Article

Steelers 2023 Season: Final PFF Grades And Total Snaps

By Clayton Eckert

Posted on February 1, 2024 at 12:00 am

Following the Pittsburgh Steelers 2023 season, I wanted to provide full regular/postseason Steelers PFF grades and total snaps from Pro Football Focus, with visuals and tables sorted a bit differently than my weekly articles, along with some takeaways.

Offense:

Excellent (90-Plus Grades):

NONE.

Great (80-Plus Grades):

NONE.

Good (70-Plus Grades):

Six players. The highest season grade on offense was RB Jaylen Warren (78.5, 547 snaps). In the 2023-24 regular and postseason, he had two excellent game grades, one great and four good, while falling to the bad tier twice. Warren finished with 822 rush yards on 157 attempts (5.2 YPA) and four touchdowns. He was fourth in PFF’s elusive rating, with 56 forced missed tackles rushing (T-fifth), the fourth longest run (74-yard house call), 3.7 yards after contact/att (eighth), 26 ten-plus runs (T-ninth), and 12 15-plus runs (T-tenth). Warren also was eighth in targets at the position (74) and 63 catches (fifth).

WR Diontae Johnson (77.9, 645) played 14 games with 92 targets, 55 catches (59.8 catch rate), 765 yards (13.9 YPR), and six touchdowns (T-28th). His overall grade ranked 26th among WRs, 24th in receiving grade, and forced nine missed tackles on receptions (T-26th). Two games graded great, four good, and none in the bad tier.

RB Najee Harris (76.2, 606) had 267 rush attempts (T-fifth), 1,072 yards (ninth), 4.0 YPA and eight touchdowns (T-12th). Two games were great overall grades, two good, and no bad tier grades. Harris was fourth in yards after contact (808), tied for seventh with 53 forced missed tackles rushing, 25 10-plus runs (T-14th), 14 15-plus runs (T-14th), 278 breakaway yards (12th), and 51 first downs (T-15th).

WR George Pickens (74.1, 987) had 114 targets (24th), 68 catches (59.6 catch rate), 1,190 yards (15th), 17.5 YPR (tenth), and five touchdowns. Two games with excellent overall grades, two great, four good, and two bad. Pickens had the second-longest reception of the year (86-yard touchdown), an impressive 416 YAC (14th), and 2.1 YPR (26th).

G Isaac Seumalo (73.9, 1,104) had three great overall game grades, five good and only one bad. Finished with 73.1 RBLK and 66.4 PBLK grades, 28 pressures, 23 hurries, five QB hits, no sacks allowed, and just one penalty all year.

QB Kenny Pickett (70.6, 668) played in 12 games, going 201/324 (62 completion percentage), 2,070 yards (6.4 YPA), six touchdowns, and four interceptions. One excellent grade, four good, and one bad. His overall grade ranked 30th, 68.8 pass grade (29th), had an elite 91.3 FUM grade (second), 12th among all QBs in turnover-worthy play rate (1.8-percent), and 16.9 pressure to sack (28th) were some of his best marks from PFF.

The Bad (Below 50 Grades):

Four players here from PFF. TE Darnell Washington (47.4, 532) appeared in every game, with one great graded game and seven in the bad tier. Seven catches on just ten targets, with 66.7 PBLK and 53.2 RBLK grades. Fellow TE Rodney Williams (45.8, 57) played in 13 games, with no overall game grades above 70 (67.4 season-best), and one bad game grade. No catches on two targets, with 66.3 PBLK (one snap), and 62.6 RBLK grades (26th).

QB Mitch Trubisky (43.3, 202) had the sixth-worst overall grade among all QBs, with three bad game grades in five appearances. 107 attempts, 67 completions (62.6 completion percent), 632 yards (5.9 YPA), four touchdowns, and five interceptions. 9.1 ADOT tied for eighth-longest, but 44.2 passing grade (sixth-worst), second-worst 0.9 big-time throw rate, and 5.3 turnover-worthy play rate (17th-worst) were low-lights.

The worst grade on offense was WR Gunner Olszewski (28.1, five). He appeared in just two games (Weeks Two and Five), had only target that was a fumble turnover, along with crucial special teams’ errors that got him jettisoned.

STEELERS REGULAR/POSTSEASON OFFENSIVE GRADES AND SNAPS:

Defense:

Excellent (90-Plus Grades):

Two here from PFF. The highest grade on defense and overall this season was EDGE T.J. Watt (91.9, 930). He of course led the league with 19 sacks, his overall grade ranked fifth at the position, ninth in snaps, 91.7 PRSH (fourth), 80.7 RDEF (T-seventh), 86 pressures (eighth), 19 QB hits (T-third), 47 hurries (14th), six bats (T-first), 49 stops (fourth), four forced fumbles (T-third), and an interception (T-third). Four excellent, great, and good grades each, with nine in the bad tier.

Fellow EDGE Alex Highsmith (90.0, 974) encouragingly just made the list and is one of just ten excellent grades at the position this season. Seventh most snaps, 85.9 PRSH (13th), 77.3 RDEF (18th), 86.3 COV (sixth), 72 pressures (T-12th), seven sacks, 12 QB hits (T-19th), 52 hurries (11th), 34 stops (T-16th), two forced fumbles (T-13th), and two interceptions (T-first). Two excellent graded games, four great, seven good, and just one bad.

Great (80-Plus Grades):

Three here. LB Blake Martinez (85.1, 21) played just one game (Week 14), with four combined tackles, including a third and two run stops, with 79.7 RDEF and 79.5 TACK grades as his best marks.

EDGE rushers round out this tier as well. Markus Golden (83.5, 281) appeared in 17 games, with his DEF grade 18th at the position, with a 77.6 PRSH (26th) and 75.3 RDEF (24th). 16 pressures, four sacks, six QB hits, five hurries, a bat, pass deflection and a fumble recovery. One excellent and great graded game each, eight good and two bad.

Nick Herbig (81.0, 211) was also impactful, with a 25th-ranked grade, 81.6 PRSH (17th), 78.1 RDEF (T-13th), ten pressures, three sacks, seven hurries, two forced fumbles (T-13th), and a fumble recovery. Two excellent, great, good, and bad graded games each.

Good (70-Plus Grades):

Six players here. S Elijah Riley (79.8, 50) had one great game grade and two good and no bad tier marks in five appearances. DEF grade ranked 14th among safeties, with an 84.5 COV, his best individual grade (ninth). A 33.3 missed tackle rate (T-seventh worst) and a bad 47.9 RDEF were the downside, though.

DL Armon Watts (77.3, 286) had an excellent game grade, one great, six good, and one bad in 16 games. 75.2 RDEF was his best individual grade (11th) and had 17 pressures, a half sack, three QB hits, 13 hurries, and 15 total tackles, including nine stops and three missed tackles.

DL Keeanu Benton (76.9, 516) appeared in all 18 games, with five great graded games, along with three good and bad each this season. 82.6 PRSH (tenth), 24 pressures, one sack, seven hits (T-26th), 16 hurries, two bats (T-19th), and 41 tackles, including 18 stops and five misses.

S Minkah Fitzpatrick (73.3, 616) played 11 games, with one great, three good, and no bad graded games. His overall grade ranked 28th, 83.1 RDEF, and TACK grades (ninth, 12th), with 74 tackles, 19 stops, and five misses.

DL Cameron Heyward (73.1, 497) had 12 appearances, with two great graded games, four good and one bad. 67.7 RDEF (30th), along with 21 pressures, two sacks, one QB hit, 18 hurries, a bat, and 39 tackles, including 27 stops and three misses.

LB Elandon Roberts (72.2, 622) played 17 games, with three great graded games, five good, and three in the bad tier. 72.5 RDEF was his best individual grade, along with 16 pressures (T-19th), 2.5 sacks, four hits (T-ninth), nine hurries (T-23rd), 106 tackles including 50 stops (T-17th) and 13 misses. Allowed 43 catches on 49 targets (87.8 catch rate) for 365 yards, 230 YAC, and a touchdown allowed (104.5 coverage rating).

The Bad (Below 50 Grades):

Two players. DL DeMarvin Leal (47.5, 206) made 12 appearances with one good game grade and four in the bad tier. 48.1 RDEF, seven pressures, one sack, one QB hit, five hurries, 15 tackles with eight stops and one miss.

The worst grade on defense from PFF was CB James Pierre (40.4, 28) in six game appearances, with one great graded game and two in the bad tier. 37.9 COV was his worst individual grade allowing two catches on both targets thrown at him, with one going for a touchdown (143.8 rating against).

STEELERS REGULAR/POSTSEASON DEFENSIVE GRADES AND SNAPS:

Special Teams:

Excellent (90-Plus Grades):

The highest grade from PFF on special teams was Miles Killebrew (90.4, 335), making the Pro Bowl for his efforts including punt blocks, 14 combined tackles, but two missed and four penalties.

Great (80-Plus Grades):

Three here. K Chris Boswell (85.9, 143) got a warranted season grade compared to game-to-game grades (79.8, his highest of the season). His FG grade ranked seventh, going 30-32 on the year (93.8 percent).

Washington (82.7, 150) and Godwin Igwebuike (80.2, 133) complete the tier.

Good (70-Plus Grades):

Four here. Nick Herbig (78.6, 371), Montravius Adams (74.6, 62), Connor Heyward (71.0, 259), and Qadree Ollison (70.9, ten).

The Bad (Below 50 Grades):

Five players. Roberts (46.4, 131), Watt (45.8, 35), LS Christian Kuntz (45.3, 157), Leal (43.9, 22), and the lowest grade on special teams was Tariq Carpenter (39.1, 34)