Stop me if you’ve heard these words before coming out of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ OTA sessions…
Accountability.
Leadership.
Drive.
“Better grip of the offense.”
Those are words we’ve heard before on the Southside but for some reason they seem to be taken with much more credibility and seriousness this year. Remember last year? When Kenny Pickett ‘had total control of the Matt Canada offense?’ The offensive line was going to be so much better? Pickett was showing positive leadership traits?
I’m not knocking Pickett simply because that’s low-hanging fruit and it probably isn’t all deserved but there is a really different vibe coming from this year’s group. The fact that it’s incredibly early is not lost on me either. Guys are usually upbeat, glad to see their teammates and meet their new ones but aside from Najee Harris declining media requests yesterday, things sound really good.
That’s where Russell Wilson comes in.
Wilson is a polarizing figure, just ask Denver fans who are already saying Patrick Nix is better than Wilson was, but what is undeniable is that Wilson enjoys the grind. He likes to put in the work, gets to know his teammates and has no problem dealing with the media. He’s honestly something the Steelers really haven’t had in quite some time. All of this goodwill means little if he doesn’t perform on Sundays though.
Beyond Wilson, the comments from other guys have been encouraging. From Pat Freiermuth to Calvin Austin III, they’ve been incredibly upbeat about Arthur Smith’s offense and they’ve sung the praises of not just Wilson but of Justin Fields too.
And while last year’s offensive line saw an upgrade with Broderick Jones and Isaac Seumalo, the upgrades this offseason are equally as impressive with Troy Fautanu and Zach Frazier and potentially even Mason McCormick. This unit cannot wait until midseason to gel as the unit did last season. They will need to get on the same page quickly with the league’s toughest schedule ahead of them.
I am not naive to the fact that we are very early in the entire process but I like what I’m hearing so far.
