Ask Alex: Steelers Mailbag

Welcome back to your weekly Pittsburgh Steelers mailbag. As always, we’re here for the next hour to answer whatever is on your mind.

To your questions!

Brian Tollini:

Alex,

Does more success from here on out for Mason this season make the decision easier or more difficult for determining our plans at QB for 2024?

Alex: Hey Brian! Sorry for the delay. Harder, I think. Or at least muddier. If Pickett stayed healthy and finished the season out, almost regardless of result, he was going to be the guy in 2024. And he still could be. But that door is open. There’s now “permission” from the team and for us to really openly talk about it. And with each strong outing, Rudolph’s price tag goes up so trying to retain him, or signing him to a deal where it’s hard to put him on the bench, is going to be more difficult.

Pickett may still have the edge to be the 2024 favorite but yeah, that conversation is much more open-ended now.

RueCains: 

Hey, Alex!

We all know Mason Rudolph is playing better now than he did previously for the Steelers. My question is *why* — what do you see him doing this year that he didn’t in previous seasons (or even previous preseasons).

Alex: Just time. Experience. He was playing in his first year of football in 2019. He was younger and less experienced. So it’s natural to expect him to be better this time around. And hey, there was no pressure. No expectations. If he didn’t do well, he wasn’t losing his job or chance on a big payday. That probably helps you play a little more loosely and just go out there and have fun.

Peter-Petersen: 

Hey Alex,

If the Steelers where to move forward with Mason, in what way should the offense be taylored towards him?

Alex: Largely how it’s structured now. No real changes needed in terms of scheme. A more traditional dropback passing game. Some playaction, keeping him in the pocket so less rollouts and things like that. But you’d just be adding talent. More weapons. Investing in the o-line because your quarterback plays from the pocket more often. But nothing radical.

J Jones: Hey good afternoon Alex! How much does Minkah play this wknd? What are your thoughts on our DBs going into the game?

Alex: I’ll let you know when Pittsburgh drops their final scouting report in a little bit. I’m not sure of his status here. The secondary has been resilient. They’ve stepped up into different/bigger/new roles. There were some communication busts Seattle couldn’t take advantage of last week and it remains an issue, especially when they’re in man coverage or trying to match and pass routes off.

We’ll see how the Ravens play at wide receiver but they’re a fairly deep team there so even if Beckham Jr. sits out, it’s not like it eliminates a massive chunk of their passing game.

Dan Blocker: Hi Alex! Can the Steelers have a safety tandem of Patrick Petersen and Minkah Fitzpatrick next season? I’ll be honest, with all the injuries there, I’m not even sure who is playing where and on which side at this point.

Alex: I think it could be a look. I’m not sure if it’s full-time. In that scenario, Fitzpatrick is your SS. He played in the box a lot this year but he’s still best in center field. Ideally, Peterson works either in the slot or at safety in sub-packages next year. No outside corner work at 34 without much speed. So you can do some mixing and matching but I don’t know about a full-time thing. But there’s a long offseason to sort things out. Decisions to be made with guys like Kazee and Neal, too.

Steelers D: Hi Alex, what is your take about drafting a guard and moving James Daniels to center. I’m just thinking its easier to find a quality guard than center in round 2 or 3. Plus you can start Herbig until the rookie is ready

Alex: I’d prefer to keep Daniels at RG. He’s played there for two years in this system, gotten comfortable there, played pretty well there. Go draft a stud center than trying to move pieces around. Plus, it has been awhile since Daniels has played in the middle anyway. I’d want to keep him where he’s at and just add around instead of shifting.

Gluebucket: 

Hey Alex,

If the Steelers are unable to retain Rudolph this offseason (I’m assuming Pickett is the 2024 starter), do you see them keeping Trubisky as the backup at his current salary?

I assume if they’re able to retain Rudolph, they’ll release Trubisky, but I’m sure Mason will have a hot market if he continues to play well.

Alex: Yeah it’s going to be one of those interesting questions. Trubisky feels like he’s done given his poor play but you’re right. If Rudolph isn’t retained for whatever reason, are you going to cut Trubisky and take your QB room down to just Pickett (and maybe McSorley if he signs a Futures deal)? So we’re in sort of wait-and-see mode there. Like I said above, this QB room situation got a lot messier and muddier the last two weeks.

Michael Stockings: 

Hi Alex. I know we’ve all been disappointed with the passing game this year, the past couple of games notwithstanding — the failure to use the MOF, the failure to scheme receivers open, the failure to use Najee in the passing game (although Warren has been good), the failure of the slot WR position, the failure to have go-to plays for easy pickups, the failure to use slant routes, etc. I realize a lot of this is on bad-to-mediocre QB play most of the year, and I assume a lot is on the overly simplistic, non-NFL-level offence Canada installed. But I’m also particularly concerned about the failure to use the TEs more. I get that a lot of that is due to Muth’s absences, but coming into the season I think many of us hoped for 2-TE sets that would really help open up the passing game. Why do you think that hasn’t happened? Is it the offence writ large? Is is that Washington hasn’t yet developed into a legit pass-catching threat?

Because, honestly, it seems like the way to convert short-yardage situations (e.g., 3rd and 5/6) as well as to improve red zone effectiveness is to use a couple of TEs, especially given their size, both in the MOF and in the EZ.

Alex: The passing game in general has just been poor. And when you’re struggling to get the ball to your top receivers, it’s going to be harder to get to to No. 3/4 options like your tight ends, especially backups. And I suspect, though I don’t have the data, that Pittsburgh saw a lot of eight man boxes to stop the run (and because teams weren’t scared of the passing game) which closed up the middle of the field and eliminated down of those throws that would generally be in the tight end’s wheelhouse.

Scorpio: Hiya Alex – What the heck is wrong with Mason Cole? Did he just forget how to snap a football all of the sudden? Did he also forget how to block as a C too?

Alex: I’ll have something about that in today’s edition of Depot After Dark. So be on the lookout for that. But no doubt, serious regression from Cole compared to a year ago. Not sure what happened, unless there’s an injury we don’t really know about.

Douglas Prostorog: what coaches will be gone

Alex: Hard to say for sure. Some will, I bet. WRs Coach Frisman Jackson, perhaps. Will anyone get hired elsewhere? I can see DBs Coach Grady Brown getting DC looks especially with how many head coaches are likely to get hired this cycle. So I’d expect changes but it’s hard to pin down who.