Player: DB Ryan Watts
Stock Value: Up
Reasoning: The rookie sixth-round pick is displaying his versatility so far in training camp and boosting his roster chances. Though Ryan Watts is basically a safety now, he is also seeing time as a sub-package player. In recent days, the Steelers have used him as a dime defender, a possible tight-end matchup. But he has to make the 53-man roster first, and that means earning a spot on special teams.
One of the first things Mike Tomlin tells new players is, “the more you can do”. If you want to stay around for as long as possible, show me how many different ways you can help. That is especially important for young late-round players like Ryan Watts, who is displaying his versatility.
A sixth-round rookie out of Texas, Ryan Watts played cornerback in college but is now effectively a safety. He knew coming out of college that he may switch positions at the next level, but the Steelers wasted no time. He played safety throughout OTAs and has done so in training camp as well.
While Watts participates in one-on-one drills, as do all safeties, the most notable usage is in team drills. The Steelers continue to use him as a dime defender, where he lines up in the slot. There is a history of Tomlin using players like him in that role before, so he has reason for optimism.
Remember Cortez Allen, or Ryan Mundy? How about Justin Gilbert and Al-Hajj Shabazz? Tomlin employed the latter duo as call cornerbacks to match up with tight ends in 2016. Granted, he hasn’t done things like that a ton since then, at least not so obviously. He does have a preference for three-safety looks, and, well, I guess Watts is a safety now.
Right now, the Steelers have Minkah Fitzpatrick, DeShon Elliott, Damontae Kazee, and Miles Killebrew as locks at the safety position. Killebrew’s status as a special teamer makes it easier to squeeze in an extra safety, though.
And expect Ryan Watts, if he does make the 53-man roster, to spend plenty of time lining up with Killebrew. At 6-3, 212 pounds and with a special teams background, that will be job number one before he contributes defensively.
As the season progresses, Steelers players’ stocks rise and fall. The nature of the evaluation differs with the time of year, with in-season considerations being more often short-term. Considerations in the offseason often have broader implications, particularly when players lose their jobs or the team signs someone. This time of year is full of transactions, whether minor or major.
A bad game, a new contract, an injury, a promotion—any number of things affect a player’s value. Think of it as a stock on the market, based on speculation. You’ll feel better about a player after a good game or worse after a bad one. Some stock updates are minor, while others are likely to be quite drastic, so bear in mind the degree. I’ll do my best to explain the nature of that in the reasoning section of each column.
