoring his best game ever against the Ravens when Earl Thomas knocked him from the game with a concussion.

The roller coaster ride began anew. Rudolph shifted from shaky to stable in his return against Miami, steady against Indy, strong against the Rams – and then Myles Garrett assaulted him with his own helmet in the infamous Body Bag Game.

Mason Rudolph, Myles Garrett, Matt Feiler, David DeCastro

Even prior to this pivotal moment, Mason Rudolph had shown alot of fight in 2019.

The incident shook Rudolph, whose play was shaky prompting Mike Tomlin to bench him for Devlin Hodges week later. Rudolph did look better coming off the bench against the Jets, but got injured and was done for the year. Rudolph started the season finale in 2020 and lost while looking good, and looked “OK” in starting in the overtime tie to the Lions.

In 2022 Mason Rudolph entered training camp as the back up to Mitch Trubisky, but got beat out by Kenny Pickett and outside of Carolina Panthers game, Mason Rudolph spent last season the way he spent his first – holding a clipboard in street clothes.

After 5 years in Pittsburgh, Mason Rudolph appeared in 17 games, holds a 5-4-1 record as a starter, threw 384 passes for 2,366 yards with a 61.5% completion rate and 16 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.

The Case for the Steelers Resigning Mason Rudolph

Every championship team needs a strong backup quarterback.

Just look at how Byron Leftwich and Charlie Batch stepped in in 2005 and 2008. Mason Rudolph’s body of work isn’t that extensive. While he hasn’t shown himself to be worthy of a starter’s slot, he does project as a competent backup.

He knows the Steelers culture and system. He was never embraced or mentored or seemingly even befriended by Ben Roethlisberger. He was benched for a guy name “Duck.” He didn’t get his fair share of reps in the summer that was to be his one real shot at the starting job.

Yet, through all of it, Mason Rudolph has never complained. He’s been a loyal teammate and a positive force in the locker room – just what you’d want in a backup.

The Case Against the Steelers Resigning Mason Rudolph

The Steelers had a “first round grade” on Rudolph, yet picked him with an extra third round choice in a decision that was termed a “compromise.”

Consider these names:

Those are all quarterbacks that the Steelers brought to Pittsburgh after seeing Mason Rudolph’s 10 game audition in 2019. Now stir in the fact that in the summer of 2022, Rudolph neither got a fair shot at the starting job nor did he get a shot at QB No. 2.

That should tell you that Mike Tomlin was never sold on drafting Mason Rudolph and Rudolph hasn’t changes his opinion since arriving in Pittsburgh. The Steelers already have Trubisky under contract for 2023, has Mason given them any reason to tear that contract up, eat the dead money and offer him a deal to stay?

No. He has not.

Curtain’s Call on the Steelers and Mason Rudolph

has said the Steelers have left the door open for Rudolph’s return, which is the smart move. But let’s close this conversation by turning it on its head: Is there any reason why Mason Rudolph would want to stay in Pittsburgh?

The fans never gave him a chance, even if his numbers, arguably, were better than Pickett’s. His head coach clearly doesn’t see him as starter material and didn’t even give him a shot as a backup. No NFL team is going to throw starter money at Mason Rudolph.

But Rudolph has done enough to earn both a competitive backup deal and something else more highly prized: A clean slate.

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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Will JuJu Smith-Schuster Stay with Steelers? Should He? Its a Tricky Situation

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Second contracts separate dollars from cents in today’s NFL. Sure, even undrafted free agent rookies get six figure salaries. But they’re only an injury away from losing it all. Draft picks have more security, but only a little.

  • But manage a second NFL contract wisely, and you’ll have financial security for life.

If you’re smart with your money and lucky enough to stay healthy, you’ve got a shot at integrational wealth. The Steelers are better than any other NFL team at honoring their second contract commitments, particularly for home-grown players.

Yet, when it comes to wide receivers, only Hines Ward and Antonio Brown have gotten second contracts.

A year ago, JuJu Smith-Schuster was pleading to join them. He got his wish, sort of, and now both sides need to decide whether to reup for a third dance. Will it happen?

JuJu Smith-Schuster, Ju-Ju Smith-Schuster stiff arm, Steelers vs Ravens

JuJu Smith-Schuster lays down the law. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Capsule Profile of JuJu Smith-Schuster’s Career with the Steelers

When the Steelers drafted JuJu Smith-Schuster in the 2nd round of the 2017 NFL Draft, a Twitter fight erupted between Martavis Bryant and Sammie Coates as to who JuJu was arriving to replace. As it turned out, JuJu pushed both men off of the team (OK, Bryant did himself no favors).

JuJu Smith-Schuster had an electrifying rookie campaign, catching 58 passes for just under 1000 yards and included game changing long catches against the Lions and what should have been a game changer against the Patriots. He followed up with 111 catches for 1426 yards in his second season, wining team MVP honors.

Those honors didn’t sit well with Brown, who threw a tantrum and well, you know the rest.

  • JuJu boldly declared, “I’m Ready.”

Alas, he might have been ready but the rest of the Steelers offense wasn’t. Ben Roethlisberger’s 2019 campaign lasted 6 quarters as Mason Rudolph and Devlin Hodges slogged out an 8-8 campaign with an offensive line in decline and a running game led by a wounded James Conner and rookie Benny Snell.

Smith-Schuster’s production dipped to 42 catches as he missed four games. He bounced back in 2020 to catch 97 passes, but didn’t get much interested in free agency. He returned to Pittsburgh on a one year deal, but got injured 5 games into the season. JuJu returned for the playoffs, but wasn’t a factor.

The Case for the Steelers Resigning JuJu Smith-Schuster

JuJu Smith-Schuster’s 2021 season only lasted 5 games but the Steelers missed him. As Mark Kaboly reminded before the playoffs, with JuJu the Steelers converted 46% of their third downs.

  • Without JuJu that number dropped by 10 percent.

Go back to 2020 when drops became a chronic issue for the Steelers receiving corps. But not for JuJu, as he easily led wideouts with a 75% catch rate.

JuJu Smith-Schuster is a gamer. He brings a physical presence as a run blocker. He is a leader. The fact that he suited up for the playoffs and risked injury tells you all you need to know about his heart.

The Case Against the Steelers Resigning JuJu Smith-Schuster

JuJu Smith-Schuster’s story is a compelling one, but the Steelers can’t let sentimentally cloud their judgement. Alongside Antonio Brown, JuJu was lethal. Without him, he’s been good but not great. Second contracts for wide receivers clock in at about 12 million per year or more, often with 8 figures of guarantees.

JuJu Smith-Schuster quite simply hasn’t proven he’s worth that kind of investment.

Curtain’s Call on the Steelers and JuJu Smith-Schuster

A year ago, JuJu pleaded to stay in Pittsburgh. That seemed impossible. But when Smith-Schuster only got one year deals, he opted to stay with the Steelers via a home town discount and voidable years.

This year the Steelers have the cap space to consider resigning him, yet JuJu Smith-Schuster doesn’t appear interested, based on his comments about Heinz Field’s locker rooms and some social media posts. But does that mean JuJu’s as good as gone?

  • Much of this will depend on the market.

A year ago, JuJu thought he’d have more interest in his services yet got few takers. Perhaps that will happen again given how injury ravaged his 2021 season.

Realistically, that seems to be the only way he returns as a Steeler in 2022.

Follow Steelers free agency. Visit our Steelers 2022 Free Agent tracker or click here for all Steelers 2022 free agent focus articles.

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A 4 Point Roadmap Steelers Should Follow to Return to The Super Bowl

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Super Bowl LVI is today. And again, the Pittsburgh Steelers will watch from home. Worse, the franchise hasn’t been farther away from a Super Bowl since their God-awful 1999 season.

  • This reality is generating untold angst within Steelers Nation.

Social media is full of solutions for returning the Steelers the Big Dance. First, there are the “Make Buddy Parker Proud” plans that involve trading a pirate’s ransom of draft picks to get Aaron Rodgers or Russell Wilson.

On the flip side, there are demands to trade T.J. Watt, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Cam Heyward because, “We’re never going to contend during their careers, so why not?” In between, you see calls for sticking with Mason Rudolph and/or Dwayne Haskins — but not to explore their potential — but because they’re Pittsburgh’s best shot at a top 5 draft pick.

No, nothing is easy, is it? Now you understand why Art Rooney II, Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin agreed to take a final, longest of long shots with Ben Roethlisberger.

If the Steelers road to Lombardi Number 7 certainly isn’t easy, the map they need to follow isn’t complicated because it involves focusing on the fundamentals that got the franchise their first 6 Super Bowls. Here is a four point roadmap.

Dan Rooney, Dan Rooney legacy, Dan Rooney Lombardi Trophies, Dan Rooney obituary

Dan Rooney sitting in front of the Steelers first 5 Lombardi Trophies. Photo Credit: Steelers.com

1. Embrace the Suck

Jim Wexell quoted Tammy Duckworth’s “Embrace the suck” mantra following Martavis Bryant’s second substance abuse suspension. Duckworth of course lost both her legs in Iraq rebounded to become a US Senator.

In this context, the Steelers “Embracing the suck” means accepting that they are neither a quarterback nor a handful of key players away from contending again. A big part of this site’s Steelers 2021 season review hinged on who the Steelers thought they had after the 2021 NFL Draft and who actually made (or stayed) on the field in the early fall.

  • That perspective was useful for reviewing 2021, but is irrelevant for 2022.

Take Tyson Alualu. The Steelers run defense certainly would have been better with Alualu. Alualu can probably help in 2022. But Alualu will be 35 and has only played in 17 of a potential 33 games over the last two seasons. He’s not a long-term answer. The Steelers need long term answers.

Fans can fantasize all they want, but it is important that Rooney, Tomlin, Colbert and his successor are honest with each other and with the men in the mirror about where this team stands.

2. Prioritize Winning Big Over Winning Fast

After Dan Rooney hired Chuck Noll in 1969, Chuck Noll told him that he could win quickly by beefing up the roster with a few trades. But Noll and Rooney agreed on winning big instead of winning fast.

  • In this light, the idea of trading away 3 or 4 premium draft picks for a blue chip quarterback is pure folly.
Pat Freiermuth, Najee Harris, Steelers vs Bears

Pat Freiermuth and Najee Harris celebrate in the end zone. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

Fortunately, the Steelers are in a much better place today than in 1969. In Watt, Fitzpatrick, Heyward, Najee Harris, Pat Freiermuth, Dan Moore and a few others the Steelers have foundational players.

  • But they need to find more foundational pieces, and they need to take them where they can find them.

Outside of perhaps safety and running back, there’s not a spot on the Steelers depth chart that should be off of the board on Days 1 and 2 of the 2022 NFL Draft. As Steel City Insider’s Jim Wexell has argued repeatedly, good things happen when your best player is your hardest worker (and if possible) is the biggest guy in your locker room.

If ever there was a year for the Steelers to deprioritize need in favor of talent in the draft, it is 2022. That could leave some painful holes in the 2022 roster but will deliver long-term dividends.

3. Don’t Try to Force Finding a Franchise Quarterback

Finding a franchise quarterback requires 3 things:

1. Luck
2. Patience
3. Instincts

The importance of luck should be obvious, but it’s not. To understand luck’s role, think of how the Steelers found their first franchise quarterback. Despite drafting Joe Greene, Jon Kolb and L.C. Greenwood in the 1969 NFL Draft, Chuck Noll went 1-13 that season.

The Steelers tied the Bears for the worst record, and they tossed a coin for the first pick in the 1970 NFL Draft.

  • Pittsburgh won the toss and drafted Terry Bradshaw. The rest is history.

Patience is just as critical as luck. The Steelers whiffed in 1983, drafting Gabe Rivera instead of Dan Marino. Fans and press pundits panned the team for trying to get by with Mark Malone, David Woodley and Bubby Brister – didn’t Rooney and Noll know how important the quarterback position was?

They did.

And they also knew that franchise quarterbacks few and far between. Outside of Steve Young in the 1984 Supplemental draft and Brett Favre in the 1991 NFL Draft the Steelers didn’t have a shot at a true franchise quarterback until they passed on Drew Brees in 2001. (Ok, they should have taken Tom Brady instead of Tee Martin in 2000. 29 other NFL teams should have too.)

Bill Cowher, Kevin Colbert

Bill Cowher sits beside Kevin Colbert. Photo Credit: The Toledo Blade

Reaching for a quarterback and missing is more costly than it is at any other position. Just ask the people who picked Andre Ware, Cabe McNown and JaMarcus Russell. That’s why Bill Cowher and Kevin Colbert were wise to resist any temptation to draft Chad Pennington in 2000.

  • The Steelers must exercise the same prudence today.

And that’s where instincts come in. Dan Rooney lived through the mistake of passing on Marino and ensured that history didn’t repeat. So if and when the Steelers brain trust really does think they’ve found a franchise quarterback, they must take him.

4. Strive to Be Great, But Build to Win with Good

I took a lot of grief in high school, college and later sports bars defending Bubby, Neil O’Donnell and Kordell Stewart. After all, the Steelers continued to make playoff runs while teams like the Bengals wasted first round picks on busts like David Klingler and Akili Smith.

  • And besides, you didn’t need a great quarterback to win a Super Bowl, you only needed a good one.

Then I saw Ben Roethlisberger go 9 of 12 while throwing laser like touchdown strikes to Antwaan Randle El and Heath Miller to open the 2005 AFC Divisional win over the Colts. That’s when I understood why teams threw first round picks at quarterbacks. Neither Bubby, nor Neil nor Kordell could have done what Roethlisberger did that day.

  • The game has changed a lot since 2005 and much more since the 1990s.

Today conventional wisdom holds: You can’t win with a “Good” quarterback anymore, you can only win with a Great one. If you look at the names of Super Bowl winning quarterbacks in the 21st century, it is hard to argue against that.

Hard, but not impossible.

There’s no doubt that without a franchise quarterback, a team must be virtually error-free in the draft, have depth everywhere, and reach the playoffs in excellent health. But non-franchise quarterback do lead their teams to Super Bowls.

Nick Foles did it in 2017. In 2015 the Denver Broncos won a Super Bowl with excellent defense, a strong running game and a Peyton Manning who was a glorified game manager at that point in his career. Many would put the Joe Flacco-led Ravens Super Bowl in 2012 into that same boat.

Ben Roethlisberger, Jerome Bettis, Hines Ward

Ben Roethlisberger, Jerome Bettis, Hines Ward. Photo Credit: Michael J. LeBrecht II, 1Deuce3 Photography via SI.com

The Steelers of course tried to win a Super Bowl with a good quarterback in the 1990’s and the early ‘00’s, only to come up short with losses in Super Bowl XXX and 3 AFC Championship games.

But because they were built to win with good while seeking to be great, when luck, patience and instinct combined to start the Ben Roethlisberger Era in 2004 the Steelers as an organization were ready. And 3 Super Bowl appearances and victories in Super Bowl XL and Super Bowl XLIII followed in the next 7 years.

Today, Art Rooney II and Mike Tomlin must follow the same formula.

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Already Think Steelers Coaches Are Dumb? Well, They’re About to Get Dumber…

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The juxtaposition of most Steelers fans and their opinions on the team following a 42-21 loss to the Chiefs in a Wild Card game at Arrowhead Stadium last Sunday night was fascinating.

On one hand, the fans quickly made peace with the fact that Pittsburgh simply didn’t have the stars, the horses, to keep up with the two-time defending AFC Champions.

On the other hand, they pointed to poor coaching and quickly put together a wish list of those they felt should be held accountable. (And “held accountable” has always been code for “fired.”)

Steelers 2020 Assistant coaches, Mike Tomlin, Karl Dunbar, Jerry Olsavsky, Keith Butler

Mike Tomin stands between Karl Dunbar and Jerry Olsavsky during 2020. Photo Credit: Patrick Smith, Getty Images via BTSC

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin is always at the top of that wish list; he’s always on the hot seat with the fans even if the organization itself appears to have no such furniture. Most fans know this on some level, which is why offensive coordinator Matt Canada and defensive coordinator Keith Butler are the sacrificial lambs they want to see up on the alter after last Sunday’s pathetic performance against a team that, to reiterate, was clearly better.

  • Let’s talk about Keith Butler.

It wasn’t long ago that the rumors began to circulate that he wasn’t even designing and calling the defenses any longer, that Tomlin had taken most of those responsibilities away from him. (Never mind that Butler could be seen holding a play sheet and, well calling plays during the heat of games.) I actually think a lot of people forgot about that rumor the previous two seasons when the defense performed at such a level that it could accurately be described as elite.

I suppose it makes sense that people would forget. After all, when something is working quite well, we don’t seem to care all that much about the behind-the-scenes stuff, about how the sausage is made. All we care about is that things are working.

With T.J. Watt, Bud Dupree, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Joe Haden, Cam Heyward, Stephon Tuitt, Tyson Alualu and a few other notables, the Steelers defense purred in 2019 and 2020. Unfortunately for Butler, Dupree left as a free agent last offseason. Mike Hilton, a top slot corner in the league for many years, also departed. Alualu departed as a free agent last March, quickly had a change of heart and came back before suffering a season-ending injury in Week 2 of the 2021 campaign.

  • As for Tuitt, he never played a down in 2021.

The speculation never waned as to why–was it the death of his brother or an injury?–but the bottom line was he wasn’t around. Devin Bush struggled coming back from a torn ACL the season before. Joe Schobert, a veteran inside linebacker who seemed to be a genius addition by general manager Kevin Colbert during the preseason, never quite lived up to the euphoria many felt when the trade was made in August.

Heck, even Watt, for as disruptive and destructive as he was in many games while tallying 22.5 sacks, that’s how quiet and ineffective he was while missing three games and parts of a few others with injuries.

  • The Steelers defense was not elite in 2021; it finished 24th in total yards allowed–including dead-last against the run.
Randy Fichtner, Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers vs 49ers

Randy Fichtner & Ben Roethlisberger prior to Steelers 2015 game vs 49ers. Photo Credit: AP Gene J.Puskar, via Yahoo.

Let’s move on to Canada. What a crappy offense that was in 2021, right? 23rd, overall, in total yards. It only scored 20.2 points per game. It sure seemed like Canada’s promotion, following the dismissal of Randy Fichtner, was a flop.

Was it a flop, or was quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s floppy arm the real culprit? Perhaps it was that young and inexperienced and/or incapable offensive line.

I guess we’ll never know. All we do know is that Canada is the one who people want to see go–and not the washed-up 39-year old quarterback, who may or may not have been willing to buy into a new offensive philosophy. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not throwing shade at Roethlisberger. I love the guy, but he wasn’t the same player in 2021 that he was in his prime. Even if he was, his strengths didn’t seem to align with Canada’s offensive philosophy.

Also, let’s not forget who was a part of the Steelers offense in 2021, and it certainly didn’t include Antonio Brown, David DeCastro, Le’Veon Bell, Martavis Bryant or Maurkice Pouncey. In other words, the offense was a shell of its former self and actually has been since Brown burned every bridge out of town following the 2018 season.

Isn’t it funny how effective Randy Fichtner was as a coordinator in 2018 when Brown was still here and Roethlisberger was leading the league in passing yards? Fast-forward to 2019. Brown was gone and Roethlisberger missed most of the year. Suddenly, Fichtner was an idiot without a “plan.”

  • No, he was just an offensive coordinator without his two best offensive weapons.

Last season, the offense started strong before everyone figured its secret: Big Ben really didn’t have it anymore following reconstructive elbow surgery, and even if he still did have “it,” that once-great offensive line certainly did not.

  • Crowd the line of scrimmage and force Roethlisberger to beat you deep — he rarely could.

My point with all of this is this: Players make the coaches, and no matter how many times you say things like, “You have to adapt your game-plan to fit the strengths of your players,” it’s not going to matter if your players have few strengths.

Will Canada get fired? Maybe. Maybe not. Even if he does, will it matter in 2022 if Mason Rudolph, Dwayne Haskins or (insert some rookie or veteran quarterback here) is horrible? Probably not.

Back to Butler. Now that he’s actually retired, will it even matter? Especially since Tomlin has been the one calling the shots on defense for years? Even if you want to place all the blame on Tomlin, can he ever devise a game-plan to make up for a reduction in star power? Even if the Rooneys insist that Tomlin hire a credible defensive coordinator and give him full autonomy, can he design a defense to make up for a lack of players like Stephon Tuitt and Bud Dupree?

I think you know the answers to these questions, which is why I liked you better when you admitted that the Chiefs were just a superior football team last Sunday night.

Epilogue – The Immortal Words of Dick LeBeau

In closing perhaps its best to remember the immortal words of Steelers legend Dick LeBeau. The scene was St. Vincents Latrobe and the time was the 1990’s and LeBeau was a coach on Bill Cowher staff. Carnell Lake had just reached an agreement to extend his contract and report to camp. When reporters asked Lebeau how the news made him feel, he quipped:

“I just became a better coach.” 

Remember those words for next season, as we discover whether Devin Bush’s 2021 struggles are due to lingering effects of his ACL injury or him just being a mammoth bust. If Bush’s back, Teryl Austin or whomever Mike Tomlin chooses as defensive coordinator has a chance to be pretty smart. Otherwise, he might end up being even dumber than Butler….

 

 

 

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