Welcome back to your weekly Pittsburgh Steelers mailbag. As always, we’re here for the next hour to answer whatever is on your mind.
To your questions!
NickRVA: Hi Alex, I read your film study earlier about the Steelers fighting themselves in short yardage situations. Putting players in individual matchups instead of scheming players open seems to be a multi-year issue. Do you think it’s a Tomlin preference or what do you think is the reasoning for it? It does feel like it’s much harder for the Steelers to gain those short yards sometimes.
Alex: Hey Nick! I’m not sure the reason for it. In some ways, Smith has done a better job. I’d say he’s done a better job than Matt Canada, low as that bar is. Of course, having a high-end quarterback makes everything easier. Teams who have that guy just click more often. But it’s not like Wilson is chopped liver. So I don’t have a great answer for it, truth be told. It’s a more-than-fair question for you to ask. And I wonder myself.
Rich Erenberg: Where would you expect the Steelers to draft a QB this year? I am a believer in drafting one every year until you find the next Franchise QB. We do not appear to have one right now and certainly won’t when we have none under contract after the season ends.
Alex: The state of the roster is pretty unclear for quarterbacks next year. Makes it harder to guess it. Do they have one, two, all three or none of these guys back? Assuming it’s Wilson and Kyle Allen and they need a third, it may be a vet. They like having experience top to bottom on the QB depth chart. Which means they wouldn’t draft until very late or add an UDFA.
I wouldn’t expect them to go out and use a Top-100 pick on the position unless they somehow don’t retain Fields or Russ.
Black and Gold Mafia:
AK,
Say it’s a worst case scenario. Lose to the Bengals Sat and then the Ravens first week of the playoffs. How do you feel about this team as a whole?
I personally believe talent wise this group is much further ahead than recent Steeler teams.
Alex: Unsuccessful season, overall. Even if I might agree with you on the talent being better and hopefully having a known quarterback for 2025 like Wilson helps, the bottom line is the bottom line. And Pittsburgh would end up in the same place with potentially a more talented roster. Which makes you feel worse, if anything. Winning a playoff game isn’t the goal, I’m not hanging a banner for it, but it’s the obstacle they gotta get over first. No excuses.
BananasFoster: Roman must have had the worst hamstring injury in NFL history. Something else must have put him in MT’s doghouse. I know he wont be a difference maker but what’s the harm in dressing him next week? Also, if Steelers lose to Bengals Saturday they will have the same record as they did last year with Mitch/Kenny/Maso ob safen. Are they better this year? You are what your record says you are. Is it a slam dunk both coordinators are back next year?
Alex: It’s really not that. I outlined it the other day. They weren’t going to use up that IR-return slot until it basically wasn’t needed. Same reason why Logan Lee suddenly came back. He’s probably been fully healthy for weeks. Wilson got hurt multiple times, missed development reps, and that always stunts growth.
Like I wrote above, maybe they’re better. But it doesn’t matter. Results are results.
Slam dunk? No, I wouldn’t say that. Smith will be assuming he doesn’t take a HC job. I don’t think Austin should be fired but I wouldn’t bet my house on a return.
Danatural08: I’m new to Steelers Depot as of this season. How do you spend your offseason once Steelers are eliminated? Is it all Draft prep, then after the draft is your down time?
Alex: Glad you’re here with us. Yup, once the season wraps up we do shift pretty heavily to the draft. We will send crews to the Senior Bowl, Shrine Bowl, and NFL Combine to cover things in-person. We also discuss free agency, too.
Post-draft is quiet but we find ways to keep you (and us) entertained with series and season previews. We’ll have new and original content every single day.
Cory Fischer: Based on 2024 so far, are you signing Russ to a $33 mil a year contract for 2 or 3 years or trying to sign Fields for much less on a prove it contract and adding more pieces?
Alex: Leaning towards Wilson. They can add pieces with Wilson even at a higher price. That’s not going to change much.
