Many people seem to be concerned about the Pittsburgh Steelers lack of a true identity on offense as they exit their offseason practices. Those same people view that lack of an identity as weakness as they don’t believe an offense can be whatever they need to be based on the defense or weather elements that they face.
Third-year right guard David DeCastro seems to be a very honest and forthcoming when he decides to talk to the media and in a recent interview with the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, he was asked to describe the offensive identity in just one or two words. His response wasn’t very surprising.
“I think we’re pretty versatile,” said DeCastro. “I think that’s a good word for it. I think we’ve got a solid line up front, solid running backs, receivers and obviously a great quarterback. I think that we can be very balanced and very effective at what we need to do to win a game and that’s important.”
While some might have the fear that a versatile offense means being a jack of all trades and master of none of them, DeCastro’s not one of them.
“No, I don’t thinks so,” said the Stanford product. “I think whatever it takes to win a game is what we’re going to be. I think in the NFL you have to be balanced, be able to do many things. Whatever it takes or whatever the scenario is. So whatever that team is giving you, you have to react to it and put yourself in the best position to win. And I think we’re able to do that with guys and the personnel that we have.”
So what about having more of a run identity on offense in 2014? Offensive linemen love that, right? DeCastro spoke about that topic as well.
“Every offensive lineman wants to pound the football and run it, but that’s no realistic in this day and age in the league,” said DeCastro. “With the receivers and the quarterback that we have, you know we’d love to be up in games and just hand the ball off to [Le’Veon] Bell and [LeGarrette] Bount and call it day, but we have to score some points first and then be able to do that. And you never know what’s going to happen in a game.”
In order to be a versatile offense in 2014, the Steelers need a talented offensive line that’s both athletic and physical so that they can quickly switch gears. DeCastro believes the unit they currently have in place has that ability.
“Yeah, we definitely do,” said DeCastro. “I think we have a really cohesive, great line. We just, like always, need to stay healthy and that’s the key.”
