The Pittsburgh Steelers made some moves before the trade deadline. They grabbed a wide receiver for QB Russell Wilson like everyone wanted in New York Jets WR Mike Williams. They even addressed the defensive side of the ball with Green Bay Packers edge rusher Preston Smith, something that will make head coach Mike Tomlin happy.
We knew the Steelers wanted another wide receiver; that’s been no secret. The addition of a pass rusher may have been a little more unexpected. But Alex Highsmith missed time earlier this season, and Nick Herbig has been out since suffering a hamstring injury against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 5.
But do these moves make that big of a difference? Well, The Ringer thinks they make quarterback Russell Wilson and head coach Mike Tomlins winners, at least.
“With Baltimore playing some of its best football and Cincinnati turning its season around, it seems the Steelers felt an impetus to add veteran talent on both sides of the ball at the deadline…” wrote Diante Lee in the Ringer’s Winners and Losers trade deadline recap article. “In Williams, the Steelers are bringing in a ball-winner on the perimeter who fits the play style of quarterback Russell Wilson—so we should expect more of his patented “moon balls” in the coming weeks. Beyond what he does for Wilson, though, Williams is a wise hedge against relying too heavily on young receiver George Pickens, who’s had several lapses in motor and effort this season.”
Williams’ fit with Wilson is a common theme in reactions to the move. Williams has been a consistent vertical threat throughout his career, averaging 15.5 yards per catch. Steelers Depot’s Ross McCorkle looked at the tape and saw why Wilson could be considered a winner. Williams puts his height (6-4) and wingspan (almost 33.5 inches) to good use in contested catch situations and on deep shots down the field.
As for why Mike Tomlin is a winner, he loves his defense. He wants his defense to control the game and create turnovers. That’s why adding Smith as a depth pass rusher is a good move. He’s got 68.5 sacks in 155 games, along with 71 tackles for a loss and 155 quarterback hits.
Smith won’t be relied on as the team’s top pass rusher. That’s what T.J. Watt is here for. But he should be able to make an impact off the bench. And despite the lack of production in 2024, Smith should be more productive in a system more suited to his talents.
We will see just how much of an impact these moves have in the second half of the season. But the Steelers got better on Tuesday, and that should make Mike Tomlin and Russell Wilson happy.
