Are the Steelers moving Ryan Watts to a full-time safety?
The Pittsburgh Steelers merely list rookie sixth-round pick Ryan Watts as a defensive back on their website’s roster. They do this for a lot more players than they used to, granted, including Cory Trice Jr. and Josiah Scott. But we know when they drafted him that they viewed him as versatile.
Despite that, Watts played nearly exclusively in an outside cornerback role for Texas. While he did move up and play in the box, his work at safety and in the slot is consistent with what you would expect from a starting outside cornerback.
And yet, it doesn’t sound like the Steelers view him as an outside cornerback, for which there are valid reasons. Talentwise, Watts isn’t the fastest cornerback in the land, nor does he have the most fluid hips. You can hide that better inside or at safety, and at 6-3, 212 pounds, he has the size required.
According to reports, the Steelers worked him quite a bit at safety during spring practices, if not exclusively. Defensive coordinator Teryl Austin also discussed potential plans for him that made it sound more like they saw his outside cornerback history as a benefit to a new role rather than a continuation of what they wanted him to do.
Personnel-wise, it also makes more sense. They have Darius Rush, Trice, and Cameron Sutton as potential outside depth. They now have Sutton, Grayland Arnold, Beanie Bishop Jr., and others in the slot. But they potentially opened up a spot at safety by releasing Trenton Thompson.
And yet…we’re talking about spring practices. This is the time of year when teams are simply working on things. The Steelers wanted to see how Watts would look at safety, but that doesn’t mean they are moving him there. Once before, they took a look at Mike Hilton at safety, even in the preseason, but they didn’t move him. More likely, they are simply hoping that he can do a little of everything—and a lot of special teams.
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 Wildcard 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.
