Welcome back to your weekly Pittsburgh Steelers mailbag. As always, we’re here for the next hour to answer whatever’s on your mind.
To your questions!
Jason W: Alex as the clock continues to tick toward Sept 8 how strongly do you feel that we’ll add a significant piece to the secondary/ WR room or both?
Alex: The only significant WR piece is Aiyuk. Whether that happens, I just don’t know. Him not practicing might make the 49ers mad enough to trade him. Or mad enough not to satisfy him and keep him and make him play or sit out and be fined.
I didn’t think they’d ever add a “significant” secondary piece. But add a depth vet type. And I still think they will.
Ben Saluri: In hindsight, sure wish the Steelers had kept Mason to battle for QB1. At the end of last year felt like he had won over the locker room but always seemed as if Tomlin was not on his side…thoughts??
Alex: Eh, I dunno about that. He was stuck behind Ben and by that point, the team no longer viewed him as a long-term starter/franchise. Just went to the wrong team and situation, really. Obviously the team was stubborn not playing him late last year and Tomlin should’ve acted quicker. But Tomlin can be a little stubborn about these things so that’s not something against Rudolph, I don’t think.
I’m fine with how the QB situation ultimately played out this offseason.
Brian Tollini:
Is there a team we can trade with that can give us a top tier WR, starting slot CB, and backup C all in one shot?
Seriously though, recency bias, or does this team have more glaring needs than normal heading into week 1?
Alex: Ha, I wish. Yeah, it’s hard to compare and contrast. They have some more injuries than starting other years with and their o-line is more beat up than it has been over the course at any point the last two seasons. So that’s an adjustment. But you hope stronger QB play and good in-season health is enough to push them through. Remember, even if Russell Wilson throws the same number of TDs as he did last year, 26, it’ll be one more than Pittsburgh has had the past two combined seasons. Getting back to that baseline level of productivity will be a breath of fresh air.
PghDSF: Thoughts on new kick-off’s. I like it because there seems to be more strategies on how it is run/defended.
Alex: I like them. And I usually hate change. It makes the play strategic and fun and, ya know, exist. Because kickoffs were dead last year. And if the NFL didn’t make this change, and their likely next step if they scrap this plan, is to eliminate kickoffs entirely. Which would make me so sad. So I’m all for doing anything to save the play and this was really the only option to keep it safe and active/interesting.
David Shoff: Alex, it seems like everybody is gone for the competition for slot corner. So i guess it’s beanie. Do you think we will see a lot of elliott moving down to that spot and kazee inserted on passing downs?
Alex: As things stand now, yes, that’s a reasonable expectation. Beanie Bishop on run downs. Elliott over slot on passing downs. In dime, Elliott moves down, Kazee and Trice come on. So it looks like.
DT: Heyward/Ogunjobi
EDGE: Watt/Highsmith
ILB: Queen
Outside CB: Porter/Jackson
NCB: D. Elliott
S: Fitzpatrick/Kazee
Dime: Trice Jr.
Obviously, DT/EDGE could rotate a little bit. Might even see Herbig as the third EDGE with one DL in some looks. But that’s the framework of things.
Lbli$$3t: Any update on potential unsigned gunners they might still court?
Alex: Nah, no real updates. Some, like Boykin, were veterans so not subject to waiver claims. Just going to wait and see. Don’t even know the official practice squad yet.
Gluebucket: Hey Alex, maybe I’m misremembering, but I feel like the practice squad is getting filled out more slowly than normal. Do you agree, and if so, any ideas as to why?
Alex: Last year, they announced a little more than half the group the day after cuts and then filled in. So this year is slower. Of course, decisions could’ve been made and there was at least one media report that listed out players cut Tuesday who were in the locker room Wednesday, so maybe the media side is just slow to announce. Hard to say.
Ken Mauldin: Hi Alex, a bit off subject, but the one player the Steelers let go I totally did not understand that the time.
and it has proven to make no sense today either. the guy was doing his job and getting better and is better than we have.
why did the Steelers cut Steven Sims?
Alex: Good question. To be clear, he wasn’t cut. He was a restricted free agent the team chose not to tender. Why they didn’t…I assume they thought he wasn’t worth the money as tender amounts have increased. And with a healthy/returning Calvin Austin and, at the time, still hope for Gunner Olszewski occupying some of the role Sims did as a jet sweet/quick-game guy on offense and potential returner, Sims got squeezed out.
He ultimately signed with Houston in his home stat of Texas. So it made sense for him to end up there. As to why Pittsburgh made no/little effort to retain, they probably felt they had similar players on the roster already.
