Now that the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2023 season is getting underway after the team finished above .500 but failing to make the postseason last year, we turn our attention to the next chapter of Steelers football and everything that entails. One thing that it means is that some stock evaluations are going to start taking on more specific contexts as we get into the season, reflecting more immediate plusses and minus rather than trends over long periods. The nature of the evaluation, whether short-term or long-term, will be noted in the reasoning section below.
Player: S Eric Rowe
Stock Value: Up
Reasoning: Though the Steelers are getting two starting safeties back this week, defensive coordinator Teryl Austin has already confirmed their intention to continue to play Eric Rowe. The veteran safety stepped in the past three weeks when Minkah Fitzpatrick and Damontae Kazee were unavailable.
Nobody on the outside knows exactly what the back end of the secondary is going to look like when the Pittsburgh Steelers take the field against the Buffalo Bills next week. It’s reasonable to assume that Minkah Fitzpatrick will be where Minkah Fitzpatrick should be, but does anybody know for sure who will start next to him?
Will they plug Damontae Kazee right back in there as an every-down player? What if they leave Patrick Peterson there, who has started every game, but the past three at safety? Or will they continue with Eric Rowe, who has been effective in his three games coming off the bench from the practice squad?
The fact that it’s even a question is a big win for Rowe, who certainly isn’t chopped liver. He’s played nearly 5,000 snaps over a nine-year career with 59 starts, so he’s not new to any of this. He’s a been-there, done-that guy, which is exactly why head coach Mike Tomlin turned to him when they had a crisis of availability at the safety position.
Rowe recorded 12 tackles with a forced fumble and a pass defensed in the critical season finale victory over the Baltimore Ravens that enabled the Steelers to get into the postseason. He had another 17 tackles, a tackle for loss, and an interception in his other two starts during that time as well, which is not bad.
Whether he starts or not, the Steelers have already made it clear that he is still a part of their defensive plans. He may be the third safety and dime defender, or even nickel defender. It doesn’t hurt that he has ample experience playing against QB Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills, having spent most of his career in the AFC East with the Miami Dolphins and the New England Patriots.
Not even Peterson seemed quite sure what the plan was going to be in terms of who is going to play when and where. Perhaps he was just being coy with the media, though his uncertainty wasn’t prompted by any particular questions. One way or another, everyone will know by the time the game kicks off. Whenever and wherever that will be.
