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!
BananasFoster:
Hey Alex,
Thought the press conference was open and honest. Couple things I’d like your take on- Why do you think Andy was not mentioned as being a part of the OC search committee? Don’t put too much stock into MT saying Kenny will be QB1 going into camp. Think he’s just saying that publicly to appease Kenny. If Mason goes elsewhere- where do you see the competition coming from, FA, trade or draft? And when do you think they announce the OC hiring? And how much of a say will the new OC have in the starting QB? Can’t imagine an OC worth his weight will be too happy about working with KP and maybe Mason. Will Steelers Depot have a list of OC candidates that make sense on the parameters MT gave?
Alex: It was. More open and less hostile than I expected, to be honest. I think Pittsburgh keeps that circle tight. Weidl plays a role, I’m sure, but it’s always been GM/HC/Rooney. Weidl was brought in to help on the personnel side since that isn’t Khan’s direct strength and main background.
No, I think he’s being honest. My view is that want to re-sign Rudolph and have him and Pickett compete to start in camp. When he says he believes their starter is on the roster, I think he’s being earnest. Whether or not that’s an agreeable response is a different story.
If Rudolph leaves, I think they go find a vet. Not going to spend top dollar on a QB and a 3rd/4th round rookie isn’t going to be enough proven/trusted competition.
As for the OC, they’ll be patient. Gotta get this hire right. I’d say around the first week of February. That was the timeline when Haley, the only outside OC hire of the last 20 years, occurred. I imagine the new OC will be agreeable to whatever plan Tomlin/the team has at QB. That’ll be part of the interview process and decision on who they hire.
We will have that list, yes. One of the top things I plan to work on.
Keeg:
Alex,
With the draft upcoming I’d be interested to hear your ranking of these specific team needs. Taking into account positional value as it relates to draft position and value at the pick.
RT
C
CB
DL
ILB
Alex: I don’t usually have clear-cut rankings. More like buckets of big need vs medium need vs depth vs nothing.
Right tackle seems open assuming they push Jones back to left tackle. And I hope that they do. Center, it looks like a solid class and they need a short and long-term option. Cornerback, No. 2 opposite Porter is wide open. D-line is a really big need for me, probably still more than most with Heyward’s age, lack of depth, and how losing Cam really sunk this group this year. I’m not above using a second round pick on the position.
Inside linebacker, still don’t see the long-term guy but if Holcomb can be ready for camp and with Roberts and Robinson in Year Three (and maybe Kwon gets signed in camp again just to see how he looks?) it’s less important right now.
JohnB: Site related question. How is the traffic when the season ends? Like day after the loss to Bills, is there a huge spike? Because peoples curiosity of state of the franchise…or does it fall off because the season ends?
Alex: It just depends on what point of the offseason it is. Free agency, draft, those are busy times similar to in-season. In the middle of February when there’s not much happening? Obviously not as strong as when they’re playing the game. But the fun part is it can be, in some ways, pretty unpredictable. And with how the news cycle has become so constant, there’s no crazy drop-off. And you guys have all been faithful and loyal to the site to make each year and practically each month of this past year better than the last. We are grateful for it.
Daniel Moon: Hey Alex,
If you have a choice between a center and a right tackle in the 2nd round, what would be your pick and why
Alex: It’s hard to answer that because you’re always looking at people, not just positions. And the details obviously matter. But if I had equal grades on the two, I would lean right tackle. I want Jones back at LT and there really isn’t much else at RT to even turn to right now. You could give Moore a try but he’s not comfortable there. I don’t think it’s gonna go well. It’s not going great on the left side and that’s his natural position he’s been at for six-plus years. Centers, maybe a little easier to find, little less draft value, more likely to sign a smart vet who can snap the dang ball.
Dr. Bacon:
What do you think about bringing in a backup veteran QB (and ousting Trubisky)? I feel we need a veteran QB presence to help whoever young QB plays here. BUT I also don’t want to wreck the confidence of Kenny Pickett if he’s the guy we’re going with. I also know its a short list of vets.
Alex: I’m not worried about wrecking the confidence of Pickett. Any damage that was done comes from him being benched. He just needs to play well and be the first round pick he was drafted to be. But yes, they need/want a veteran QB to compete with him. Ideally, in their mind, they’ll re-sign Rudolph and let those two battle.
Jerry Reid: ow do you think the Steelers approach a qb competition this year? Do you think there will be any changes to their approach? And is the Steelers method of playing 1s with the 1s and 2s with the 2s common across the league? With their strict devotion to roster hierarchy, it seems like they tie their hands when evaluating player
Alex: Like I’ve mentioned, aim is to re-sign Rudolph and have him battle and push Pickett in the summer. Pickett would open as the starter, Rudolph as the backup, but it would be framed as competition. Hopefully an actual one and not the 2021 “competition.”
I don’t really focus on what other teams are doing. But in battles, they’ve had guys mix and match. Maybe not in the same game but over the course of the summer. Game 1 to Game 2, etc.
Black and Gold Mafia:
AK,
Patrick Peterson
Mason Cole
Larry Ogunjobi
Are you bringing any of these 3 back at their current salary?
Alex: Yes to Peterson and probably to Ogunjobi. I wasn’t crazy about the extension, his play was meh for most of the year, but with d-line depth so thin, I think you bring him back. And really on Cole, until you find a replacement, and with little to no center depth, he probably comes back to. And hopefully becomes a top backup. But if they declined his bonus, I’m not losing really any sleep there.
Peter Rauch:
Hey Alex,
What do you think about the Steelers trading back from 20 in the upcoming draft? The way I see it, they need to get younger in multiple places on the defense, but don’t need to get a year one starter anywhere per se. Offensive line may be a different situation, but its hard to imagine them drafting at that spot in the first round in back to back years. There are also many good fits for them that are projected to go on Day 2, like the three centers (Powers-Johnson, Van Pran, and Frazier), Michigan linebacker Junior Colson, and plenty of corners with experience in press. More capital in that range might make sense. Curious about your thoughts.
Also, who did the music for the terrible podcast intro? Cause its pretty awesome.
Alex: I’m generally pro “trade back” and acquire picks. But we’re so far out from the draft. It depends on a dozen variables. Your needs, the board, who is at 20, the strength and depth of classes, what the offer is, 5th year option considerations, a ton of variables at play we can’t even come close to answering right now. At least, I can’t.
Couch GM:
Alex,
Am I far off here?
Considering the Steelers and how they operate I expect Kenny Pickett to be joined in the Quarterback room by:
Mason Rudolph (if they are able to get a short term reasonable deal done)
The new OC brings his guy with him or a QB that knows his system a Drew Lock type guy. If they are not able to get a deal done with Mason or he’s priced out of their range.
These are the QBs I could see:
Jacoby Brissett, Gardner Minshew, Tyler Huntley outside looking in Ryan Tannehill
I don’t expect the team with so many holes to trade for a QB as that’s essentially punting on Pickett and they aren’t going to do that. They also aren’t going to bring in someone who’ll upset the apple cart from as lockeroom or depth chart perspective.
I don’t necessarily agree with that line of thinking but I understand it. The bigger the name, bigger the contract numbers would say that’s your starting QB before the competition even begins right?
Alex: Hey, sorry for the delay. Coming back to these.
That sounds reasonable to a degree but I don’t think you’re going to get that caliber or vet in the room where someone is going to open up as a No. 3. I think it would be a smaller vet name than that. Someone cheaper too, backup vets can still be expensive and Rudolph will have a cost that’s more than the minimum he makes this year. But I can see a new OC bring in some of his “guys” sure and that’s potentially a QB.
BeHereNow:
Hey Alex!
First time asking any questions, so I apologize if they’re a bit scattershot!
1. On the defensive side of the ball, I think that DL is perhaps the biggest need. A legit #2 CB is also a need, but I think one of Peterson (assuming he’s back next year), Trice, and Rush can fill that void next season. However, once Cam went down with injury, the depth just couldn’t hold it down. Cam is a special player, but he’s nearing the end of his career, while Larry Ogunjobi is an average to above average player. Keanu flashed and has a bright future, but it’s still early. Do you feel the need for an upgrade in the DL and, if so, where do you think that comes from: FA, draft, or both?
2. At the safety position, obviously Fitzpatrick and Killebrew are locks. Probably Thompson, who played very good when elevated, as well. Which of the following safeties would you bring back: Kazee, Neal, and/or Rowe? If I’m not mistaken, Kazee is signed for next year, if they want to bring him back, and I think Rowe played exceptionally well at the end of the year.
3. Finally, with the upcoming change at OC, do you think that the biggest need on the offense is an upgrade on the line (C, RT) or is that dependent upon whom they decide to hire? I guess what I’m getting at is whether you think that the scheme could hide some deficiencies on the line, making QB play a bigger need.
Thanks!
Alex: Hey man, sorry for the wait. Glad you are part of the mailbag.
Yes, I feel the need to add a d-lineman. And earlier than people think. Pittsburgh was very pragmatic with their selection of Heyward. First round pick who sat behind aging vets. Took him until Year 3 to start. I know that was part of the old era of “let the rookie sit and develop” that doesn’t happen today but point is, you don’t want to replace Heyward once he’s actually out the door. That’s when you panic and reach and overpay and it bites you. You want to be a year ahead of it. So I could see a d-lineman in the top three rounds, easily.
I’m not sure about the CBs though. Lot of unknowns. Peterson really can’t play outside, Trice never made it to a preseason game, and Rush is a rookie who bounced around and played 50-ish defensive snaps. Interesting guys but I don’t think you can take them to the bank.
Kazee and Neal are under contract. I’d bring both back. If I dumped one, it would be Neal. Kazee a little more flexible. But the savings here is minimal. Rowe, if he wants to come back for the minimum, I’d do that, but he’s slow and this defense needs an infusion of speed. They are not a speedy group.
I think the needs stay about the same regardless of OC. The people you look for to fill them, their scheme fit, is dependent on who the OC is. So who you target and go after changes but the needs are no different.
Idiot Above: After today’s press conference, do you think adding a QB in the first few rounds of the draft is off the table entirely? Someone like Michael Penix in the 2nd round would seemingly make sense; he’s very talented, but will likely fall due to his lengthy injury history, but for the Steelers, the risk is probably worth the reward.
Alex: It sounds like it, yes. I don’t think they’re making a big shift for a QB this offseason be it draft or free agency. No Russell Wilson, Justin Fields, Kirk Cousins, etc. Pickett, re-sign Rudolph, maybe a Day Three draft pick or low-tier vet, and that’s the room. I don’t love it but that’s what Tomlin implied today.
Brian Tollini:
AK-
Is there a realistic scenario where you can see KP as the starter in 2024 or 2025 and competing in the AFC Championship game? If so, what does that scenario look like and is it realistic enough to pursue?
Alex: Not as I sit here today. Is that a zero percent chance? No, it could happen. But I wouldn’t call it realistic. And I don’t blame all that on Pickett. This team hasn’t won a playoff game in seven years. They have to prove they can do that before anything else.
If it does happen, the team stayed healthy, they added more weapons, the scheme improved by a lot, the run game stayed consistent, and they were a top 10 defense. That’s the general path.
