Behind the Steel Curtain
It’s that time of week when I dig into your questions, and this week was a pretty good one in terms of topics for discussion. Thanks to everyone who makes this piece possible every week. I genuinely appreciate it. Let’s dig in.
Q: What is the only constant in 10 years of mediocrity and how long do we accept it? – ClementeLambertGuy
A: You’re preaching to the choir, man. I want new leadership on the team as much as anyone.
Q: What needs to happen, schematically, for the Steelers’ wide receivers to get open more often? Or, is it that they’re getting open, but Rajas is having a difficult time seeing them from that pile he’s under? No matter how vaunted the defense, there’s a vulnerability that can be exploited. What do the Steelers need to change in order to open up the offense? – SteelerSince73!
A: Pass blocking is the easy answer, but it’s certainly not the only answer. I’d like to see more modern concepts. More motion, more intermediate looks over the middle of the field. That said, when looking at how playcallers are graded in terms of scripted plays to start the game, Arthur Smith is graded as one of the better playcallers in the league – how can they carry over that success from the start of games to be there more consistently throughout all 60 minutes? There is far too much dink-and-dunk, far too much predictability on first and second down. Iron those issues out, and the offense will be noticeably better.
Q: With injury to Najee Harris and Russell Wilson being benched, do the Steelers lose two potential comp picks? What is the estimate of picks left? – Ecbucs
A: I won’t pretend to completely understand the weird intricacies of the comp pick formula, but the short answer is yes, this will affect the potential comp pick the Steelers were expected to get for Russell Wilson. They weren’t going to get a comp pick for Harris anyway. Teams can only have four comp picks. The Steelers lost seven CFAs (comp pick free agents), which means the three they signed canceled out three of the players they lost. But Wilson’s snap counts being high would have helped them get a better pick. If you want a really good breakdown of the formula, check out Over The Cap, which does a great job of getting all the ins and outs explained.
Q: This season and free agency got Madden simulated to the Draft; what 5 positions do you think are the Steelers biggest needs? And assuming QB is number 1, which 5 QBs do you have your personal eyes on? – AmpersandSteel
A: 1. Quarterback 2. Left Tackle 3. Wide Receiver 4. Inside Linebacker 5. Safety
None of the big-name quarterbacks have really wowed through the first month, but Drew Allar and LaNorris Sellers are the guys I’d want the Steelers to draft most. I’ll take tools that can be molded i.e. Josh Allen (I am...
