Tag: Steelers 2024 offseason

Steelers fans panic as conflicting reports emerge on QB Justin Fields

Conflicting reports emerge about Steelers QB Justin Fields offseason performance.

What fans hear from team beat writers and team brass often occurs on opposite ends of the spectrum. And that’s certainly the case with Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Omar Khan and The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly regarding quarterback Justin Fields.

Khan had this to say about Fields on a recent episode of The Fan Morning Show:

We really liked Justin coming out of college. He had an up-and-down situation in Chicago, and the opportunity was there to get him, and I’m excited. He’s really looked awesome. He’s a great individual, too.

Kaboly’s observation, via an offseason winners/losers article, wasn’t quite as wholesome.

Don’t get bent out of shape with Fields finding himself on this list. His talent speaks for itself. But unlike Wilson, he has a lot of obstacles to overcome for an opportunity this year. Fields didn’t get many first-team reps, and that’s significant come training camp. More than that, you can see what made him a first-round pick … and also what made the Chicago Bears move on. The arm strength, speed and playmaking with his legs are undeniable. However, he showed inconsistent accuracy and relied on his feet too quickly after the first read. That stuff can be fixed, but maybe not throughout a training camp.

Of course, it’s a rare moment when any GM throws a player under the bus, so you’d never hear Khan publicly speak poorly about the quarterback he traded for.

As for Kaboly, he set up his stance by encouraging fans not to jump to conclusions, but it didn’t quite work.

Instead, a panic button was pushed when reports of Fields “struggling” this offseason ran rampant through the interwebs. Suddenly, the Steelers have an issue with their presumed backup quarterback.

Training camp should help clarify Fields’ position for the 2024 season, as it tends to do for most teams.

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Steelers rookie must ‘make strides’ to earn starting gig

First-round draft picks typically are Week 1 starters, but that isn’t necessarily a given for Steelers rookie Troy Fautanu. 

First-round draft picks typically are Week 1 starters, especially in the trenches. But that isn’t a given for Pittsburgh Steelers rookie tackle Troy Fautanu.

Experience could trump talent in Fautanu’s offseason competition with fourth-year veteran Dan Moore Jr.

The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly named Fauanu among the “losers” of Pittsburgh’s offseason to date:

This certainly doesn’t mean Fautanu will be a bust or never be a star. But he makes the list because Moore is ahead of him on the depth chart, which is not his fault but the reality of the situation. Sure, that can change quickly in Latrobe, but the limited amount of time Fautanu has to get acclimated to the NFL — coupled with how the organization approached the Broderick Jones/Moore battle last year — makes you wonder. Fautanu is smart and talented, and that comes through immediately, but he must make strides to win a starting job.

A story to watch is at what spot will the Steelers stick Broderick Jones for reps to start training camp next month? Both he and Moore perform better on the left. Jones got the call when an MCL injury sidelined Moore for 1.5 games.

Moore got his starting job back in Week 7 with Jones reverting to the bench, only to take over at right tackle after Chuks Okorafor’s verbal slip got him benched. Though Jones did improve as the season went on, playing on his unnatural side threw a slight learning curve where he shined in Moore’s brief absence.

Jones is now one year older and one year wiser in the NFL system. Should the initial official depth chart have Jones on the right and Moore on the left, Fautanu may have to wait patiently for his time to come.

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Is Steelers TE Pat Freiermuth about to get paid?

Pittsburgh Steelers Te Pat Freiermuth is heading into the final year of his rookie deal.

Like Najee Harris and Cam Heyward, Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth is heading into the final year of his current contract. Freiermuth is on the rookie deal that he signed after Pittsburgh took him 55th overall in the 2021 NFL draft.

Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith loves him some tight ends, and that could result in Freiermuth having the best season since 2022 when he put up 732 yards and two scores. In 2021, his yardage was lower at 432, but he found paydirt seven times with Ben Roethlisberger at the helm.

“Based on football in shorts, the Steelers might give Pat Freiermuth a contract extension tomorrow,” Mark Kaboly, Steelers insider for The Athletic, wrote on June 7. “It has been well documented how Smith likes to use tight ends in his offense, and that was evident at OTAs.”

Though it’s just offseason workouts, Kaboly noted Freiermuth’s increased usage. “Freiermuth was not only targeted often, but he looked like a legitimate playmaker in this offense.”

It remains to be seen whether that indicates Freiermuth will be sticking around Pittsburgh while, but it could be on the horizon.

“Me and my agent are going to keep it close to the vest about that,” he told Kaboly.

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Steelers OC Arthur Smith on how Russell Wilson, Justin Fields fit into offense

Steelers OC Arthur Smith offers some insight into how Russell Wilson and Justin Fields fit into the offense.

When the Pittsburgh Steelers brass decided to make a change at quarterback, they ultimately opted to go with a duo at opposite ends of their careers. Russell Wilson is the seasoned veteran and Justin Fields is trying to find his identity.

Wilson and Fields are working under the Steelers’ new offensive coordinator, Arthur Smith. His previous systems were quarterback-friendly, with ample use of play-action and running backs doing what they do best.

“Both of them made a lot of plays in this league a lot of in big moments,” Smith told Missi Matthews of Steelers.com. “We’re not so rigid. Every year I’ve tried to adapt. You have our core beliefs. There are things that they’ve historically done well that we try to enhance. There are other things that we’ve put in that fit really our overall personnel in the way we want to play.”

Wilson and Fields’ ability to extend plays will be featured in what Smith wants to do in 2024.

“Both guys are really good play extenders,” said Smith. “They could change the launch points, which gives you an advantage. They’re not just sitting there as a statue in the pocket. They’re very professional, they’re authentic people. They know who they are and they bring professionalism and a work ethic.”

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