So much has changed when it comes to the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offense for the 2024 season that it’s hard to pin down exactly what the unit could be. Two new quarterbacks—headlined by Russell Wilson—multiple new offensive linemen, a revamped wide receiver room, and then the added X factor of having a new offensive system under offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. It would be hard to be as inept as the 2022 and 2023 iterations of the group, so it should be an improvement off a very low bar, but just how big could that improvement be?
The Athletic Football Show hosted by Robert Mays had guest Damien Harris rank each team in the AFC based on the supporting cast around the quarterback. How well is each signal caller set up for success entering the season?
Out of 16 AFC teams, Mays had the Steelers at No. 11 and Harris at No. 9.
“I like the Steelers at nine. One, because personally—and this is just a vote of confidence—I think that Russ’s personality mixed with Mike Tomlin’s personality seems like it’s gonna work out well for me,” Harris said. “He does seem like a guy that shows up, is ready to work, does things the right way, practices hard, tries to perform his best. And at the end of the day…to me that’s what Mike Tomlin is. Show up, do your job, roll the ball out there. Let’s play football. Let’s go try to win games.”
So the Wilson-Tomlin pairing gets a vote of confidence from Harris, but they aren’t going to be able to do it alone. The nuts and bolts of the offense has a lot of potential, but it’s also one of the youngest groups in the league with a lot to prove.
“You got a solid o-line, you’ve got good skill players. Najee Harris, he’s a good running back. Honestly, he can be good outta the backfield, too,” Harris said. “You got a potential superstar in George Pickens. He just has to lock in on being the absolute best that he can be. And again, I really do think that Justin Fields being behind Russell Wilson, I think that’ll propel him to play a little bit better.”
The offensive line figures to have two rookie starters and one second-year player in Broderick Jones, who is reportedly moving full-time to the left tackle spot for the first time in his professional career. How quickly they can jell will be one of the big deciding factors on how good the offense can be. Jones showed flashes of greatness in his rookie season on the right side, but he also struggled as a pass protector over the final stretch of the season. Will switching back to the left side help fix some of that?
Zach Frazier and Troy Fautanu come to the NFL will tons of starting college experience. They should be plug-and-play options at center and right tackle respectively but expect one or both to struggle more than expected as they adjust to the speed of the NFL game. OL coach Pat Meyer’s teachings have taken time for veterans to get used to, let alone rookies.
Outside of Pickens, do they have adequate weapons in the passing game to maximize Russell Wilson’s abilities? That has been the biggest offseason question that still isn’t answered ever since Diontae Johnson was traded to the Carolina Panthers.
“What about Freiermuth?” Harris asked as they were discussing the lack of weapons.
TE Pat Freiermuth, if he remains healthy, should be in for a career season in Arthur Smith’s tight end-friendly system. Injuries—and an offense that rarely utilized the middle of the field—hampered his production over the last couple seasons. In 2022 he had 63 receptions for 732 yards and two touchdowns. He should be able to exceed those numbers, and take a big leap in touchdown receptions under Smith.
Smith’s tight end groups over the last five years have had an average of 1,025 receiving yards and 7.4 touchdowns. That is WR2-type production from the position and could help cover for the lack of a starting receiver opposite Pickens.
“Even if there are still some questions about who they want to be, how they want to approach this with Arthur Smith as their offensive coordinator, and with that offensive line, I see a pathway to an identity,” Mays said. “I see a pathway to them understanding what they’re good at, and that’s why I’m willing to bump them up over a couple of these other teams.”
The No. 11 placement by Mays feels low, but he seems open to being wrong based on his analysis. For now, we all have to be open to a wide range of outcomes for the offense. Just because several things changed, doesn’t mean it will automatically be a large improvement. Harris’ No. 9 placement feels just about right as a bottom-half offense in the AFC, but a run-first identity with a new-look offensive line could propel the unit higher as the season wears on.
Russell Wilson has a lot to prove and a backup QB to fend off all season. Those two factors alone should elevate his play over the rough tenure he had in Denver.
