Steelers Now
PITTSBURGH — Tyler Warren isn’t your grandfather’s tight end. The Penn State product and Indianapolis Colts’ rookie first-round draft pick could hurt the Pittsburgh Steelers in multiple ways on Sunday, but he surely won’t take Mike Tomlin’s team by surprise.
“He’s plug-and-play not only in terms of his playing ability but their utilization of him,” Tomlin said of Warren on Tuesday. “They use him in a variety of schemes. Get the ball in his hands early and often. Some of the things that you saw on video at Penn State, you see on video (in) Indianapolis. But that’s why you take dynamic players like him that high. He’s been an integral component of what they’ve been able to do offensively. Can’t say enough about it.”
According to Statmuse, Warren leads all NFL tight ends this season with 492 receiving yards. Behind him are the Kansas City Chiefs’ Travis Kelce (474) and the Green Bay Packers’ Tucker Kraft (469), who went for 143 yards and two touchdowns on seven grabs against the Steelers’ defense last week.
Warren has also carried the ball four times for six yards and a touchdown. He’s only attempted one pass, but as a former all-state high school quarterback, that threat is also there.
“(He’s) a do-it-all guy,” Steelers veteran defensive back Jalen Ramsey said. “He can block, block well in the run game, but also, he’s a guy who Daniel (Jones) has a good connection with and can get open and make some big catches for the team. I think he’s definitely had a solid start, at least, to the beginning of his rookie year.”
In Jonnu Smith, the Steelers have a comparably versatile tight end themselves. Ramsey said it’s helpful to be able to go up against him in practice while preparing for someone like Warren.
“It’s basically making the offense go, the dynamic of having a guy that can line up all over the place — in the backfield, split out and (in) the slot,” Smith said. “It can give the defense a lot of problems. A lot of teams scheme and adjust to where the tight end is aligned, so having a guy that can move around and make plays all over the field is a huge advantage for the offense.”
The Steelers will be missing safeties DeShon Elliott and Jabrill Peppers in their secondary. Kyle Dugger, who arrived with the team via trade this week, will likely be thrown into the mix right away.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Depleted Steelers Must Watch Tyler Warren Closely vs. Colts
