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!
Steelers22: Assuming the Steelers don’t retain Canada in the off-season, what sort of offensive scheme do you think Pickett would work best in?
Alex: I think he can work in a similar scheme and system as he’s in right now. I don’t think the overall idea is bad for him. The plays themselves aren’t necessarily bad. It’s more of the limited menu, the lack of constraint plays, and the poor sequencing. And of course, some serious execution issues by Pickett and the rest of the unit. But I don’t think he needs a radically different system to succeed.
Kenny F’n Powers:
Do you see JPJ and King being 2 of the 3 CB’s getting most of the playing time in the 2nd half of the season?
JPJ should be automatic but it seems Austin is still holding him back. With Kings ability to play Slot or Outside should give him more time. It can’t be worse then PP, Levi, and Sullivan have been.
Alex: I don’t. Porter should see a bunch of time, sure. But I wouldn’t say that about King. He’s likely more ticketed for the slot than anything so he won’t get full-time outside snaps. And he’s only played literally one defensive snap since being signed. I’m not sure they’re looking to give him a full-time role. I would expect Peterson and Wallace to still play a lot, even if Porter’s role grows.
Chad Prince: AK,
I’d like to see the Steelers run Freiermuth out of the slot. You could leave Washington inside to do the dirty work. It’d be like running 12 personnel out of a three wide set. Why isn’t Freiermuth flexed out more? Seems to fit his skill set better.
Alex: I’m with you. They showed a lot of it in camp. I don’t have a good explanation as to why it went away. But it seems to be a best of all-worlds. Freiermuth doesn’t have to be attached and block with Washington serving that role. I’d have to run some of the numbers on his slot usage but I wouldn’t be opposed to seeing more of it out of the break.
Brian Tollini: Looking broadly at the Steeler passing game thru 5 games it is a ton of short passes mixed in with a handful of explosive plays. The explosive plays are great, but where are the intermediate routes? Are receivers not getting open, KP opting to not throw them, or are the routes few and far between?
Alex: Well Austin has played more on the outside and Robinson is a shorter route runner so that might be a reason. And no Freiermuth against Baltimore and he really hasn’t been involved much in the pass game. I will say George Pickens has been used over the middle a lot more this year. Hit the 71-yard touchdown to that area of the field. So that’s good.
aidan mccoy:
In the second half of last season we saw the run game develop and become more successful as the season progressed. It seemed like it was largely due to the O line playing better and gaining chemistry, as well as dedication to the run game. This allowed the offense as a whole to operate better. I think one our biggest issues currently is the run game is so inconsistent.
Do you see a similar thing happening after the bye with the run game? And are the current struggles execution or scheming?
Alex: I guess we’ll see. Last year they had more continuity. This year, they’ve had more injuries. I don’t know why they’re struggling so much. The issues are part execution and part scheme. Let’s hope for similar improvement but I don’t want to assume it’ll happen again.
HardPunkKore: Alex, yet another OC question. John Gruden’s name has been thrown out there as the next possible OC. Tomlin does have a connection with him as he served on Gruden’s Tampa staff. Thoughts?
Alex: It’s just idle speculation. I don’t see it happening. Too much baggage going on there. Tomlin understands that.
Chuck Anderson: Any guesses as to the likelihood of an in-season trade, as either a buyer or seller?
Alex: Neither, probably.
Pghomer: Any comments on some of the new additions and how you feel they’ve performed:
Keanu Neal, Kwon Alexander…is Cole Holcomb a keeper?
Alex: Overall, they’ve hung in there. Physical, play with an edge, can stop the run. Holcomb should make it through at least the first two years of his deal. We’ll see about the third. But ILB group overall better than a year ago, that much is obvious. More impact, more splash.
