Welcome 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!
Stephen Jacobson: Hey Alex! As always, thanks for the great work. Do you have a 2025 season prediction for us? I am wavering between 10-7 and 11-6. I expect the OL will be better than nost expect. Thanks
Alex: Hey man! Appreciate it. I will have one shortly in a yearly post I do. So I don’t want to give it away yet and like you, and still debating it. A lot comes down to if I think this Steelers team can get over the hump and win a playoff game. They certainly can but will I predict it? I’m not sure yet. You’ll definitely know before Week One.
Ralph Neely: Hey Alex! Thoughts on why the Steelers chose to 53 man roster a fifth Guard in Scharping rather than a Gunner1 in Pierre? I get the other moves today: Howard and Kent to IR and the Clark add to the 53, but not the Scharping add. That’s a real headscratcher for me.
Alex: Pierre can – and probably will – still be elevated Week 1. So he could potentially still dress and play against the Jets.
They needed Scharping on the roster in some capacity to be a third-string center. They only had two on the whole roster, Zach Frazier and Ryan McCollum. Scharping mostly played center in camp, even if it’s not his natural spot. The PS guys, Dylan Cook and Steven Jones, aren’t centers.
Could Schapring have been on the PS instead and Pierre on the 53? Yes, no reason why you couldn’t switch them around. But it’s six of one, half dozen of the other. In theory, put Scharping on the 53 so he can’t be poached by another team (the way Pittsburgh poached him last year). But it’s the same outcomes all the same. We’ll see who dresses Week One and if Scharping can get a helmet. Probably not the way things currently stand but we’ll see.
Alexander Heath:
Ready for the start of the season??? Got a couple for you.
1). What is the first thing that came to your mind that you are most excited about seeing in the first game?
2). I love what I saw from Yahka Black; seeing some Dexter Lawrence II in him, he sure gave us plenty of trouble last season. Do you think the development of Black (assuming the team already has certain expectations for Harmon) will have any impact on Cameron Heyward’s contract?
3). Do you feel like the development of Will Howard are easily set back with him being placed on IR? I do think so, and if they do this, it does tell me they still fully intend on drafting a 1st round QB. Do you have more thoughts on this?
Bonus: Which skill position will either reach over 1K yardage or come very close, aside from DK Metcalf? My money’s on Gainwell, reason: total scrimmage yardage. He’s faster than Warren and may have more opportunities through the return game, too. Thoughts?
Alex: First thing that comes to mind is this defense. Which is very broad based but it has a chance to be a great unit. If they stay healthy and can communicate as a unit. Jets present their challenges but it’ll be fun to watch if the Steelers’ defense can live up to expectations.
Nah, nothing happening along the d-line, not even Harmon’s injury, has any impact on Heyward’s contract. There’s no more leverage gained or lost on either side because of it. They’re independent factors. Heyward’s role on the team isn’t changing this year.
It’s not helping his development but it’s not a deal breaker. Howard’s rookie year was all about sitting and learning. He’ll still get to do that. He can’t practice and throw like he was supposed to but it won’t wreck his career because of it. Joe Burrow tore his ACL as a rookie, JJ McCarthy sat out his whole rookie year, those guys career arcs haven’t changed. Howard’s been through plenty of adversity in his life, including breaking his arm in high school. Dude is mentally tough and that’s one reason why Pittsburgh drafted him. He’s survived worse.
But you are correct that Howard’s presence won’t stop Pittsburgh from drafting a 1st round QB next year. Even if healthy wire to wire, Howard wasn’t going to change that possibility. Nothing the Steelers did with Howard short of starting him and him playing well was going to dissuade the Steelers from doing their homework and trying to draft one. These IR moves don’t tell us anything we didn’t already know.
Howard’s best-case is, if they draft a top QB in 2026, is to be the No. 3 next year and then the No. 2 the last two years of his rookie deal if Rudolph doesn’t return and the team is comfortable with Howard being the immediate backup. That’s always been his track.
1,000 yards for Gainwell not including returns? Nah, that’s far too rich. Warren is easy answer but I’ll go him when you factor in he’ll be active in the passing game. He finished last year at 821 despite being hurt the front half of the season.
Ken Mauldin: Hi Alex, I’ve noticed how the IR list is more like a stash player bank this time of the year. Does the NFL regulate this whatsoever from an actual injury perspective? It seems like a small splinter is reason enough to hide a player on IR these days.
Alex: It’s one of those rules you can manipulate but not abuse. A player needs to have a basis of injury. You can’t take a perfectly healthy guy and shelve him on IR. Maybe you could decades ago when things were less lax but with split salaries on rookie/young players contracts where they will make less if on IR, you can’t make a mockery of it. But guys like Howard and Kent are injured and once they land on IR, there’s no obligation to take them off. No rule that says “this play must be activated if healthy.”
Reality is some of these guys might be cut if they didn’t go on IR. Maybe not Will Howard but as a general rule. You’re a late round rookie. You don’t get to gripe about going to IR. Be happy you’re on a team and hanging around is the message.
Jimbo: Hi Alex,
Besides Harmon and black ,How has the team done on improving the run defense?
Seems like letting E-Rob go is not going to help.
Same DC, Did you see new run defense schemes at camp?
Alex: Not to poke fun at your comment but those are some “besides the shooting, how was the rest of the play, Mrs. Lincoln?” It’s hard to ignore those two major factors. But Payton Wilson and Patrick Queen’s second-year development with the team will go a long way. Probably some schematic tweaks. New inside linebackers coach (how much that helps, remains to be seen).
Don’t forget the secondary can tackle. Ramsey is going to be a presence fitting the run from the slot. Best slot corner they’ve had….probably ever but it’s been a sore spot post-Mike Hilton. Porter has greatly improved his tackling since his rookie year. Slay is willing and competent.
And if the defense is communicating better in all phases, they’re play faster and smarter. Some of the issues last year came from the front not being gap sound. Not doing their job and pressing.
All those factors combined should produce better results.
Dan Blocker: Hey Alex! Since no fullback was kept, does that role now fall to Jonnu or Connor? It’s strange that Arthur Smith has moved away from a position he used in the past. I don’t even recall seeing it used much in preseason. Do you think it will be used at all?
Alex: No one will truly assume that role and in the few backfield snaps you’ll see, yeah, Smith or more likely Heyward will handle those duties. In camp, it was mostly Heyward, a little of rookie JJ Galbreath (now on the practice squad), and 1-2 snaps of Pat Freiermuth. Jonnu Smith is a better fit with more backfield experience.
You’re right FB had been common in his offense. But it’s also hard to keep four tight ends and a fullback. Smith is still flexible to adjust his scheme to the personnel. If they had a Rosie Nix type, he’d probably be used. They don’t so the offense adjusts. It’s not required for Smith’s offense to function well.
Mark: Hi Alex! Rudolph didn’t have a great showing last week. Do you think Thompson has or will shortly earn the QB2 spot on the roster?
Alex: I do not. In-season like that, it’s hard to move up or down the depth chart from practice alone. Rudolph was signed to be the No. 2 and is perfectly capable in that role. He’s one of the better backups in the league. One bad read in a preseason game isn’t going to change that. Thompson had a strong summer and earned his spot but he was never going to take Rudolph’s backup job. There’s too much of a resume beyond just this summer (and Rudolph had a good summer, remember the 7/7 TD drive in the opener?) that was going to change that. Don’t get too caught up in the preseason evaluation. It matters but it’s not the only thing considered.
Scorpio: Hey there Alex – quick question regarding AR and him smokin the J-E-T-S his 1st game as a Pittsburgh Steeler….who will be his #1 receiving target for TD’s?
…i say MT Washington
Alex: For the season or Jets game? Either way, Metcalf is his No. 1 guy. Rodgers is going to feed him the football. Washington will get his looks, more than last year, and especially in the red zone, but it’s Metcalf as the No. 1 in every situation. Rodgers knows where his playmakers are at.
