Welcome back to your Pittsburgh Steelers’ mailbag. As always, we’re here for the next hour to answer whatever is on your mind.
To your questions!
WeWantDaTruth: Hi Alex. Looks like Leal will be back soon. Who is the odd man out on the DL? How has Wormley and Lowdermilk performed this year?
Alex: I’d lean Loudermilk but it’s still going to be a few weeks on Leal. So we’ll see what the health of the group looks like. Loudermilk hasn’t played much so I don’t have a lot to note. Wormley’s been fine. No surprise to see his pressure/sack numbers drop off, given his reduction in role and a bit of good luck that played in his favor last season. But he’s an underrated technician with great hand use and plays assignment sound. Good role player.
Yeshaya: Hi Alex. I’ve seen some teams add pass & run game coordinators. Do you think that would be useful for the Steelers, or is that just adding layers of unnecessary complexity?
Alex: I can’t speak to exactly how it works now but in the past, the team’s o-line coach has been the run-game coordinator. Now could they add someone whose sole title is that? I suppose. It’s really about the people than it is the titles. But I’m fine with the o-line coach doing it because he knows that group so well. So I don’t have a problem with how the team seems to be approaching things.
St36: Hey Alex!
Thank you for the great work you all do! I know Omar Kahan is the GM but I’m really excited to see what Weidl does in the drafts. What kind of changes are you guessing we will see? I’m hoping to see more trades back to gain more picks. Alot of articles describe weidl as being bold and aggressive when he has a player he likes….think that applies to free agency and that we might make more spalshes there?
Alex: Thanks man! Yeah, we’ll probably see more trades if only because Colbert was pretty conservative. Especially trading down. He rarely did it. Sometimes he’s go up to get a guy but almost never traded down. Will that happen in 2023? It just depends on the offers, the value, what’s on the board. Answers none of us have, including the Steelers.
This team will have money so yeah, I expect a free agency probably similar to this past one. This is the first time Khan and Weidl really get to shape the roster, they weren’t hired until late May last year, so I expect a lot of changes. Especially for a team who won’t be coming off a great season.
Bill Sechrengost: Hi Alex. i was wondering now that Pickett is starting and will be for the future, how do you see the QB situation shaking out in the offseason? I would think that Trubisky would be cut or traded since he is scheduled to make $8,000,000 next year and i know that Rudolph is a free agent. Do you think Rudolph would be willing to come back and be the backup QB here or do you think they look at free agency?
Alex: I don’t see Trubisky or Rudolph being a Steeler next year. Rudolph probably doesn’t love the way he’s been treated in his career, by the team or the fans. He’s probably itching to get out and delete every coaches number. Go to a team who wants him. I’m not mad at the Steelers for not wanting him to be a starter, that’s the right call, but Rudolph has to feel pretty pissed to go from #2 behind Ben all those years to him finally retiring and then somehow moving further away from the starting job.
Trubisky at that salary to be the backup, I don’t see it. Sure he isn’t happy either about getting yanked so early in the year when it wasn’t all his fault Maybe they could trade him but I really doubt it. Value for that cost doesn’t work. So he’s probably released. And then the team will have to find another vet and add a #3 QB as an UDFA or something. Probably him and a futures contract compete for that third spot next summer.
