What is the biggest questions for the Pittsburgh Steelers to answer during OTAs?
Today is an informal holiday in Pittsburgh. You see, it’s the day large men making lots of money start running around wearing Black and Gold. The Steelers’ full squad takes the field for the first session of OTAs, the first of 10 such practices.
Well, the Steelers expect to have their full squad minus their defensive captain, anyway. Cameron Heyward has already acknowledged that he won’t be attending as he hopes to address his contract situation. And that segues us nicely into our topic of the day.
What is the biggest question for the Steelers to answer during OTAs? Is it the status of Cameron Heyward, both contractually and geographically? Frankly, I would guess that Heyward doesn’t sit out OTAs if he feels he’s anywhere close to getting something done. The fact that he’s not here means there’s virtually no movement at all. So let’s turn to on-field matters.
I suspect the biggest question fans will have is which tackles line up where, and when. Does Broderick Jones take the first, and most, first-team snaps at left tackle? How much work does Dan Moore Jr. get, with what units, and does he play on the right too? Interesting is the case of Troy Fautanu; basically, do they shove him to right tackle on a full-time basis? Or do they give him some work at left tackle to see if maybe their best combination includes him there?
There isn’t enough space for an exhaustive examination of all of the possible questions the Steelers are facing, though. Who is the slot cornerback, and what are their options there? That’s but one example, and we can ask the same of slot receiver, for that matter.
One thing to note for fans is that OTA observations must always come with a gallon of salt. For one thing, veterans are not going to get a lot of work, so in a lot of cases units won’t mean much. For example, if Payton Wilson gets a lot of snaps working with Patrick Queen, that doesn’t mean Elandon Roberts is on the outs. But you guys know all this, right? You’re smart. After all, you’ve probably been reading Steelers Depot for years if you’re bothering to read this. And if you’re new here, well, OTAs is a good time to jump on board.
The Steelers’ 2023 season has been put out of its misery, ending as so many have before in recent years: a disappointing, blowout playoff loss. The only change-up lately is when they miss the playoffs altogether. But with the Buffalo Bills stamping them out in the Wild Card Round, they have another long offseason ahead.
The biggest question hanging over the team is the quarterback question. Does Russell Wilson make them a Super Bowl-caliber team, or are they wasting a year? Will he play just one season in Pittsburgh before moving on, or the Steelers moving on from him? How will the team address the depth chart?
The Steelers are past free agency and the draft and their roster for the 2024 season is coming into focus. They made numerous moves through signings and trade—and release. More than usual, they seemed comfortable creating holes, confident they can fill them. Now that we have so many pieces of the puzzle, however, we merely have a new set of questions to ask.
