Anytime a new coach enters a relatively stable organization that isn’t undergoing sweeping regime change, there’s a balance between philosophies. The coach’s own mentality and preferences, and he’s of course being hired partly because of that, and assimilating to the team and its current strengths and talents. For new Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, that’s his mission. Blending what he wants to do with what Pittsburgh’s established, even though its offensive personnel has seen plenty of turnover.
And yet this offense has morphed into Arthur Smith’s. Maybe not fully but trending in that clear direction. With TE MyCole Pruitt’s addition, three former Atlanta Falcons have been inked in free agency: WR Van Jefferson, RB/KR Cordarrelle Patterson, and now Pruitt. That’s not uncommon for a coach in charge, be it head coach or coordinator, to bring over some of his guys.
None of the three signings should leave a large footprint in the Steelers’ offense but they could all have roles. At the least, they’ll serve as veteran mentors to help teach each of the team’s returning players at the skill positions, making the transition to a new offense — it’s rare for Pittsburgh to bring in an external coordinator — a bit smoother.
But big picture, looking at how the offense has been constructed pre-draft, this feels like what we’ve known about Smith’s offenses. Tight end heavy. Not much 11 personnel. One wide receiver the passing game moves through (A.J. Brown and Drake London) with an aggregate of skill players combining for the rest of the production, no one standing out above the rest.
And what has the Steelers’ offseason looked like? Trading starting and – at times, star – receiver Diontae Johnson to Carolina, leaving a void at receiver that remains. Signing journeymen receivers in Van Jefferson and Quez Watkins who don’t figure to have regular roles if they even make the team. And adding Pruitt to an already-heavy tight end room alongside Pat Freiermuth, Darnell Washington, Connor Heyward, and Rodney Williams.
That’s the Arthur Smith offense. One receiver, a bunch of tight ends, running the heck out of the ball. Get the quarterback under center, run play-action, change the launch point. In current construction, that’s dead-on how the Steelers look. Of course, there’s an entire draft to go and the Steelers’ roster will be shaped by it. They’re going to draft a receiver and do so sooner than later, sometime on the first two days. It won’t just be George Pickens. But they’re going to load up on offensive line, probably before the first receiver, and furthest establish their identity and culture of being physical and leading with the ground game.
This isn’t a direct critique. They hired Smith, they knew his offense, and the roster is being shaped to support it. Inherently, that’s not a bad thing. But while Mike Tomlin discussed during league meetings that there will be a blend of Smith adjusting to the team, the team adjusting to Smith, the personnel is tipping the scales in favor of building Smith’s offense how it’s always been built.
