The Pittsburgh Steelers hired Arthur Smith this offseason as their new offensive coordinator, but there’s been a lot of turnover on that side of the ball throughout the offseason. At quarterback, the Steelers added Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, while their wide receiver saw a shift with Diontae Johnson out and a number of new pieces, including Roman Wilson, Van Jefferson and Quez Watkins added. Smith spoke to the media during mandatory minicamp today and talked about what he likes about Pittsburgh’s roster.
“We got a lot of guys that can play in multiple spots, whether it’s tight ends, we have some receivers that give positional flexibility. Really like the depth that we got up front right now, obviously quarterback position, really the whole room is new, players and coaches, gives you a lot of options. These guys have experience, Russ and Justin, even Kyle [Allen], guys that played meaningful snaps in this league,” Smith said via Aaron Becker of Yardbarker on Twitter.
OC Arthur Smith on why he likes the #Steelers current roster.
“We’ve got a lot of guys that can play multiple spots. … Really like the depth we’ve got up front right now.” pic.twitter.com/ta5UsQyWh9
— Aaron Becker (@Aaron_M_Becker) June 11, 2024
Smith certainly values versatility, and he cited it as one of Roman Wilson’s strengths after the team selected him in the third round of the draft. Given that Smith rarely uses three-receiver sets, having versatile receivers and tight ends who can move around the offense is a plus. I’s little surprise that the way the Steelers constructed their roster with that in mind appeals to him.
As far as depth goes, obviously the depth at quarterback with Wilson, Fields and Allen is important to have, but Smith also pointed to the offensive line depth. In the draft, the Steelers took three offensive linemen and turned a weakness into a possible strength, as guys like Nate Herbig and Mason McCormick are backups at guard while Dan Moore Jr. and Troy Fautanu fight for a starting tackle spot.
Isaac Seumalo, James Daniels and Broderick Jones are entrenched as starters, and Fautanu and Zach Frazier are likely to start, as well, but there’s some talent on the bench, and offensive line depth is crucial in the NFL. In general, the Steelers have depth across the board on offense. Even though they might lack a legitimate WR2, they have depth at the position with Calvin Austin III, Scotty Miller, Marquez Callaway and Denzel Mims, and at tight end the Steelers have Darnell Washington, MyCole Pruitt and Connor Heyward behind Pat Freiermuth.
It’s a deep offense that fits the way Smith likes to play, and it’s going to be fun to see what he can do with the unit this season. He should be a major upgrade over Matt Canada at offensive coordinator.
