The Steelers are now back at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex, facing down a long regular season that looks a lot more promising given how things have gone leading up to it. Finishing just above .500 last year, they anticipate being able to compete with any team in the league this season with second-year QB Kenny Pickett leading the way.
They’ve done a great deal to address what they identified as their shortcomings during the offseason, which included addressing the offensive and defensive lines as well as the secondary and the inside linebacker room, which is nearly entirely different from last year. The results have been positive so far.
Even well into the regular season and beyond, there are going to be plenty of questions that need answered. When will the core rookies get to play, or even start? Is the depth sufficient where they upgraded? Can they stand toe-to-toe with the Bengals and the other top teams in the league? We’ll try to frame the conversation in relevant ways as long as you stick with us throughout the season, as we have for many years.
Question: What happens to Eric Rowe as the safeties get healthy?
The health of the heart of the defense has been suspect all season. Both of their starting safeties, both starting inside linebackers, and their initial starting nose tackle all missed a good handful of games, though not all at the same time.
While they’ve had to make do with alternative options at inside linebacker as a result of season-ending injuries, they are getting Minkah Fitzpatrick and Damontae Kazee back at safety. That raises the question of what to do with those who have replaced him.
One way or another, Patrick Peterson will be out there. He has been a starting cornerback for most of the year, but slid over to safety as the need arose. Wherever he lines up, there will be a spot for him; he’s certainly not going to be on the bench.
But what about Eric Rowe? The veteran safety has started the past three games, though he has been on the practice squad all the while. They can continue to elevate him, but the question is what his role will be, assuming that he has one.
My impression is that Fitzpatrick will be back and available this week on a full-time basis. But what about Kazee after missing the past three weeks due to a suspension? Will he lose out on playing time thanks to Peterson and Rowe?
Kazee has been an every-down player or close enough to it for the majority of the season. He played 89 percent of the snaps in each of the seven games leading up to the hit that resulted in his ejection and subsequent suspension.
But things have been working with Rowe in the lineup. Yet he’s never worked with Fitzpatrick, and Fitzpatrick is obviously going to play, so perhaps you would want to change out both safeties with a set that is familiar with one another, as Fitzpatrick and Kazee are.
