Ask Alex: Steelers Mailbag

Welcome back to your weekly Pittsburgh Steelers mailbag. As always, we’re here to answer whatever is on your mind for the next hour. Quick heads up I have to step away at 3 PM/EST for roughly 15-20 minutes so I won’t be able to answer questions during that time. But everything asked within the 2:30 to 3:30 window will get a response.

To your questions!

David Levesque:

Hello Alex,

One might ask, how is Desmond King going to be a contributor to this defense if he can’t even make the Texans 53… What is your response to someone who says that?

Thanks!

Alex: As Mike Tomlin says, they don’t care where you come from. There’s a ton of examples of that before. James Harrison couldn’t make the roster until he did. Mike Hilton was in Jacksonville until Pittsburgh picked him up. We could go through a list of names. Players get released for a bunch of reasons and I’m just focused on how King can help now, no matter what happened before.

Chuck Anderson: Hey Alex, curious for your thoughts on Desmond King. In addition to the obvious slot role, any chance he’s a better emergency boundary guy than Pierre – and I guess by enough to plug in Riley or Sullivan at slot? Is his man coverage good enough for that, or is he a lot stronger in zone?

Alex: I like the signing. Versatile, physical, may get to do more blitzing and some of the nickel/run down stuff than what Houston allowed. I don’t think he’s a great outside guy and he doesn’t seem to be the special teamer Pierre is. So we’ll see how he gets used. But good depth and versatility, I’m good with that.

It sounded like he considered himself a better zone corner than man coming out of Iowa. That was the system he was in. And he’s probably better inside than on the outside.

hdogg48: 

Hi Alex,

What way do you envision as the best way for
Coach T, Matt Canada, and Kenny Pickett
to scheme up to attack the Niners D with
or without Nick Bosa?

Alex: I hadn’t spent a lot of energy thinking about Bosa and the 49ers yet. I assume Bosa will be there but you wonder about snap count at this point. They’re getting pretty short on time. But I’ll have to go through and watch them. It’s a tough front, obviously. Bosa, Hargrave, Warner in the middle.

In a Week One, I think you really focus on yourself. Not a lot of tape on the opponent, never know what they’re hiding and what new they have planned for the season. And they have some coaching changes too, losing Demeco Ryans, so there could be a slightly different personality. So you play your game, focus on your strengths, and maybe adjust a bit more in-game.

Micah Walker: 

Kind of feels like we haven’t seen K.Neal that much. What are your thoughts about
the safety position outside of Minkah this year.

Alex: They’ll miss that steadiness and always-ready feel Terrell Edmunds gave. He was fine opposite of Minkah. But they’ll rotate. Neal on more run downs and base defense, Kazee in nickel/passing situations. Some big nickel getting all three on the field. I’d prefer to just have one guy but Neal is a niche player who does that niche role (box safety) fine enough and Kazee has been a good find. So I think they’ll be ok, so long as they all can communicate and don’t have breakdowns.

J Jones: Is it weird that this team reminds of those old NYG teams? Simms, Bavaro, Otis Anderson and Joe Morris in the backfield…killer defense. Thats what I see when I look at this team

Alex: You probably remember them a little better than I do. Obviously that pass rush was insane and Lawrence Taylor was the scariest dude in the league. I don’t know if Pittsburgh has that guy but it’s a different era, of course. Really, it just reminds me of the 2005 Steelers. Young QB coming off a lot of playing time his rookie year, a good o-line, strong run game, blocking tight ends, really stout defense. The skill guys in Pittsburgh are more explosive but that’s where I draw the parallels.

Scorpio: 

Hey Alex, and Go Steelers!

– why do they trust Gunner?

Steelers going to the Super Bowl!!

Alex: He’s versatile. He can offer a little of a lot. Slot, kick return, punt return, hard-nosed guy who did have a good summer. So it came down to really him and Gentry and Olszewski offered more.

And I look at it as: Miles Boykin is a WR but he’s really a special teamer. The way Miles Killebrew is a safety but a specialist. So if you didn’t keep Gunner, you really only have four WRs and you feel a little short there. So I understand the rationale.

Peter Rauch: 

Hi Alex,

Should Broderick Jones be a weekly inactive until he takes the reigns as a starter? I know he is the first round pick, but he brings the least positional flexibility out of the 4 reserve lineman, so he is not much help getting the Steelers out of a game without further adjustments to the line midgame, which the Steelers are generally averse to. What do you think?

Alex: I sorta kinda kicked around the idea awhile back but I don’t think he will be. Eight will be active and they have enough backups and ways to handle injury. And if Moore goes down, there’s not a good option at backup LT. They’re not going to play Dylan Cook (who you guys know I like) over Jones. Anderson didn’t take any preseason snaps at LT and Herbig obviously can’t do it. Okorafor hasn’t been at LT for years.

Maybe Jones works in some 13 personnel/goal line situations as a tackle-eligible to increase his value a tiny bit. I could see that in very select situations. Understand your point but I’m fine with Jones dressing.

Sean Lowe: 

Overall I’m extremely happy with our depth everywhere but outside corner depth concerns me. Pierre isn’t reliable and we have 3 slot corners with King?

Which of the 3 slot corners are best suited to be depth for the outside. King, Riley or Sullivan?

Alex: King is probably the best option. Riley played outside CB at West Point but hasn’t in the NFL. And Sullivan is a slot guy. King played a fair amount on the outside last year. But Pierre, for now, at least, is here too as the team goes heavy and is keeping seven corners.