Tag: 2024 Steelers offseason

Steelers search for wide receiver ‘on hold’ as Mike Tomlin minds his business

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin hinted that nothing will happen in these final weeks with a potentially available wide receiver.

We’re three weeks into the Pittsburgh Steelers’ much-needed breather, with minicamps ending on June 13 and training camp reconvening on July 24.

The stint is the league’s only real rest and relaxation before preparation continues for the 2024 NFL season (kicking off Sept. 5), so all is generally quiet on the western front.

As minicamp drew to a close, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin told reporters he’d spend his time off  “minding my business.” That tells you all you need to know.

Tomlin’s words hinted that nothing will publicly happen in these final weeks before things ramp up, putting Pittsburgh’s quest (if there even is one) for wide receiver depth on hold.

Steelers fans and most media seem to agree that the team lacks a real defensive threat in their current wide receiver corp; no thanks to jettisoning Diontae Johnson without an iron-clad plan.

Rumblings of links to Brandon Aiyuk, Courtland Sutton, D.K. Metcalf and the like have yielded bupkis. As it stands now, it’s George Pickens, then everyone else. A bevy of veteran journeymen — and rookie Roman Wilson — round out the depth chart.

In a couple of weeks, we’ll see whether Pittsburgh still intends to add a big-name receiver or if they’re intent on sticking with what they have.

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Ex-Steelers RB Le’Veon Bell tweets harsh criticism of Justin Fields

Everybody’s a critic during the offseason and Le’Veon Bell is no different.

Everybody’s a critic during the offseason and Le’Veon Bell is no different.

The ex-Pittsburgh Steelers running back retweeted a video that originated on TikTok from @routegod813. James Everett Jr., a.k.a. “Route God,” is a former player-turned-trainer who’s working with quarterback Justin Fields. Everett has trained several other players, including former Steelers wide receiver Diontae Johnson and current cornerback Cam Sutton.

Bell’s observation of the footage is that Fields’ ball was getting to the receiver late.

“that ball getting there lateeeeeee .. I know it’s routes on air, but this is telling you a lot,” Bell posted in a retweet of the training video from TikTok.

Of course, that started a debate on Fields’ mechanics.

“lol he’s waiting like 7 years for the ball to get there on a 5 yard hitch,” Bell responded to a fan who said his take was wrong.

To a fan who said Fields is trash: “I ain’t say all that, but he definitely gotta bunch of room improve .. which can also be scary with all the talent he has.”

All subjective, I suppose, but Route God was on-site witnessing and coaching what was going down in the video. His reply to Bell’s criticism was this: “The Balls Ain’t Late His QB Trainer Was There And They Was Working Progressions He A Great Q And Everything Was on The Money.”

It’s just private drills. Fields and the Steelers are on their own until the team reconvenes in Latrobe for training camp in late July. That’s when a clearer picture of Fields’ progression will unfold.

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Steelers rookie tackle Troy Fautanu earns positive reviews

Steelers OL coach Pat Meyer on his offseason observations of rookie tackle Troy Fautanu.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are in their second of seven weeks of break before returning for the dog days of training camp.

After the Steelers broke from organized team activities (OTAs), offensive line coach Pat Meyer spoke about the progression of first-round rookie tackle Troy Fautanu.

“The first couple days, his timing was off because the speed of the game is different — now we don’t have any pads on yet, so nothing’s going to be determined until we get into camp — but his timing’s much better in terms of his get-off and run game and his sets and throwing his hands and being aggressive with his hands and whatnot,” Meyer told ESPN’s Brooke Pryor. “He’s improved tremendously from rookie minicamp to now.”

Fautanu’s collegiate experience at Washington includes all of two snaps at right tackle (and 100 snaps at left guard), but that’s where he expects to compete when the team starts camp on July 25.

Historically, barring injury to a veteran, Mike Tomlin has delayed starting top rookies until their second season. Going forward, things could be different in Pittsburgh, but camp will offer a clearer picture of their plans.

In a perfect world, Fautanu would show enough chops for Tomlin to feel confident about starting him on the right side out of the gate, Dan Moore Jr. would be relegated to backup, and second-year tackle Broderick Jones would return to his natural spot on the left side.

That’s what Steelers fans want to see.

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Steelers DC anticipates Cameron Heyward will be ‘back to being Cam’

Steelers DC Teryl Austin believes that Cam Heyward will return to form in 2024.

Cam Heyward had a rough 2023 season. Not typically injury-prone, the Pittsburgh Steelers veteran suffered a groin injury in training camp that tore completely off the bone 14 snaps into the season opener. He spent six weeks on injured reserve, but it nagged him all season and he was never the same.

Steelers defensive coordinator Teryl Austin anticipates that Heyward will be back to being Cam at the start of the 2024 season.

“It’s hard to tell right now, but I’m anticipating him getting back to the Cam Heyward that we know,” Austin told Steelers media on Wednesday. “He’s big, he’s strong, he’s moving well. You can see it now; he’s moving so much better than he did last year. I’m assuming that we’re going to get the Cam that we’re used to seeing.”

The Cam that we’re used to seeing is just two seasons removed from back-to-back double-digit sack seasons.

Heyward, now 35, remains a force to be reckoned with for the opposition. He can still be impactful, even heading into his 13th season.

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George Pickens not among Steelers pass catchers that joined Russell Wilson for throwing drills

Steelers WR George Pickens was among the missing when players met up with Russell Wilson for throwing drills.

On a recent episode of Around the 412, Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth revealed that some receivers joined Russell Wilson in San Diego for throwing drills.

With the team’s offseason workouts beginning April 15, Wilson wanted to get a jumpstart on building a rapport with his pass-catchers. Only their current No. 1 was not among them.

Freiermuth shared that he, Calvin Austin III and new Steeler Van Jefferson went out west — but no George Pickens. He didn’t single him out, but the fact that he wasn’t there is concerning.

Pickens may have had a good reason for not being there, but he should’ve made every effort to be. The two have zero experience together, and building chemistry should be a top priority. You’d think he’d be eager to meet him and get something going.

In Arthur Smith‘s offense, Pickens could have a breakout year. Smith loves drawing up sideline pass plays, which should feed into Pickens’ love for showing off his acrobatic athleticism. But they’ll have to wait to see what that looks like.

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WR George Pickens put on notice by Steelers’ offseason moves

Steelers GM Omar Khan set a precedent that the franchise is done dealing with entitled players who feel they’re above the team.

It’s been a whirlwind offseason for the Pittsburgh Steelers — one like we’ve never seen before. General manager Omar Khan dismantled the quarterback room and revamped it with Russell Wilson and Justin Fields.

Khan also made a couple of other significant roster-altering moves, sending Diontae Johnson to Carolina and Kenny Pickett to Philadelphia. His actions spoke louder than words by establishing a precedent that the franchise is done dealing with entitled players who feel they’re above the Steelers.

George Pickens is one of those players, and if he wants to remain a Steeler, he’d better shape up or he’ll be shipped out.

Pickens, 23, displayed character unbecoming of representing the black and gold last season, throwing sideline tantrums and hurting drives with taunting penalties.

As Pickens prepares for his third season with a vastly different offense around him, he might want to work on the attitude because the trade deadline isn’t until October.

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REPORT: Steelers looking to aquire top-tier wide receiver

Even with all the moves the Pittsburgh Steelers so far this offseason, they might not be finished.

This offseason has been the busiest ever for the Pittsburgh Steelers. It is clearly a new team and a new standard with Omar Khan as general manager. So far this offseason, the Steelers have signed a new starting quarterback, linebacker and punter. They also traded away one troublemaking wide receiver for a starting cornerback and fleeced the Chicago Bears for a potential franchise quarterback in Justin Fields.

But according to Steelers beat writer Gerry Dulac, they’re not done. After trading Diontae Johnson, who’s served as WR1 since the departures of Antonio Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster, they’re in the market for a top-tier receiver.

“Bigger is all I will tell you, Rich, and we shall see, but that is another step that they are going to make,” Dulac shared on the March 18 Rich Eisen Show. “Like I said, it might not even be Mike Williams, it might be a bigger catch, if you will. No pun intended.”

The Steelers are meeting with free agent Mike Williams this week, but a bigger name could usher in a guy like San Fransisco 49ers Brandon Aiyuk.

Aiyuk, who logged a career-high 1,342 receiving yards and seven touchdowns in 16 regular-season games this past season, could be on the trading block given the 49ers haven’t been able to reach a long-term deal with him.

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