Welcome back to your Pittsburgh Steelers weekly mailbag. As always, we’re here for the next hour to answer whatever is on your mind.
To your questions!
Gluebucket: Hey Alex! What has been your favorite move of the offseason?
Alex: I’ll give you a couple. Trading for WR DK Metcalf is still No. 1. An aggressive move that didn’t mortgage the future and locked up a talented player and great scheme fit for short and long-term gains. In a year where the WR draft pool sucked, it was smart to aggressively pursue through a veteran avenue. Really liked that.
Taking Derrick Harmon in the first was the best move Pittsburgh could’ve made. Didn’t overthink it. Talent, need, and value all matched there. Much better than any of the QB options.
And I still like the overall vision of investing in the trenches. O-line the previous two years, d-line/front seven this year. Those are the building blocks.
Douglas Prostorog: When does Andy get an extension?
Alex: Soon, probably. He likely signed a four-year extension like Khan did. Maybe Weidl already got it. Not sure if that’ll get publicly announced or not. Never had an Assistant GM before to know if the team will announce it.
Canadastan: With the Steelers trading Fitzpatrick, do you think this signals that the defensive scheme will be shifting to more 2 high coverages and even more nickle/dime usage? Maybe put more directly, do you think the Steelers defensive scheme will be less predictable than it was last year?
Alex: Fair question and it could. The Athletic noted all the Cover 4/Quarters Pittsburgh had been using in the spring. So it’s something we’ll watch and one reason why we charted the team’s coverages. That doesn’t have to mean more nickel and dime which can often be dictated by personnel but Pittsburgh isn’t also 100-percent matching to that either (i.e. playing big nickel against 12 personnel vs teams with great tight ends versus base against 12 personnel against teams who don’t have pass-catching threats).
I think we could see some true one-safety looks with Ramsey, Slay, and Porter the corners and Elliott the only safety.
Yes, I think Pittsburgh wants to be more multiple and less static than last season. There’s a concern over so many new pieces added to complexity but I think the defense wants more answers to the test.
D.j. Reynolds: Best guess, does J. Ramsey play safety often and/or do you think we sign another FS?
Alex: Not full-time. Situationally. Maybe more in base and obvious pass moments where Pittsburgh likes to rotate/spin coverages, sorta the role Cam Sutton had in 2022. Certainly wouldn’t be surprising to add another safety but I’ll say they wait and evaluate the group, especially Thornhill. Can still play “big nickel” with the top three corners and two safeties because Ramsey is almost like a LB.
Kyle: Hi Alex, I was wondering how you would handle the current Watt situation if you were the GM?
Alex: Get a deal done, eventually. Probably going to take a higher yearly value than Garrett. Maybe a touch above in guarantees. I’m not looking to make it messy. Would like to get it done ASAP before more guys get paid but Watt has shown he can come in “cold” like 2021 and thrive. Don’t answer the phone for any trade request, have healthy and continual dialogue, make sure no one is leaking anything to try and trash him and “win” the public opinion battle, and get it done by Sept 7. Probably not much different than how it’s being handled now, to be honest.
My big gripe is this thing not being taken care of in March. Now, whether it’s 4th of July or Sept 1, it doesn’t change things as much.
Nick Schultz: how much do you think Hard Knocks played in the late season skid last year? We know Tomlin has always despised the idea of being on the show, and i feel like they changed the format just to force the Steelers and Ravens onto the show.
Alex: Wouldn’t make the top dozen of issues. By the end of the year, they were used to the cameras. And it didn’t hinder their ability to beat Cincinnati, Cleveland, and I think they were there for the first Baltimore game, too. An annoyance, maybe, but a non-issue.
