The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Ryan Watts, knowing that his skill set was suited to fill a number of roles. While he was almost strictly an outside cornerback in college, they have fed him a steady diet of safety snaps. Indeed, it almost seems as though they are moving him to safety on a full-time basis.
To hear his coaches and teammates talk about it, you can convince yourself that’s the case. Damontae Kazee, a safety, for example, said of Watts, “He’s been good, transforming to the safety [position], asking a lot of questions”. That’s not enough to make definitive conclusions, though. And this isn’t the time of year to make definitive moves.
The reason Ryan Watts spent OTAs and minicamp playing safety is simply because the Steelers want him to learn it. If they do want to move him to safety, he now has that background, while he can fall back on his history of playing cornerback. And he has known that this is the deal since the draft.
“It was really up in the air, but they just really liked how versatile I was”, Watts said after the draft. “I like the idea that they can play me at a corner or safety or nickel, really. So just being able to have that versatility. I think that’s what they love most about me”.
Some noted the move to waive S Trenton Thompson as a door opening for Watts. A sixth-round pick, he has an uphill battle to claim a roster spot, but the opportunity is there. Thompson wasn’t a lock to make the team, but he left a favorable impression last year.
So what kind of transformation is Ryan Watts undergoing—or perhaps better asked, how permanent of one? Are we going to see him playing cornerback and lining up in the slot once we get to Latrobe? If he can manage to do it all, all the better, but you want to be careful throwing too much at rookies.
During his rookie season, former second-round pick Sean Davis opened the year as the slot defender. They eventually shelved him for a while to give him time to adjust to playing safety. Had he had the opportunity to focus on just one position, perhaps things might have gone more smoothly.
However, a player like Ryan Watts has to do everything in his power to earn his keep. That starts with making himself as valuable as possible, and you do that through maximizing your versatility. He already has a background in special teams, but if he can play outside, inside, and safely, he is the ultimate secondary reserve.
