Welcome to your weekly Pittsburgh Steelers mailbag. As always, we’re here for the next hour to answer whatever is on your mind.
To your questions!
BananasFoster:
Question for ya- with the great draft and the above average FA signings, you cant say this team lacks talent. If they disappoint this year (miss playoffs), do you think AR2 asks OK and AW in private- “Think I should move on from MT, think we need a younger offensive-minded HC?”
Also let’s say the offense is stagnant to the bye, could MC be shown the door during the season?
Alex: Nah, I don’t think that’s something he even thinks about, much less discusses in conversation with anyone else. I don’t think Rooney swings in the wind like that, following the crowd. He’s sticking by Mike Tomlin. Tomlin will stop being the Steelers’ head coach whenever he chooses to. Just like Chuck Noll. Just like Bill Cowher.
Could Canada be fired mid-season? It’s possible. The early bye probably makes it a little less realistic. But the odds are still well below 50% just given the fact it’s not something Pittsburgh really ever does.
Fasterwilly:
Hey Alex,
Are you more confident in Canada now then you were at the end of the season? Can an OC improve? It will feel like a somewhat wasted season if we end the year looking forward to a new OC if the offense was lackluster again.
Alex: Not really. I’m not saying it’s going to be miserable again but I all care about are results. Not confidence. No excuses for him. Like I wrote right after it was confirmed Canada would return, it’s time for him to land the plane. Put up or shut up and be shown the door. That’s how this season should go.
David Levesque:
Hey Alex,
How does Nick Herbig game and style compare to that of Josh Uche coming our, who I believe you were high on? Can Nick herbig win the same way as uche did as he develops his game?
Thanks,
David
Alex: Hey David! It’s been awhile since I’ve thought about Uche. They’re somewhat similar. Undersized, high-energy, good athletes. Uche I think had better burst and better bend around the corner, though Herbig isn’t deficient in those areas. I did like Uche. I can’t remember if that was more Pittsburgh or more just general NFL. Uche was a lot longer though, 33 5/8 inch arms. And that’ my hangup with Herbig.
If Herbig wants to model his game after anyone in the NFL, it’s Kyle Van Noy. That’s the best comparison I can give to Herbig.
WeWantDaTruth: Hey Alex. Is Kwon Alexander still a potential LB for the Steelers? If so, would he be a starter or role player?
Alex: He’s still a free agent. Usually when these guys come and leave, it’s a contract issue. I’d think he would sign to start, he’s not really ever been a ST’er like he’d be as a #3 but it would partially depend on the amount in the deal.
NewUserName:
Hi Alex,
With the Steelers enjoying a rare embarrassment of riches in talent across the board, who do you see as possible (way-too-early) IR “stash” candidates to keep some of these extra guys at loaded positions?
Thanks.
Alex: “Stashing” isn’t really a thing anymore, if it ever was in the first place. Most of those even potential guys are on split salary deals, meaning they’ll lose half their contract for the time they’re on IR. And try to fake or exaggerate an injury as a team to gain a competitive advantage and you might find yourself in hot water. So it’s not something I see in this day and age.
But I will say positions that looked loaded right now can become thin after just a couple of injuries. As Dave Bryan says, these things have a funny way of working themselves out. Wide receiver had a ton of names last year and then Calvin Austin’s foot injury made the decision less difficult.
Danny Lebeau: Alex – given the Jimmy G sitation in Las Vegas, any chance of Pittsburgh looking at a trade of Rudolph? Thanks!
Alex: Nah, Rudolph just got here. Maybe something could happen in the later summer but I doubt it. Rudolph was a free agent for months and got little to no interest. There clearly wasn’t a market for him then. An injury in camp could change things but I’ll bet he stays a Steeler.
Kevin Good: Hi Alex.
I’ve been enjoying all of the coverage SD has been doing. Top shelf buddy!!
So here’s my thought. I remember the Steelers several times in the past coming out of losing records from the year before, turn to their running game to dominate games. Eat the clock. Don’t give the opponents the ball.
This seemed very similar. Even though it wasn’t a losing record, the first half of the season was terrible.
They’ve added a few key players to upgrade some positions. I can see Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren being the recreation of say Barry Foster and Bam Morris from ‘94. Ground and pound. Two big, strong RBs.
That would be a great way to cool off all these hot shot QBs the Steelers will be facing.
What have you seen or heard towards this??
Alex: Thanks Kevin! Sorry for the delay in replying.
Sure, I think you’re on the money. That’s Pittsburgh’s intention. They want to run the ball, stay on schedule, win third down, and keep the opposing offense off the field. Patrick Mahomes can’t hurt if you if he’s on the sideline. That’s how Pittsburgh turned their season around and went 7-2 after the bye. No team ran the ball as much as they did. It’s how they went from one of the NFL’s worst third down offenses to the league’s best before/after the bye. And they did score more per game. 12.5 per game before the bye, 20.9 after it.
The whole offseason has been built around that idea. So I think that’s what they aim to do. Having Warren as a #2 back also goes a long way in keeping Harris fresh and not putting all your eggs in one running back basket so if he gets hurt, you’re not completely screwed.
