Welcome back to your weekly Pittsburgh Steelers mailbag. As always, we’re here for the next hour to answer whatever is on your mind. Had to push this mailbag back a little bit and I may be slightly delayed answering. But leave your questions below and I will get to all of them.
To your questions!
BananasFoster: AK- Once DeShon comes back what will Peppers role be? And do you think Holcomb sees more of a role going forward considering the pitiful run-D against the Jets? What’s the leash, in terms of games, for Broderick? Before potentially being replaced?
Alex: Hard to say. We’ll cross that bridge and look at the landscape once Elliott comes back. Maybe there’s other injuries, maybe something else is going on with the defense that tells us something new. But it would seem he would have a minimal role, if any. Remember, his contract isn’t fully guaranteed because he was signed post-Week One. So Pittsburgh can cut him freely without being on the hook for any money.
For Holcomb, not at the moment. He’s not a real thumper against the run. Even with Harrison out, Holcomb isn’t going to get many if any snaps. They’ll let Payton Wilson show how he and the rest of the starting front seven can bounce back.
For Broderick, the Week 5 bye is an easy line in the sand, though changes often don’t happen at that time. Taking it one week at a time with him. It’s not like Calvin Anderson is a guy you want to start for 15+ games.
UmpRay: What is needed to fix the run game? Should our expectations be lowered to if we are in the middle of the pack for run defense to be happy.
Alex: Fundamentals. Getting off blocks. Being more assignment sound. Facing a less-mobile QB will help too and let Pittsburgh focus on the nuts and bolts. Not lowering expectations yet. Let’s keep watching. This Sunday against Seattle will be key and Harmon getting back healthy is another factor.
Pghomer: Hey Alex, Thanks for taking these questions.
Should we begin to worry about TJ Watt’s regression?
I am all in on TJ and wanted the team to resign him in the offseason…but what is to be made about the Jets rookie RT getting an elite grade from PFF against him. I know I know its PFF … but still!!!
Alex: Nah. Not yet. Let’s see a game where Pittsburgh stuffs the run and gets in real pass rush chances. One issue over his sackless streak is teams are staying on schedule, which makes life hard for any pass rusher. Watt is still a beast against the run. He was their best run stopper Sunday.
ColoradoDave:
Hey Alex,
What calming words might you offer on the Steelers’ shaky first game with poor play by both the touted defense and the offensive line with high pedigree players? This goes far deeper than sloppy play and the Steelers are one play away from a potential injury to our 41 year old quarterback with no real plan B. Hard to not feel that our offensive line’s poor pass pro could spell the end for 2025 if Rodgers goes out for any significant amount of time.
Colorado Dave
Alex: I’m not looking to give “calming words.” But my honest take is that it’s Week One and it can be weird in a lot of ways. More information is needed. So we’ll just keep watching.
tcirish53@gmail.com:
Alex,
First time ‘caller’, so to speak…. Many of us feel that Benton is better suited to play at DE as he doesn’t seem to be stout enough to man NT.
Many of us also feel that Yahya Black WOULD be better suited at NT.
Your thoughts about that suggestion and the NT position in general?
Thanks!
Alex: Thanks for “calling” in! There’s a good discussion to be had and some nuance to it I’m still thinking about. I think Benton can still work at nose. Not in the head-up/Okie front like Pittsburgh used a lot Sunday. And even at end, what changes? He’s facing bigger offensive tackles and still getting doubled/combo’s by the guard or tight end. It doesn’t become the magical cure all just in the way Broderick Jones going from right to left tackle doesn’t fix any fundamental technical problems.
I was on the Black to NT train early on and there’s still merit in it. But he’s showing he can play defensive end and closer to the perimeter.
I think you keep watching Benton and if a change comes, it may be to play Ekuale at NT in base 3-4.
Jim:
If the steelers are legitimately looking to make a post season run, why haven’t they done anything to address the clearing need for O-Line reinforcements? Is it stubbornness from the front office because the high draft picks invested? Regardless, we have very little by way of proven, NFL starter quality players on the roster.
As tempting as Tyreek Hill is as a proposition, I’d be fine with Omar trading for anybody to bolster a weak looking o-line group, however limited the options may be.
Jim from Worcestershire, UK… (where they make Dave’s favourite sauce)
Alex: If you’re talking starters, they have the guys they want to evaluate. High draft picks who are going to sink or swim this year. If you’re talking depth, point taken and it’s a fair critique. But once you get past the draft, it’s hard to find o-line depth. Scarcest position available and no one is giving up their talent or depth. So something to look at yes, but there’s little Khan could bring in now that’s going to change the state of play. These starters must play well. Or else the plan to fix it is next offseason.
Jarvis Ragdoll Jones:
Alex,
Which assistant coaches are on expiring contracts this year? I am trying to predict who the scapegoat will be when they don’t win a playoff game.
Alex: We don’t know for sure. That isn’t public. Typically, coordinators sign three year deals and positional coaches sign two-year deals. I’ll have to map out who is expiring based off that but I’m pretty positive OL Coach Pat Meyer is in the last year of his deal. DC Teryl Austin might be, too. I just haven’t done the math and again, that’s no guarantee.
kelly ohl: Alex, appreciate you as always. Your thoughts on the following after week 1. Over/under
Rodgers 30 td passes
Rodgers 10 int
DK 1100 yds
TJ 11.5 sacks
Cam 8.5 sacks
Alex: Thanks Kelly!
1. Rodgers 30 TDs – Under
2. Rodgers 10 INTs – Under
3. DK 1100 yards – Under (but maybe only slightly)
4. Watt 11.5 sacks – Over (still confident)
5. Heyward 8.5 Sacks – Under (even for him, 8.5 sacks at age 36 for a DT is nearly unheard of)
Black and gold mafia: AK,
How much do you think the Steelers wanting to stay in sub package is a contributing factor to the struggles of stopping the run? I get sub package football is the new base defense, but they had to know that the Jets wanted to run first and pass second.
Alex: I do not. Pittsburgh was in its 3-4/4-4 front 35-percent of the time against the Jets, which is above average. Aside from two snaps, they responded to personnel. So I do not see that as the issue.
Steeler Fanatic: Alex, thanks for all that you do. Why does the national media want to take the Jets game as a projection over 17 games regarding the defense and o line? No one takes into account that most of this defense didn’t play together in the preseason and they looked better in the fourth quarter- and the o line takes months to gel… save Broderick Jones.
Alex: Because it’s Week One and the landscape has been starving for football and takes all offseason. So it’s easy to just take this outing and plaster conclusions for the rest of the year, even though it’s often incorrect. Just how the media sausage gets made.
Alexander Heath:
Are you as excited about Jabrill Peppers as I am? I’ve always thought he could be our version of Ryan Clar, not the same type of player, but someone who never really found his footing until landing with the right team (similar to James Farrior in that sense). I believe Peppers will have a greater impact than most people expect. Personally, I’d prefer Ramsey to play more centerfield. What about you? What’s your observation?
I think the Steelers holding onto nearly all of their draft picks from the past few years is a low-key stroke of genius. To me, it’s less about those players overachieving and more about Omar Khan building toward a “go big” strategy every few years, where the previously drafted players can make up for the picks we don’t have in a given draft. Yes, I’m saying I believe this is the year we go big. Do you see the same pattern? I also like that Omar is willing to take risks, unlike Kevin Colbert, who was often conservative to a fault.
Let’s say we get to Week 4 and Broderick Jones hasn’t improved. What’s your plan? What would you do? In that scenario, I think a player-for-player swap could be realistic, especially if Alex Highsmith continues to struggle.
Alex: Probably not as excited as you. Let’s get him on the field first. Chuck Clark will still probably start this weekend since Peppers just arrived. And Elliott won’t be out more than a couple of weeks. It’s a good signing but I’m not going crazy over it.
Yes, I think Khan is adding veterans now to keep draft pick powder dry for 2026 and have a youth movement since this is currently one of football’s oldest rosters.
Plan if Jones struggles isn’t much. It’s not going to be the big player-for-player trade you’re suggesting. A smaller trade or Calvin Anderson starting. And Highsmith played fine against the Jets. I don’t think they have any intentions of trading him and hurting the EDGE spot.
Kyle: What is the current salary cap space the Steelers are working with?
Alex: Best to check with Dave. On July 16, he mapped out about $11.77 million of usable cap space. Number may have shifted some but that’s about where it’s at.
