Player: TE Connor Heyward
Stock Value: Down
Reasoning: The Pittsburgh Steelers saw fit to add to their tight end room this offseason despite retaining four from last season. That at least opens up the conversation about who makes the roster at the bottom of the depth chart. We know with reasonable certainty that Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington aren’t going anywhere. However, does the addition of MyCole Pruitt threaten Connor Heyward’s job security?
Much as it may not seem that way, the Pittsburgh Steelers don’t always retain the siblings of their starters. Little brother Connor Heyward ought to keep that in mind, not that I think he’s likely to miss the roster.
Still, we at least need to have the conversation about Heyward’s job security. The front office that drafted him in 2022 is no longer here, and the Steelers already traded their first-round pick from that draft class, QB Kenny Pickett, so nothing is sacred.
We know that Heyward is not at the top of the depth chart, as well. They already have Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington, and neither of them are going anywhere. While Heyward is a mainstay on special teams, they could potentially swap him out for Rodney Williams. Williams is arguably just as good in that role and is a more traditional tight end.
As for MyCole Pruitt, he has the advantage of spending many years with offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. He played under Smith in both Tennessee and Atlanta. He did so with Smith as his head coach, coordinator, and position coach, and that comes with certain advantages.
Still, albeit partly due to injury, the reality is Heyward played over 400 offensive snaps in 2023. He also played nearly 250 defensive snaps, so you’re losing quite a bit of work if you cut him. Williams is far more likely to lose his job, if we’re being honest, but frankly, Heyward is the more interesting possibility.
One thing that works against him is his lack of a true position, of course. He’s not a tight end or a running back or even a fullback. In certain ways, he’s Pruitt as a worse blocker and better pass catcher. And the former matters a lot more in Smith’s offense.
As the season progresses, Steelers players’ stocks rise and fall. The nature of the evaluation differs with the time of year, with in-season considerations being more often short-term. Considerations in the offseason often have broader implications, particularly when players lose their jobs, or the team signs someone. This time of year is full of transactions, whether minor or major.
A bad game, a new contract, an injury, a promotion—any number of things affect a player’s value. Think of it as a stock on the market, based on speculation. You’ll feel better about a player after a good game, or worse after a bad one. Some stock updates are minor, while others are likely to be quite drastic, so bear in mind the degree. I’ll do my best to explain the nature of that in the reasoning section of each column.
