Through two of their first three preseason games there is a lot to like about what the Pittsburgh Steelers are doing. Despite dropping Saturday night’s contest to Tampa Bay 17-14, there were improved performances on both sides. The disclaimer is that both teams were playing guys that won’t be on either roster come September and that’s fair. That doesn’t diminish what they were able to do. On the other side however are some concerns that have emerged.
During the game, I posted the following.
Two in the Same Spot
Four of the five starters (Isaac Seumalo has yet to play) have been pretty solid when it comes to pass protection. Most notably have been Broderick Jones and Troy Fautanu. They have both looked solid in both games. The real problem is running the football. While Kaleb Johnson and later Lew Nichols both ripped off a couple of explosive runs, the overall rushing attack has been a mess.
Center Zach Frazier following Thursday’s joint practice with the Bucs said as much afterward. He suggested that there’s still “a lot to clean up.” What makes this more pressing is that Aaron Rodgers has to have a consistently solid running game. This is not Aaron Rodgers of years past where he could sling it all over the field for 60 minutes. His numbers against the blitz last year were abysmal. Defensive coordinators will feed on that especially if the running game is faltering.
The major thing to watch if you’re interested in the play of the offensive line is how quickly is the running back contacted after getting the ball. Good running games will feature backs who aren’t touched until they are past the line of scrimmage. The Steelers have struggled in this area for the last several years – just ask Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren. If they aren’t getting push then the running game will go nowhere.
The Other One
The second area of concern is also related to the offensive line. There is an enormous lack of depth behind the starters right now. I would argue that the best reserve is Ryan McCollum, Frazier’s backup at center. This is exactly why veteran Andrus Peat was brought in. Now the good news here is that in the first two preseason games, the running game has actually been serviceable. Guys like Lew Nichols and Evan Hull have had had some nice runs.
Perspective however tells us that these are backups playing backups. Yes, it’s good that our guys appear to be better than the reserves for Jacksonville and Tampa Bay but how will they play when forced into action against starters? I will not be a bit surprised if Omar Khan looks to add further, veteran depth up front.
The Surprise One
This isn’t something I expected to write about… But suddenly, the Steelers have some concerns at Outside Linebacker. Alex Highsmith has been unavailable for weeks now since suffering another groin injury while Nick Herbig left Saturday night’s game with a bad hamstring. That means you T.J. Watt, rookie Jack Sawyer, journeyman Eku Leota and international player Julius Welschof.
Part of drafting Sawyer was to improve depth especially as Watt gets older and his snaps become used more strategically. Leota actually looked better than Sawyer did on Saturday. While I’m not hitting the panic button by any stretch, I am concerned about Sawyer’s lack of production so far. He’s been credited with just three tackles and one QB pressure so far. The reason I’m concerned is that his snaps have come not just against starters, but also against guys who won’t be on rosters in 2025.
Former backup Jeremiah Moon was designated with an injury settlement back on August 1st so he doesn’t appear to be an option. DeMarvin Leal played quite a bit of OLB versus the Jags but then played a little more on the defensive line this past weekend. In a pinch, he can fill in, but long-term? I’ don’t see it. I’m hopeful that both Highsmith and Herbig are ready to go by week one. But if they aren’t? That’s not good.
