Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Steven Sims talked to the media about his rapport with the quarterbacks following the team’s 19-9 win over the Detroit Lions in their preseason finale, via the team’s website.
“I got a good rapport with all the quarterbacks, actually. Mason was texting me this morning before the game, giving me a couple pointers on just some signals and calls and stuff like that. So I think that’s helped a lot, you know, they trust me,” Sims said. “They feel comfortable coming to me when it’s man-on-man. So I think that’s a good thing.”
Sims played well against Detroit, hauling in four catches for 23 yards and a touchdown. He has an uphill battle to make the roster though, just because Pittsburgh has a ton of depth currently at the wide receiver spot. Miles Boykin and Gunner Olszewski both provide more special teams value than Sims, which would make his potential roster spot come down to whether or not Calvin Austin III misses time at the start of the year.
I like hearing that Mason Rudolph was texting him to go over things and giving him some pointers. While Rudolph has been relegated to QB3, he clearly hasn’t let that take away from his preparation and leadership. If the team does trade Rudolph, I’ll be happy for him because it means he’ll have an opportunity to be a QB2 elsewhere. If they keep him, I think his leadership and mentorship could be incredibly valuable for not only Kenny Pickett, but other members of the offense as well.
Sims is a good player, and he showed today he can step up when he’s called upon. Coupled with his 38-yard run in the preseason opener against Seattle, he’s had multiple games where he’s been able to stand out on offense. Still, the team is going to likely run the risk of losing him because they value what other guys bring to the table a little bit more. If Sims gets cut and doesn’t latch on with another team, expect Pittsburgh to circle back and try to add him to their practice squad.
I wouldn’t be surprised if there ended up being some demand for Sims’ service from another team if he does get cut by the Steelers. He has NFL experience, with 61 catches for 575 yards in two years with Washington, and he can return in a pinch. He split return reps with Olszewski during the preseason, and a returner-needy team could look to Sims as a potential option early in the season. He’s definitely played well enough to earn him a spot on somebody’s roster, but I would be a little bit surprised if it ended up being with Pittsburgh, unless Austin III does miss time.
