Buy Or Sell: Mike Tomlin should let his new offensive coordinator pick his own coaching staff.
Explanation: The Steelers have already made it very clear how important they believe getting this decision right is. So if they consider it so important, Mike Tomlin should let his new offensive coordinator pick his own coaching staff. Or should he?
Buy:
The Steelers are not trying to reinvent the wheel, but they would certainly like to go faster. They also want to get where they are going more frequently: the end zone. The current coaching staff on offense has remained largely intact for at least a couple years now and has underperformed.
The time is now to make these changes. Mike Tomlin emphasized wanting an offensive coordinator with experience. If that is what he wants, that should come with the trust to let him pick his coaching staff. Arthur Smith is an amply qualified candidate, even if he is not everybody’s first choice.
The crux of the matter has been the play at the quarterback position, so why would you want to bring back Mike Sullivan as quarterbacks coach? He hasn’t furthered Kenny Pickett’s progression. Frisman Jackson’s wide receivers need a dose of reality. Pat Meyer’s offensive line plays like crap for half the year. These guys are not irreplaceable.
Sell:
If anybody understands the wisdom of retention, Tomlin should. He did not gut the coaching staff when he got the Steelers’ head coach job in 2007. It is unnecessary for Tomlin to let his new offensive coordinator pick his own coaching staff, but they can collaborate on evaluating the group.
Chances are he will want to make changes here and there anyway. And whoever he hires will have communicated his thoughts on a coaching staff. You can probably bet that Tomlin is giving all of the candidates a good run-down of their current coaches and where they stand. If they can’t offer a better alternative, it’s the head coach’s prerogative to keep them.
With the Steelers’ 2023 season in the rearview mirror following a disappointing year that came up short in the playoffs once again, it’s time to start asking more questions. Questions about the team’s future in 2024 and beyond.
The rookie class of a year ago was on the whole impressive, but they need to step up into staple starters in 2024. And they likely need a strong influx of talent in both free agency and the draft yet again. In addition to a revisitation of the coaching staff.
These sorts of uncertainties are what I will look to address in our Buy or Sell series. In each installment, I will introduce a topic statement and weigh some of the arguments for either buying it (meaning that you agree with it or expect it to be true) or selling it (meaning you disagree with it or expect it to be false).
