Tag: Steelers OTAs

Steelers fans can’t overreact to reports from OTAs on these new quarterbacks

Kenny Pickett taught us to not overthink performance in the offseason.

Everyone waits with nervous anticipation about the current state of the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback position. After adding Russell Wilson and Justin Fields in the offseason, fans and pundits alike hope the Steelers have finally found the missing piece of the puzzle.

So when mixed reviews of Wilson and particularly Fields come out of OTAs, people want to get all bent out of shape about it. But it’s important to keep any reports of players playing well or playing poorly in the offseason in perspective.

Thanks to Kenny Pickett.

No player gave Steelers fans more false hope than Pickett last season. His offseason was literally perfect. Every week we heard about Pickett’s command of the offense and how things were going to be different.

Then the preseason comes and Pickett is even better. It seemed that every time the football left his hand it was a long touchdown. The offense was fixed, right?

Wrong. Pickett’s game completely crumbled when the regular season started and all those accolades just faded into the background, only to be replaced with week after week of anemic, inefficient passing. So, when you start reading about how well or poorly one of these Steelers quarterbacks played, take it all with a grain of salt.

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Steelers DT Cam Heyward sets the record straight about his goals

Cam Heyward makes it clear he wants to finish his career in Pittsburgh.

If it weren’t for the fact that defensive tackle Cam Heyward is an icon for the Pittsburgh Steelers, we probably wouldn’t even be having this conversation. But because he is, every day that passes where Heyward doesn’t have a contract extension and there are rumors about what might happen, it gets people worked up.

But Heyward is doing his very best to put it all to rest and calm the masses. Heyward took to X, formerly Twitter and shared that the goal is for him to be a Steeler for the rest of his career. Heyward also put to rest any desire there could be to play for the Cleveland Browns.

Heyward is currently working to get a contract extension this offseason so he can finish his career in Pittsburgh. But being 35 and coming off of a tough season, there is a business piece to all of this everyone must acknowledge.

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Steelers RB Najee Harris wise to decline interviews at OTAs

Najee Harris won’t address the media until training camp.

According to beat writer Joe Rutter, Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris will not be doing any interviews during OTAs or minicamps and will address the media during training camp in late July.

Harris has opted not to talk to the media right now after the team decided not to pick up his fifth-year option. This means Harris will be playing in 2024 without any security for the future with the Steelers.

This alone might not be a reason for Harris to avoid reporters but after rumors swirled that Harris might have been the one who asked not to have his fifth-year option picked up because he’s ready to move on from the Steelers, Harris is wise to avoid those types of distractions.

Harris has been a steady, productive performer in his first three seasons in Pittsburgh. He’s topped 1,000 rushing yards in each of his first three seasons despite questionable offensive line and quarterback play. Harris should have things a bit easier this season with the addition of new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith in charge and two new offensive linemen.

However, the presence of running back Jaylen Warren muddies the waters as the team might want to transition to him as the feature back this season.

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Steelers DL Cameron Heyward returns to team facilities

Cam is back!

According to Pittsburgh Steelers beat writer Gerry Dulac, defensive tackle Cameron Heyward is back at the Steelers facility on Tuesday as the team starts their third week of organized team activities (OTAs).

Heyward hadn’t been attending any voluntary workouts so far this season. This is the first time in Heyward’s previous 13 seasons that Heyward has not been to these workouts. This had been in response to Heyward wanting a contract extension this offseason. Heyward is heading into the final year of his current contract and admittedly coming off an injury-riddled season where his production was down.

We are optimistic the arrival of Heyward at OTAs means the two sides have come to an agreement that will keep him with the Steelers for the foreseeable future.

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Steelers TE Darnell Washington expecting a big season

Darnell Washington has looked much better as a route runner and receiver at OTAs.

When the Pittsburgh Steelers selected tight end Darnell Washington in the third round of the 2023 NFL draft, most pundits thought they got a steal. Washington is a freakish athlete and punishing blocker but very raw as a pass catcher.

All three of those things showed themselves last season. Despite playing the most snaps of any tight end on the roster (511) but was only targeted 10 times in the passing game. Washington feels like that is going to change this season and he expects to have a breakout season. He talked about it during OTAs when he addressed the media after practice.

“I’d say this year is different for me because I know the ropes of the NFL a little more. Last year was my rookie year so I was going into it like ‘I don’t really know what this is like.’ This year, I feel like I have more of a grasp on things,” Washington said. “Personally, I do [expect a big year]. At the same time, I still have to build trust with the OC for him to call what he wants to call, still got to build trust with the QBs, but yeah I think so.”

New offensive coordinator Arthur Smith brings a more tight-end-friendly offense to Pittsburgh but the depth chart is crowded. Pat Freiermuth and Connor Heyward are also hoping to see more targets and there are only so many to go around.

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Steelers EDGE Nick Herbig taking advantage of T.J. Watt’s absence at OTAs

Nick Herbig has seen an increase in snaps with T.J. Watt on vacation.

Before you ask, no Pittsburgh Steelers edge T.J. Watt isn’t holding out for more money. Watt’s absence from OTAs this year is slightly less dramatic and is simply for a vacation. One guy who is excited about Watt’s absence is fellow edge defender Nick Herbig who has used the opportunity to get extra reps at practice.

Herbig spoke to Steelers beat writer Mark Kaboly and talked about him taking advantage of his opportunities.

I look at this like a chance to get better and be able to go against a guy like Broderick [Jones]. You have to take full advantage of opportunities like these. You love when TJ is here because he is a great player and role model for us, but it is great to get some reps with the ones. When you have a guy of his caliber around every day, it’s kind of hard not to ask questions.

Herbig heads into the season as the team’s primary backup to Watt and Alex Highsmith. Herbig played very limited snaps last season with veteran Markus Golden serving as the top reserve at edge and he finished with a modest 3.0 sacks. Herbig is a perfect breakout candidate this season with more reps.

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OT Dan Moore calls new offense ‘oline friendly’

Dan Moore is battling to keep his starting spot but says the offense fits his style well.

You can tell just by listening to the players talk, this is going to be a very different Pittsburgh Steelers offense. The addition of new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith has already breathed new life into this unit and big changes are coming.

Offensive tackle Dan Moore Jr. spoke to the media on Wednesday and he called the offense very oline friendly with its emphasis on the power run game and play-action passing.

Moore seemed particularly upbeat and optimistic given he is currently fighting an uphill battle to hold onto his spot in the starting lineup. The Steelers drafted Troy Fautanu in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft and paired with Broderick Jones appear to be the future for the Steelers.

It is somewhat odd that a guy who has started 49 of 49 games in his young career is a longshot to be the starter this season but such is the nature of the NFL. Moore is set to hit free agency at the end of the season as well.

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Steelers sign former Chiefs TE to 1-year contract

Izaiah Gathings is a converted wide receiver and former Kansas City Chiefs TE.

On Wednesday, the Pittsburgh Steelers announced they had signed former Kansas City Chiefs tight end Izaiah Gathings to a one-year contract after a tryout.

Gathings is a converted wide receiver who played his college football at Middle Tennessee. Gathings was a non-factor for the Chiefs in the regular season and had only a single reception in the preseason.

The addition of Gathings adds to a very crowded tight end depth chart. The team already has Pat Freiermuth, Connor Heyward, Darnell Washington, Rodney Williams and MyCole Pruitt on the roster and the team is only likely to keep three tight ends.

Pittsburgh is currently working through OTAs and evaluating everyone on the roster. Tight end seems to be fairly set and should be a more significant part of the offense with new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith in place. Wide receiver and cornerback remain the biggest question marks on the roster and both are positions where we could see roster moves in the coming weeks.

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Steelers players are loving ‘unreal’ Arthur Smith offense

The Arthur Smith offense is already impressing the Steelers.

Last season was a comedy of errors for Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Matt Canada. Week after week he trotted out the same mundane, predictable schemes and defenses had no issue shutting things down.

Even after the Steelers fired Canada mid-season, the offense had to go through some growing pains before it was able to be productive and even that was as much to do with a change at quarterback as anything else.

But this year it sounds like things are different and for the first time in a long time, there is some excitement surrounding the offense. Steelers writer Mark Kaboly shared what he is hearing from the team and the players have spoken to say they love the new offense with one calling it ‘unreal’.

The first day of OTAs is Tuesday and while we don’t expect to see it in depth, the upgrades should be pretty obvious.

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