Ask Alex: Steelers Mailbag

Welcome back to your weekly Pittsburgh Steelers mailbag. As always, we’re here for the next hour to answer whatever is on your mind.

To your questions!

PghDSF: There’s a lot of talk about a #2 WR, but I’m interested in how the TE’s will be used in passing game? How do you expect Smith to utilize them?

Alex: Pretty frequently. He’s a multiple tight end personnel type of offense. Gets those guys on the field a lot. Playaction and red zone should be areas where they thrive. His boot action and play action system is going to give those guys some open grass to exploit. A guy like Darnell Washington should be utilized more in the passing game this year. In part because it’s his second season and there’s natural growth that comes with it but inside the 20, he should catch at least his first touchdown this season. Probably more than that.

Nita: I was curious, how is practice time allowed since Zach and Troy haven’t signed their rookie contracts? Are they official members of the team?

Alex: They can practice in full like everyone else up until training camp. At that time, you gotta be under contract to participate. They haven’t officially signed their contracts but Pittsburgh has rights to them. They are Steelers, yes.

Petherson Silveria: Do you think Steelers would had selected Amarius Mims over Troy Fautanu had both on the board at 20th?

Alex: Hey man! Hard to say with complete confidence but no, I don’t think so. I think Fautanu was their guy. Less projection, more Day 1 ready.

Jeremy: Hey Alex. I had forgotten about Josiah Scott until Josh Carney’s recent article. Do you see any other sleeper roster candidates among the futures-type players?

Alex: I’ve been slowly working through the list in my offseason series. Scott is definitely a good one. I’ve spoken pretty highly of Dez Fitzpatrick and what he could offer on special teams as a gunner/coverage player the other vets they brought in don’t have a background doing. And had an article on Marquez Callaway, who shined in 2021 and fits the profile as a big outside WR. Excited to watch OG Joey Fisher maul in camp, too. So those are a couple names for you.

BananasFoster: The Steelers schedule makes no sense. Do you think the NFL has a vendetta against them?

Alex: Nah. Convenient as they would be, sometimes you just get the short end of the straw. We knew their opponents. We knew they were going to have a tough schedule no matter how they laid it out even in the most favorable fashion.

Peter-Petersen: Hey Alex, Steelers are still looking for a WR2. If you could sign any WR to a deal/trade they signed this year. Which WR deal would you take for the Steelers?

Alex: I’m not 100 percent sure what you’re asking. Of any WR who signed a contract this offseason? Is it supposed to say “that signed” this year. I guess staying more realistically, I would’ve done the DJ Chark deal the Chargers gave him. He’s not some stud but that would’ve worked.