Player: QB Logan Woodside
Stock Value: Purchased
Reasoning: The Steelers signed veteran QB Logan Woodside yesterday, an arm experienced in OC Arthur Smith’s system, prior to Saturday’s game. Our Alex Kozora predicted Woodside would be a name to watch due to this connection. Now in Pittsburgh, he could see action tomorrow night in Jacksonville with just one practice under his belt.
When Alex Kozora gives you a name, as he proved yet again, you better take heed. Yesterday the Steelers signed veteran QB Logan Woodside, who has played most of his career under OC Arthur Smith. With rookie QB Will Howard potentially missing the entire preseason, it was the most logical move to make.
As I wrote about myself, Woodside would be an ideal option in the worst-case scenario. If Howard were unprepared to serve as the third quarterback on gameday and Skylar Thompson were lost on waivers, then they could fall back on him. As a vested veteran, he is not subject to waivers.
Most importantly, signing in August, Logan Woodside’s familiarity with Smith gives him a leg up in acclimating himself to Pittsburgh. Although Smith is tailoring his offense to his players, Woodside has watched him do that for years.
A 2018 seventh-round pick of the Cincinnati Bengals, Logan Woodside first encountered Arthur Smith later that year. The Titans signed him to their practice squad in September, though he only had a short stint. He spent the 2019 season on the Titans’ practice squad, Smith’s first year as Tennessee’s offensive coordinator.
In 2020, Woodside made his NFL debut, completing 1-of-3 passes for 7 yards. Three years later, with Smith in Atlanta, he went 3-of-4 for 27 yards—the incompletion being an interception. Hey, I never said he was some elite talent.
Over the course of his career during the preseason, Woodside has gone 194-of-296 for 1,867 yards with 9 touchdowns to 6 interceptions. He has had nearly 10 percent of his attempts dropped by his receivers. As a runner, he has 27 carries for 119 yards and one touchdown.
With training camp underway and the Steelers exploring their new roster, it’s once again time to “take stock”. It took a while, but we finally saw some of that change the team talked about after the season ended. Certainly, the move to trade for WR DK Metcalf qualifies as a change, not to mention the accompanying contract. Oh, and they also traded some guy named George Pickens, which people found significant.
As we speak, we are in the process of learning what this Steelers team is going to look like. The dust is settled on both free agency and the 2025 NFL Draft, and now we’re in camp. What other moves might the team make, perhaps unexpected acquisitions or departures? They’ve certainly made a flurry of moves, though some question whether they make much difference. This is a Steelers team starving for postseason success, but how desperate are they for a playoff win in 2025?
