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!
TShockey: What are you projecting for the positions the steelers add free agents at? CB,WR, someplace people aren’t looking as much?
Alex: Still doing some work on that but I’d say veteran wide receiver, a cornerback of some sort (unsure slot or outside), and probably a vet tackle to provide depth and options behind Jones and Fautanu. That’s my initial read of things.
Benjamin Schell: If you’re Omar Khan do you aggressively try to settle the QB situation first before working on the rest of the roster, or do you wait a little for both Fields and Wilson to test the market and perhaps lower their asking price while you fill other holes at other positions like CB / RB?
Alex: Yes. QB comes first. Now, that doesn’t mean it happens tomorrow and the Combine is when talks start ramping up with the NFL coming together all in one place (even the Senior Bowl isn’t the mega-hub it once was). And you need a QB to help entice other FAs who have an understanding of your roster. Given that there’s little elsewhere to pursue in FA, re-sign one of your own before the legal tampering begins. That should be the goal.
Jeremy: Hey Alex! So far, the only coaching change I have heard of is Curry moving on. What is the timing on position coaching changes usually? I didn’t expect wholesale changes, but more than these crickets.
Alex: This is on the “late” end of coaches leaving. Additions in Feb. happen and did last year (Arth, Azzanni) but usually, we know at least who won’t return. So we keep hearing more coaches will go but no specifics on who. Coordinators are staying. Maybe another positional coach leaves but staffs are filling up across the NFL. So I’m not sure what the delay would be.
BananasFoster: What up AK- based on Dulac’s reporting and what Jay Glazer said, doesn’t sound like Russ will be back. Let’s say Fields tests the FA waters and leaves- then what? Everyone is just assuming Fields will be here and be the starter. Would you rather sign a Cousins/Darnold/trade for Kyler/Geno Smith? Or maybe draft Kyle McCord or Will Howard and see what happens. What do you think the Steelers will do?
Alex: Door No. 3 is a scary one. I don’t think I do any of those things. In that moment, you may look to push chips all-in on a QB this year. Maybe we shouldn’t discount the idea of them trading up for say, Cam Ward. If he doesn’t go in the top-three, something that is at least possible. If we know they gotta trade up for a QB at some point, why not at least think about this season? It’s not that there aren’t any first-round QBs. There are just a limited number of them.
But yeah, Pittsburgh would be really roughing it.
Brian Tollini:
AK-
Gerry Dulac’s words almost seemed like Steeler’s gospel 10 years ago. Anymore, he seems to be more speculator than reporter.
Agree or disagree?
Alex: I don’t have a lot of strong opinions on the Steelers’ beat, much as we write about them. I take them all credibly in the sense no one is chasing clicks or making stuff up. What comes true, who knows. Dulac seems to drop the most “inside” info still but I would say Pittsburgh doesn’t have that true beat guy that’s super plugged in and on top of things like other cities. Maybe because Pittsburgh doesn’t let much leak out. I dunno. I just write what is notable and newsworthy and go from there. Everyone else can decide how much stock they put into it.
