A lot has been said about how the Pittsburgh Steelers attacked the 2023 offseason. Former CB Ike Taylor called this offseason the most aggressive one he has ever seen. There’s no doubt that general manager Omar Khan has tried to address the issues the Steelers have roster-wise. The real question is whether it will pay off starting with a return to the playoffs in 2023.
For NFL Network analyst and former NFL fullback Michael Robinson, the answer is a yes but with a caveat. He appeared on Monday’s edition of NFL Total Access and was asked about his thoughts on the Steelers’ offseason and whether it was enough to get the team back to the postseason.
“I do think they added enough talent,” Robinson said. “I do think it will depend on Matt Canada and this offense. This offense needs more space, it needs more speed, right?”
If you want an offense that can carry a team in today’s NFL, that offense has to be able to pick up chunks of yards when it counts. It doesn’t mean that every play needs to be 20-plus yards, but an offense that can pick up that many yards can erase mistakes, flip bad field position, and help in close games.
In 2022, the Steelers had 44 passing plays that picked up 20 or more yards, tied for ninth-least in the league. When you bump the number up to 40 or more yards, the Steelers had three such plays, tied for worst in the league.
When it came to the run game, the Steelers had eight runs that covered at least 20 yards, tied for eighth-least in the league. The offense did not register a single run of 40 or more yards, tied for worst in the league.
That is a total of 52 plays in the entire season that covered at least 20 yards and only three plays that went for 40 or more yards. What Robinson means about creating space and injecting speed is allowing players to create more big plays. That explosive play creation has to come from more than wide receiver George Pickens. He had 17 of those 44 big 20+ yard passing plays and one of the three 40+ passing yard plays himself.
One such player that could help improve the explosive plays through the air is Calvin Austin III, and Robinson brought him up due to his speed.
“There was a wide receiver last year that was hurt, Calvin Austin III,” Robinson said. “A speedster out of Memphis. But what I’m hearing, all the buzz out of OTAs with the Pittsburgh Steelers is saying that this guy is making some plays. And with that speed, it will create some space in this offense.”
One player alone cannot make the difference with explosive plays. The offensive line has to protect second-year QB Kenny Pickett as well as improve the run game. That’s why Khan brought in guard Isaac Seumalo and offensive tackle Broderick Jones among others. Pickett has to continue to improve, and the offensive play calling has to put these players in the best situation to succeed.
If that happens, Robinson believes that the Steelers should be back in the playoffs in 2023.
