Buy Or Sell: The Steelers will lead the league in rushing attempts in 2024.
Explanation: The Steelers are seemingly building an offense designed to run the football. Their new offensive coordinator, Arthur Smith, knows a thing or two about leading the league in rushing, as well. With two accomplished and capable running backs and quarterbacks who run, they’re in for a lot of carries this year.
Buy:
It’s hard to top the Baltimore Ravens in rushing attempts, but if there is a year that happens, it’s 2024. The Ravens didn’t have a commanding lead in this category last season, and they want to throw the ball more. They also want to protect Lamar Jackson from himself better, part of the reason they changed coordinators prior to last season.
The Steelers changed coordinators in part because they want to run the ball more. They already ranked 10th in rushing attempts last season and were near the very top in the second half of the year. One key difference is they should sustain drives better this year and thus run more plays. They ran the seventh-fewest plays in the league last season, so more plays means more rushing attempts.
Sell:
I’m not sure a Ravens team that just signed Derrick Henry got the memo about morphing into a passing team. Sure, they want to protect Jackson from himself, but that’s what Henry is for. He’ll take the beating, and he can take it just as much as the Steelers’ backs can.
Maybe if the Steelers had Justin Fields starting, this conversation is different. Wilson still scrambles a more than respectable amount, but we’re not talking 100-plus carries, not at this stage of his career. And the Steelers aren’t the only team that runs the ball, not even in the AFC North.
The Cleveland Browns are another team to consider, especially with Nick Chubb trending toward a return. You also have the Bills, 49ers, Lions, and Eagles to consider. You can sell me on the Steelers ranking in the top five in carries, but to lead the league? Probably not. For one thing, the defense has to get off the field quicker. Their defensive possessions averaged 2:43 last year, and that’s an improvement from the last two years.
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. Questions about The Standard.
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 in the 2024 NFL 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).
