Category: 2023 Steelers offseason

What was the biggest offseason mistake the Steelers made?

The Steelers made several serious missteps in the offseason but which one was the worst?

With five games done, the problems with the Pittsburgh Steelers are glaring and quite evident. Despite the fact that the Steelers have found their way to a 3-2 record, most would agree this team isn’t as good as its record.

Looking back at the offseason, it is easy to see some areas where the team could have done things differently but it isn’t easy to point to what the biggest offseason misstep was.

First up, and the one most fans are going to pick is keeping offensive coordinator Matt Canada. Despite the struggles with the offense the previous season, head coach Mike Tomlin chose to maintain continuity with the offense and showed his loyalty to Canada. What we have seen is the offense continues to struggle with no real end in sight.

From a player standpoint, there is one glaring roster move that stands out. Pittsburgh made no effort to retain cornerback Cam Sutton and instead thought signing Patrick Peterson would be an adequate replacement. This hasn’t been the cast as Peterson has struggled and Sutton is a star with the Detroit Lions.

Finally, and maybe this isn’t one people aren’t thinking about is how the Steelers handled the preseason. Everyone got a false sense of how good the Steelers starting offense was when they only played five series in three games. Perhaps if Tomlin and the coaches had left the Steelers starters on the field more, some of these problems would have shown up and corrections could have been made ahead of the regular season.

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Cast your vote and tell us what you think the biggest mistake is the Steelers made this offseason.

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4 free agents still on the market who could help the Steelers

There are still free agents the Steelers could use.

With less than a month until training camp, there is still a long list of NFL free agents still looking for teams. Many of those players are very talented and will help teams during the regular season. For whatever reason they just haven’t found the right fit yet. Here are four guys still on the market who could help the Steelers.

Steelers HC Mike Tomlin says OTAs more about learning than evaluation

Mike Tomlin talked to the media on Tuesday about OTAs.

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Every NFL team approaches minicamp with a different philosophy. For Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, it is more about learning at this stage and moving toward what he called “football-like work” as opposed to being a tool for player evaluation.

The Steelers are very early in the offseason process with mandatory minicamp up next followed by training camp. We’ve already heard from multiple players that they feel this team is ahead of schedule so it makes sense for Tomlin to take a patient approach given all the new players on the team.

Tomlin was also asked about the development of rookie cornerbacks Joey Porter Jr. and Cory Trice Jr. and Tomlin was quick to point out where they are will all play out once the team starts playing real football. The two rookies have drawn rave reviews from observers during OTAs but as with everything, Tomlin remains tight-lipped, never wanting to offer too much to the media.

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If Chase Young is an option for the Steelers, Danielle Hunter should be too

If the Steelers want another pass rusher, Danielle Hunter is a great one.

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Recently we’ve heard that the Pittsburgh Steelers could be in the market to pursue Washington Commanders edge rusher Chase Young. We’ve gone on the record to say a trade does Young doesn’t make a lot of sense and isn’t likely to happen.

But now, with the news that Minnesota Vikings star pass rusher Danielle Hunter is planning to skip mandatory minicamp and could be traded, it begs the question. If Young is an option, is Hunter as well?

The answer to this should be a resounding yes. Hunter is one of the best pass rushers in the NFL and if he wants to play elsewhere, the Vikings should be able to move him. What would compensation be? I would suspect something in the neighborhood of a mid-round pick for the 29-year-old. A bargain compared to what Young is going to command on the open market.

The Steelers just signed veteran edge rusher Markus Golden which was a big reason why we haven’t taken the Young rumors seriously. But given all the variables, Hunter would be a much smarter move for the Steelers if they are set on adding a fourth edge rusher.

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Check out Steelers WR Diontae Johnson working hard in the offseason

Diontae Johnson is grinding in Florida preparing for the season.

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Last season, no wide receiver was better at getting open in the NFL than Pittsburgh Steeler Diontae Johnson. Judging by the video below that Johnson shared on Instagram, that isn’t going to change anytime soon.

Johnson shared a video of him grinding on the field, working hard on his quickness and cuts, showing those lightning-fast moves and zero wasted energy. Johnson will forever be known as the guy the Steelers drafted with the pick acquired from the trade that sent Antonio Brown to the Las Vegas Raiders. He’s picked up the mantle as the team’s No. 1 wide receiver and should continue to improve this season.

James Everett, aka Route God, is the guy who Johnson is working with down in Florida. Route running has never been an issue for Johnson but let’s hope he’s also working hard to improve his 58.5 percent catch rate. Johnson had just 86 receptions in 2022 despite 147 targets.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CtVK3j1Og2V/

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Steelers S Minkah Fitzpatrick says defense is ‘ahead of the game’ despite changes

Minkah Fitzpatrick is happy about where the defense is right now.

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Traditionally the Pittsburgh Steelers have prided themselves on its stout defense. A unit that struck fear in opposing offenses. Last season’s defense didn’t quite live up to that lofty reputation and so there had to be changes to the roster.

But according to safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, this group is ahead of schedule despite all the new players.

“Now it’s finding that chemistry, learning how to truly communicate,” Fitzpatrick said. “Learning how each other sees the game. I think we are doing a really good job with it. We are ahead of the game. We are definitely ahead of where we thought we would be, which is exciting.”

Pittsburgh could have as many as five new starters on defense in 2023. Thankfully with a core group consisting of Fitzpatrick, outside linebacker T.J. Watt and defensive tackle Cam Heyward, this group will be good enough to keep this group competitive while all the new starters learn the system and learn how to play together.

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Steelers announce signing of 2 players, release of 1 more

The Steelers announced three roster moves on Monday.

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On Monday, the Pittsburgh Steelers announced a handful of roster moved. They had signed two new players and released one. The team announced they had released wide receiver Cody Chrest. In his place, the team has added offensive lineman Jarrid Williams and running back Darius Hagans.

Hagans was signed as an undrafted rookie this offseason by the Indianapolis Colts. He played his college football at Virginia State and rushed for 1,012 yards and six rushing touchdowns in 2022.

Williams played his college football at the University of Houston and spent time with the Detroit Lions and Philadelphia Eagles last season on their practice squads.

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