The Pittsburgh Steelers signed linebacker Nick Kwiatskoski in an effort to add depth in the middle of their defense. Although training camp is less than a month away, the potential of the Steelers doing the same at running back remains.

Big names such as Dalvin Cook and Leonard Fournette have been floated as possibilities for the Steelers. But a running back willing to be the No. 3 guy behind Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren would likely be a better fit for Matt Canada’s offense.

One guy who could fill that need is former Jacksonville Jaguars running back James Robinson.

On June 23, Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon called Robinson a good potential free agency alternative to Cook.

“He’s only a year removed from back-to-back strong seasons to start his career, including over 1,000 yards as a rookie with the Jacksonville Jaguars, and he’s still just 24 years old,” wrote Gagnon.

Steelers’ Potential Need for Depth at RB

Harris and Warren formed a formidable 1-2 punch in the Pittsburgh backfield to end last season.

After the Week 9 bye week, the Steelers rushed for at least 100 yards in eight of their final nine games. In five of those contests, the Steelers went over 150 rushing yards.

But the Steelers lack running back depth behind Harris and Warren. Anthony McFarland, team’s current No. 3 running back on the roster, only played 21 offensive snaps last season and had 8 touches.

The other running backs on the Pittsburgh roster who could push McFarland for the No. 3 job — Jason Huntley, Alfonzo Graham and Darius Hagans — didn’t have any carries last season. In fact, Huntley is the only one of those three backs with any NFL experience.

Sports Illustrated’s Noah Strackbein reported on June 20 that McFarland has looked the part of a No. 3 back this offseason. Graham has also shown promise through offseason workouts.

But that doesn’t mean the Steelers couldn’t still consider making a smaller deal in the running back free agency market before training camp.

How James Robinson Could Fit With the Steelers

The Pittsburgh coaching staff’s confidence in its top two running backs and depth very likely eliminates the team making a major move in the offensive backfield before the season. But adding Robinson, who is a reclamation project at this point, could make sense.

The New England Patriots signed Robinson to a two-year, $4 million contract this offseason, but Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reported the Patriots included three injury waivers in the contract.

Two of them were for each of his knees and the other was for his left Achilles. Robinson tore his left Achilles tendon in Week 16 of the 2021 season.

New England then released Robinson less than three months after signing him.

It hasn’t been confirmed whether his release was injury related, but the Patriots did waive Robinson around the time when players undergo physicals in the NFL offseason.

Robinson is still an injury risk, but that should lower his value in free agency. If the Steelers are willing to take on that risk, the 24-year-old still offers upside.

As an undrafted rookie in 2020, Robinson rushed for 1,070 yards and 7 touchdowns. During his first two seasons, he averaged 4.5 yards per carry.

In 2022, he played in 11 games for the Jaguars and New York Jets. The Jets acquired him from the Jaguars through a trade close to the NFL trade deadline.

Over 11 games with the Jaguars and Jets, Robinson had 425 rushing yards and 51 receiving yards with 5 total touchdowns.

The Steelers could bring in Robinson to compete for a backup running back spot without upsetting what they already have in the offensive backfield.

Steelers Nation was shocked to hear about the death of former Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Clark Haggans on June 20. One player on the team’s current roster was deeply impacted as well.

In response to the news of Haggans’ death at age 46 in Fort Collins, Colorado, Steelers rookie cornerback Joey Porter Jr. posted a heartfelt message on social media, bidding farewell to a close friend of his father’s.

“Love you uncle,” Porter Jr.’s message said on Instagram Stories. “You will be missed. Rest in paradise. Never had a dull moment with you! You could Light up any room you stepped in!”

Haggans played seven seasons in Pittsburgh with Joey Porter Sr., from 2000 to 2006. Both were starting outside linebackers when the Steelers won their fifth Super Bowl in franchise history, following the 2005 season.

Before the NFL, Haggans and Porter Sr. also spent three seasons together at Colorado State, from 1996-98. Porter Jr. was born in July 2000, during his father’s second NFL season. That was also about two months before Haggans made his league debut.

Clark Haggans Dies at Age of 46

The Larimer County, Colorado, coroner’s office officially announced Haggans’ death on June 21. No foul play was evident, an autopsy was completed June 21 “with the cause and manner of death pending further investigation, the coroner’s office said,” according to The Associated Press. 93.7 The Fan’s Colin Dunlap broke the news on June 20 that the former linebacker had died.

The Steelers selected Haggans in the fifth round of the 2000 NFL draft. He played just two games as a rookie and started only four games combined in his first four seasons (2000-03).

But in 2004, he became a regular starter for Pittsburgh’s defense, which finished first in total defense, points allowed and rushing yards yielded. Behind that defense, the Steelers went 15-1, which is the best regular season record in franchise history.

The following season, the Steelers ended the year third in rushing yards allowed and fourth in total defense and points allowed. With an 11-5 record, the Steelers earned the AFC’s No. 6 seed and became the first team to win three road playoff games and the Super Bowl.

During the Super Bowl campaign, Haggans had a career-high 9 sacks and 4 forced fumbles. He also had 61 combined tackles, including 7 tackles for loss.

Haggans had 5 solo tackles, 1 pass defense and a sack against the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl victory.

From 2004 to 2006, Haggans recorded 21 sacks and 23 tackles for loss in 41 games. He had 32.5 sacks in 61 games over eight years with the Steelers.

With the Arizona Cardinals, Haggans played against the Steelers in the Super Bowl following the 2008 season. He spent four seasons with the Cardinals from 2008-11 and then finished his career with the San Francisco 49ers in 2012.

In 13 NFL seasons, Haggans had 46.5 sacks, 49 tackles for loss, 24 pass defenses and 16 forced fumbles in 172 games.

Haggans and Porter Sr. (after he was with the Miami Dolphins for three years) played together for the Cardinals from in 2010 and 2011.

Including college, they spent 12 years as teammates.

Steelers Nation Reacts to Haggans’ Death

While Haggans wasn’t a nationally recognized star like Porter Sr. and some other players from the mid-2000s Steelers defense, his death caused quite a reaction from people across Steelers Nation.

Porter Jr. was just one of many who shared their reactions to news of Haggans’ death.

“Clark was an amazing football player, but just a great friend, a great person and teammate,” former Steelers defensive tackle Chris Hoke said on 93.7 The Fan on June 21. “This is a tough one to swallow.”

Former Steelers wide receiver Nate Washington posted a picture of Haggans with the Lombardi Trophy hours after Dunlap’s report.

Former Cardinals quarterback Matt Leinart tweeted his heartbreak over hearing about Haggans’ death.

Longtime Steelers beat writer Gerry Dulac of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette tweeted that Haggans was “always near the top of” his list of all-time favorite Steelers.

Other members of the media and Steelers fans also shared their memories of watching Haggans and offered condolences on Twitter.

At least on paper, the incoming crop of defensive rookies is loaded.

Despite the NFL tilting further in favor of the offense than ever before, there were 16 defensive players chosen in the first round to only 15 offensive prospects, headlined by EDGE Will Anderson and cornerback Devon Witherspoon both coming off the board in the top-five picks.

This spring featured one of the deeper cornerback classes in recent memory, and there should be at least a handful of immediate starters emerging from the first round alone.

So, which defensive rookies have the best chance of becoming immediate stars this fall? Here’s a prediction, with insight from NFL scouts and executives mixed in:

5. Joey Porter Jr., CB, Pittsburgh Steelers

Joey Porter Jr. follows his legendary father’s footsteps into a starting role in the Pittsburgh Steelers‘ defense, carrying an extra large chip on his shoulder from sliding out of the first round to No. 32 overall. That’s likely bad news for the rest of the NFL.

One of the longest cornerbacks in this year’s class, Porter’s 6-foot-2, 195-pound frame give him the ability to neutralize opposing receivers and caused opposing quarterbacks to shy away from targeting him last season.

“He’s going to be really good covering smaller receivers,” an AFC scout told Heavy. “He’s long, a really good athlete, and tough. The fact that he’s a Steeler seems to mean something extra to him, too.”

Porter Jr.’s massive wingspan helped him hold opposing receivers to just 143 total yards last season, according to Pro Football Focus, and opposing quarterbacks to a pedestrian 63.6 passer rating when targeting him. The Steelers have an instant starter and high-impact cornerback to continue building around, in Porter Jr.

4. Devon Witherspoon, CB, Seattle Seahawks

There might not be a cornerback with better ball skills in this year’s class than Devon Witherspoon, and he’ll walk right into a starting role in the Seattle Seahawks‘ secondary.

“Devon’s competitive as hell,” an NFC executive told Heavy. “And tough as they come. It’s like he was built to play for the Seahawks.”

According to Pro Football Focus, Witherspoon only allowed 22 receptions on 60 targets last season, surrendering just 3.3 yards per target with 14 pass breakups and three interceptions.

Seattle might not yet have its next incarnation of the “Legion of Boom,” but there’s a good chance that Witherspoon Island is about to pop up in the Emerald City thanks in large part to Witherspoon’s competitiveness and range on the outside.

3. Deonte Banks, CB, New York Giants

New York Giants defensive coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale couldn’t contain his excitement that Banks would be the team’s selection as general manager Joe Schoen phoned in the No. 24 overall pick. It’s easy to see why.

While Banks had just one interception in 2022, opposing quarterbacks posted a mere 71.4 passer rating when targeting handsy 6-foot and 200-pound cornerback. Banks’ speed and versatility give him the potential to make an instant impact, and a worthy counter-punch to the NFC East’s bounty of elite receivers.

Banks’ presence on the perimeter affords Martindale a little more freedom to do what he loves most, and what his defense is built on; blitzing. New York has a long way to go in terms of building out a secondary, but Banks has the frame and athleticism to be a cornerstone.

2. Jalen Carter, DT, Philadelphia Eagles

General manager Howie Roseman once again managed to marry value with elite talent and need for the Philadelphia Eagles, stopping the slide of arguably the most dominant defensive player in this year’s class at No. 9 overall.

There likely won’t be much easing Carter into the Eagles’ rotation, following the departures of Ndamukong Suh and Javon Hargrave from a line that powered a run to the Super Bowl last season.

“From a talent standpoint, Jalen is a perfect fit for what the Eagles do up front,” an AFC South Scouting Director told Heavy.

Not only will Carter take up all kinds of space in the run game alongside Fletcher Cox, but his 16.3 pass-rush win rate last season at the University of Georgia gives him the potential to round out one of the more disruptive interior pass-rush duos in the league.

1. Will Anderson, EDGE, Houston Texans

The Texans are seemingly all in on importing the San Francisco 49ers‘ defense to Houston, and handed new head coach DeMeco Ryans a cornerstone to build around in EDGE rusher Will Anderson.

During his time in Tuscaloosa, Anderson was nearly unblockable. The explosive 6-foot-3 and 253-pound defensive lineman posted a stellar 20.4 pass-rush win rate in 2022, along with 14 sacks and 51 pressures. As a three-year starter, Anderson logged 207 pressures, underscoring just how disruptive he can be, while going up against some of the nation’s premier offensive tackles in the SEC.

Houston has a long way to go in terms of building out its front-seven, but Anderson is going to be the kind of player who wreaks havoc on opposing backfields, while potentially drawing double teams to create opportunities for the players around him, as well.

The Pittsburgh Steelers revamped their secondary with the additions of veteran Patrick Peterson in free agency and Joey Porter Jr. through the draft. General manager Omar Khan may have found a diamond in the rough as well with seventh-round pick, cornerback Cory Trice.

Together, those players could make fellow cornerback Levi Wallace expendable. At least that’s what Pro Football Network’s Dallas Robinson argued.

“Levi Wallace may no longer be in the Steelers’ plans after they signed Patrick Peterson and drafted fellow cornerback Joey Porter Jr. at the top of the second round,” wrote Robinson.

“Given that Wallace is scheduled to hit free agency next offseason, Pittsburgh could aim to get something in return for him now rather than lose him next year for nothing.”

Wallace signed a two-year, $8 million contract with the Steelers in March 2022. He will be a free agent at the end of the season.

Robinson proposed the Steelers trading Wallace for a Day 3 draft pick.

CB Levi Wallace on the Trade Market?

On paper, Robinson’s argument makes sense. If the Steelers aren’t going to deploy Wallace in a regular role, he likely would be more useful as a trade chip before the season.

Wallace could be attractive to a contender because of his starting experience. He has made 61 career starts in five NFL seasons. With the Buffalo Bills, he started every game where he dressed, including seven during his rookie season despite being an undrafted player.

With the Steelers, though, his playing time decreased. Wallace only started nine games and was used as a reserve player in six contests last season. In those 15 games, he posted 48 combined tackles, 13 pass defenses and 4 interceptions.

During 2022, Wallace played 76% of his available snaps, which tied a career low. If the Steelers plan to use the 28-year-old even less this season, it would be prudent for Khan to shop the cornerback before losing him in free agency.

Robinson proposed the Detroit Lions being interested because of their lack of depth at cornerback. Detroit also just signed former Steelers cornerback Cam Sutton.

Reasons for the Steelers to Keep Wallace for 2023 Season

In theory, considering moving Wallace in a trade is logical. But there are many underlining reasons for the Steelers to keep Wallace.

Firstly, even though Wallace didn’t start in six games last season, he still played like a starter in two of them. Against both the New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons, Wallace played more than 50 defensive snaps (that was more than 87% of the team’s snaps on defense) despite not being in the starting lineup.

While Wallace still averaged just 47.3 defensive snaps per game, the lowest of his career, he played extremely well when on the field. His 13 pass defenses and 4 interceptions were both career highs.

Clearly, the Steelers placed Wallace in situations where he could succeeded. They could easily do the same even with more depth at cornerback on the roster this season.

Furthermore, just because Peterson and Porter have arrived doesn’t mean Wallace won’t have a starting role again. Peterson didn’t want to say too much, but he revealed on his podcast on June 19 that he is learning a new position, perhaps even more than one, this offseason.

Should Peterson start at slot cornerback, Wallace could still see plenty of playing time on the outside.

If the Steelers were rebuilding, then perhaps it would make sense to give a starting job to the rookie Trice, who looked impressive during offseason workouts.

But the Steelers view themselves as a contender in 2023. So, it would be surprising to see the team willing to give up Wallace’s experience in the secondary even if free agency means losing him at the end of 2023.

It’s no secret why the Pittsburgh Steelers brought in cornerback Patrick Peterson on a two-year, $14 million contract. The Steelers want and need the three-time All-Pro to make big plays.

On the June 19 episode of his podcast, “All Things Covered,” Peterson essentially told cohost and former Steelers cornerback Bryant McFadden that he’s ready to deliver that for Pittsburgh.

“I plan on making a lot of plays this year,” Peterson said.

Peterson last earned a first-team All-Pro nomination in 2015 and hasn’t made the Pro Bowl since 2018, but he still made some big plays last season for Minnesota Vikings. He intercepted 5 passes, his most in a single season since 2012. Peterson also had 3 tackles for loss and 15 pass defenses.

Patrick Peterson Ready to Deliver ‘A Lot of Plays’ at Multiple Positions?

While Peterson, who will turn 33 on July 11, wasn’t bashful about what he plans to do in the 2023 season, he was coy about how he was going to do it.

When describing his first offseason with the Steelers to McFadden, Peterson said that he was learning new positions. But he didn’t say much else despite his cohost’s pushing for answers.

“I know you to be an outside corner,” McFadden said. “So whatcha talking about? What new position are you learning?”

Peterson responded with as plain an answer as possible.

“Just having the opportunity to be a ball player, and that’s what coach Mike T. and the Pittsburgh Steelers are giving me the opportunity to do.”

Reading between the lines, it seems the Steelers are preparing Peterson to fill the role left by Cameron Sutton, who signed with the Detroit Lions in free agency.

The Steelers placed Sutton at wide corner for about two-thirds of his total snaps during the 2022 season. But he also lined up at slot corner for 185 snaps and as a safety in the box for 71 snaps.

Steelers Depot’s Alex Kozora speculated in March that Damontae Kazee was the best fit for Sutton’s role. The Steelers re-signed Kazee after Sutton left for Detroit.

But based on what Peterson revealed, he may have the first opportunity to make plays all over the Steelers secondary, as Sutton did.

Peterson Excelling in Steelers Offseason Practices

As secretive as Peterson acted with where he’s been lining up on the field during Steelers offseason workouts, it’s not really breaking news that he’s trying a new position.

All Steelers Talk’s Noah Strackbein and Derrick Bell discussed Peterson working in new spots and the likelihood of him playing a versatile role in 2023.

“I think it’s going to be a committee thing,” Bell said on June 3 when asked about the different sets the Steelers have shown in their secondary this offseason. “Even though he hasn’t done it for real, for real, [Peterson] understands the point of being in the slot.

“In the slot, if you don’t understand your leverage and where your help is, you’re screwed. That’s the No. 1 thing that you have to do. The fact that he understands that is good.”

However, Bell did state that at his age, Peterson will have trouble against fast receivers in the slot because he’s not as athletic as he was earlier in his career.

If practice is any indication, though, things are going just fine for Peterson so far. Again, he would not share too much, but Peterson said he gave Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett trouble in one particular situation.

“He (Kenny Pickett) gave me the approval and said, ‘Man, when you line up at this certain position, that f*** me up,'” Peterson told McFadden.

Peterson is entering his 13th season in the NFL. He’s recorded 34 interceptions and 111 pass defenses in 184 career games.

Say the name Matt Canada in Pittsburgh and you’re likely to get run out of town. The offensive coordinator of the Pittsburgh Steelers has been harassed by fans on social media since his promotion from quarterback coach in 2021. He’s criticized for his plethora of fruitless jet sweeps and dull play-calling.

When asked about the balance between a run-first identity and getting quarterback Kenny Pickett more involved in year two, the typically tight-lipped Canada pointed to a bigger “plan.”

“There’s an identity that’s coming from … an organizational plan, right,” Canada said in a June 15 press conference. “It’s not like I’m coming in here deciding what it is. There is a plan from (owner Art) Rooney to coach (Mike) Tomlin.”

From the sound of it, Canada is merely a puppet, and Tomlin and Rooney the puppeteers. This could explain why we have not seen the creative and innovative schemes he was touted for when joining the Steelers.

The far-and-wide calls for his job in 2022 were ignored. Not only did the Steelers not send Canada packing during the bye week (when firings generally happen if a team is performing badly), he was offered a one-year contract extension through 2023 when it expired at the end of last season. It was never formally announced by the Steelers, but rather confirmed to ESPN’s Brooke Pryor by the team’s senior public relations director.

Pittsburgh finally found its identity in the latter part of the 2022 season, thanks to a more cohesive offensive line and healthy Najee Harris (a Lisfranc injury sustained during training camp required a steel plate in his shoe through Week 5). The Steelers relied heavily on Harris, Jaylen Warren and the rushing attack, and there’s no question it’s headed in the same direction in 2023.

“I think our identity was pretty clear the last nine games,” Canada said. “We ran the ball really well. We were physical. I don’t think there’s any question of what our identity is going to be. We want to run the football. We want to be physical. We want to be a good team that throws the ball down the field, take advantage of what the defense gives us.”

Though Pickett is a year older and wiser in the Steelers’ system, a solid run game is a young QB’s best friend. With the two-headed monster of Harris and Warren and a revamped offensive line, the offense should be humming in 2023.

Steelers Offensive Tackle Competition in Training Camp

You only need to look as far as the players they added along the offensive line to see that the Pittsburgh Steelers intend to emphasize the run. Isaac Seumalo (guard) and Broderick Jones (tackle) highlight the moves to solidify the trenches. And though it’s only June, Jones isn’t a lock to win the starting gig.

Incumbent Dan Moore Jr. is making his case to retain the post. “Moore came into spring ball in great shape and didn’t relinquish any top snaps to the rookie throughout a dozen practice sessions,” observed Mark Kaboly of The Athletic.

Though he gave up 14 sacks in two seasons, Moore has availability. “He has started 33 of a possible 34 career games, and the Steelers love him,” Kaboly wrote. “You can’t discount that.”

Don’t take Kaboly’s word for it. Offensive line coach Pat Meyer sings his praises. “If you watched him from midseason last year to the end of the season, he’s improved as much as anybody I have ever been around. To me, he’s going to be lights out.”

When Steelers training camp starts on July 27, expect the job of starting right tackle to be Dan Moore’s to lose.

Le’Veon Bell’s exit from the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2018 was a tumultuous one — with a contract dispute that left him missing an entire season before moving on to play with five other teams in three years.

Now, at age 31, he said he’s considering a return to Pittsburgh.

Over a 90-minute on the “Steel Here” podcast, Bell opened up like he never had before, saying he still has it and would love an opportunity to shine.

“We’ll see what I do with Pittsburgh. I might as well come back for a preseason game just to show people I got juice,” Bell said on the May 26 episode of the podcast. “It’s literally just to show y’all, like, bro, I’m better than I was in 2016.”

That’s a bold statement, considering he put up 1,884 all-purpose yards and nine touchdowns that season. But Bell said he’s in the best physical shape ever, crediting his new boxing career. He played football at 225 but is now down to a 205 fighting weight.

“I would be so blazing if I was to hit the field right now… I might have to hit up Coach T or something,” he said, referring to Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin.

If he were to come back to the NFL — be it with Pittsburgh or another team — he has one condition: be the featured back. “I wouldn’t want to come back unless I’m the guy. Because I know I can be the guy, and I know like where I’m at physically. I watch guys, I train with guys that’s 24, 25, 23 years old, and yeah, they’re still not up to my speed because I’m just in the best physical form that I’ve ever been in before I was 24, 25.”

Bell may be in the “best physical shape” he’s ever been in, but if he couldn’t do it with the Jets, Chiefs, Ravens and Bucs, it’s difficult to imagine he can do it now.

Le’Veon Bell Left the Pittsburgh Steelers on Bad Terms & Was Never the Same

After five successful seasons, three of which yielded All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors, Bell felt he was worthy of a historic contract — historic because he wanted to be paid for his dual-threat talents as a running back and wide receiver.

The Steelers agreed, offering him $70 million over five years ($14 million a year and $33 million guaranteed) to make him the highest-paid back in the league. Then he turned it down, saying that he’d play for $17 million and nothing less, and he demanded more guaranteed money over the life of the contract.

Ultimately, Pittsburgh tagged him for the second-consecutive season in 2018, which would’ve paid him 120% of his 2017 salary, roughly $14.5 million. He refused to sign and sat out the entire season, never to suit up in a Steelers uniform again.

(Interesting side note: The Steelers rewarded Jerome Bettis with a $14 million contract two decades earlier in 1997. Since then, the NFL has minimized how they view running backs.)

Like many players before him, the grass wasn’t greener on the other side. He didn’t put up monster numbers as in the Black and Gold with the other teams he bounced around. After he left, Bell was with four teams in three seasons: New York Jets (twice), Patrick Mahomes’ Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens and Tom Brady’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In three seasons, he registered 1,848 total yards and nine scores. Defenses just didn’t fear him as they once did, especially after he left the Jets, where his best season produced 863 rushing yards, 500 receiving and four total touchdowns.

Le’Veon Bell Wants to Retire With the Pittsburgh Steelers

Two seasons removed from the last time he set foot on an NFL field, Le’Veon Bell never officially retired. When he does, though, he said he wanted it to be with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

“I never really officially retired,” said Bell. “I feel like the day I do retire, it’s gonna be with Pittsburgh. But before I do that, hey bro, lemme get a couple carries in the preseason so I can show y’all something.”

When Bell does retire, it wouldn’t make sense to go out with any team other than the Steelers. That’s where he was drafted and displayed Hall of Fame-caliber talent.

“With the Steelers, I would do the little preseason, like all right — boom boom — but I would not do that anywhere else,” he said. “Because I don’t even think about playing, it literally would only be in Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh is where I’ll retire, that’s just it. Because I already been other places. It’s not Pittsburgh.”

While Bell and the Steelers parted on bad terms, there’s no question the team would be open to his request. And deservedly so. Along with Ben Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown, he was one of the team’s best players of the 2010s and was a critical piece to their three AFC North division titles.

It’s getting late in the offseason, but the Pittsburgh Steelers continue to reconstruct their inside linebacker room. This time, they’re doing it with a Pittsburgh native.

93.7 The Fan’s Colin Dunlap reported on June 19 that the Steelers plan to sign linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski. The team invited him for a workout during minicamp with fellow linebacker Jermaine Carter, but the Steelers had yet to sign either before June 19.

A roster spot came open for Pittsburgh, though, when the team released safety Scott Nelson on June 16.

Kwiatkoski played college football at West Virginia, which is a little more than an hour from Pittsburgh. He also played high school football about 10 miles south of downtown Pittsburgh in Bethel Park.

Steelers Sign Linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski

Sports Illustrated’s Noah Strackbein projected the Steelers to replace Nelson with either Kwiatkoski or Carter at inside linebacker. He just wasn’t 100% sure with which linebacker.

“Competition is always a good thing, and the Steelers may want some competition in their inside linebacker room,” wrote Strackbein.

The Steelers added that competition with Kwiatkoski.

The 30-year-old began his career as a fourth-round selection of the Chicago Bears in the 2016 NFL draft. Despite being a Day 3 choice, he started seven games as a rookie, posting 44 combined tackles, including 3 for loss, 1 quarterback hit and 1 sack. He also had 2 pass defenders forced fumble as a rookie.

Kwiatkoski started 22 games for the Bears over four seasons. He signed a three-year contract to join the Las Vegas Raiders in 2020.

He started a career-high 12 games during his first season for the Raiders. Kwiatkoski recorded 81 combined tackles, including 3 tackles for loss, 2 quarterback hits, 4 pass defenses, 1 interception and 1 sack in 2020.

But he hasn’t started since then. Kwiatkoski played eight games for the Raiders in 2021 before ending the season on injured reserve. Las Vegas then released him last March.

Kwiatkoski dressed for 12 games with the Atlanta Falcons in 2022 but didn’t play a defensive snap. He posted 7 combined tackles on 228 special teams snaps.

Steelers Transformation at Inside Linebacker Continues

Adding Kwiatkoski gives the Steelers six inside linebackers on the 90-man roster heading into training camp. Of those six linebackers, five of them — Kwiatkoski, Cole Holcomb, Elandon Roberts, Tanner Muse, and Chapelle Russell — are new to Pittsburgh.

The other thing those five linebackers mostly have in common is experience. Kwiatkoski, Holcomb and Roberts have made a combined 158 starts in their careers. Muse and Russell have made one start and played in at least 25 games each.

The lone holdover for the Steelers at inside linebacker is Mark Robinson. The 2022 seventh-round draft pick started the final two games for Pittsburgh last season.

Mike Tomlin and the Steelers may still have high hopes for Robinson. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac argued in a fan chat in February that the team’s plan was to have Robinson start in 2023.

That doesn’t appear to be the case anymore. In fact, Robinson may have to be impressive in training camp and the preseason just to earn a roster spot.

But with the arrival of Kwiatkoski, the Steelers transformation at inside linebacker appears complete. Pittsburgh should be more experienced and deeper in the middle of its defense than it was a year ago.

A number of players in Pittsburgh Steelers history have left for other teams and many have not replicated the success they did in the Black and Gold. Though JuJu Smith-Schuster’s story is still being told, he earned some bling with the Kansas City Chiefs circa the 2023 Super Bowl. He’s since moved on to the New England Patriots but a lingering knee injury has delayed him from doing much with his new team this offseason.

Last offseason at this time, Kansas City’s addition of Smith-Schuster, 26, was an exciting prospect. In a shocking move a few days later, the Chiefs traded speedster Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins on March 23 and needed to prepare for his absence. Smith-Schuster is no Tyreek Hill, but it was a start.

The former Steelers’ second-overall draft pick played in all but one regular season and three postseason games, producing 1,022 yards and three scores on 88 receptions (Pro Football Reference).

Thanks to his contributions, it was initially expected that Smith-Schuster would spend a second year with the reigning Super Bowl champions. NFL Media’s James Palmer tweeted on March 7, “The thought in KC right now is Patrick Mahomes is expected to be throwing the same core group of guys he ended the season with… the plan is to bring Ju Ju back.”

Smith-Schuster was on board and why wouldn’t he be? Catching passes from the greatest QB to play the game since Tom Brady guaranteed postseason contention and more opportunities to earn even more bling. “Yeah, I want to come back. Of course, man. Look where I’m at. I want to come back to this,” Smith-Schuster told NFL Media’s Mike Giardi on January 10.

Instead, the Chiefs chose to move on and could’ve dodged a bullet in the process. He’s still dealing with the lingering effects of a knee injury sustained in a practice leading up to the January 29 AFC Championship Game versus the Cincinnati Bengals. He played in the critical game but exited during the third quarter.

New England is erring on the side of caution with its new weapon for quarterback Mac Jones. Three months out from regular season action allows plenty of time for Smith-Schuster to do what’s needed to be as close to 100 percent as possible by kickoff.

Knee Injuries Are Nothing New for Ex-Steelers WR JuJu Smith-Schuster

Pittsburgh Steelers fans know all too well that JuJu Smith-Schuster is no stranger to pesky knee injuries. He missed four games in 2019 with a knee sprain and battled another knee injury for the better part of the 2020 season. Smith-Schuster also had a foot injury, hamstring and groin strains, multiple concussions and a dislocated shoulder during his NFL career.

A former fan favorite in Pittsburgh, Smith-Schuster is as tough as they come. He’s played through several ailments, including the 2020 knee when he suited up for all 17 games.

Still, it was the knee that could’ve been what deterred teams from taking a chance on him during free agency leading up to the 2021 season. “Multiple sources said the 24-year-old’s health will be something to watch after some knee concerns have persisted from the past two seasons,” ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler wrote on March 24, 2021.

The Steelers were willing to roll the dice and re-signed him to a one-year, $8 million contract. It didn’t pay off, however, as he sustained a dislocated shoulder in the Week 5 matchup versus the Denver Broncos on October 10, 2021. It sidelined him for the remaining 12 weeks, but he fought back to play in Pittsburgh’s big 42-21 loss to the Chiefs in the first round of the playoffs.

Draft Sharks projects Smith-Schuster to miss 3.60 games in 2023 and awards him the highest durability ranking of five. At the very least, the Patriots landed themselves a legit physical weapon that can play through bumps and bruises.

The Pittsburgh Steelers announced on June 16 that they released safety Scott Nelson.

With that move, the Steelers have 89 players on their roster at the conclusion of their offseason workouts. Sports Illustrated’s Noah Strackbein projected Pittsburgh to fill that last remaining roster spot with a former starting inside linebacker — either Jermaine Carter or Nick Kwiatkoski.

The Steelers invited both Carter and Kwiatkoski to their facility for workouts during the second week of June. But neither left the workout with a contract.

Strackbein, though, doesn’t see that remaining the case much longer.

“Pittsburgh has no reason not to sign another player before training camp,” Strackbein wrote. “The release of Nelson comes at a position that is likely filled, but inside linebacker is currently only holding five players, and the Steelers typically keep five on their roster.

“Competition is always a good thing, and the Steelers may want some competition in their inside linebacker room.”

Both Carter and Kwiatkoski have started at least 30 NFL games in their careers.

What Carter or Kwiatkoski Could Bring to the Steelers

If a little more experience is what the Steelers want in their inside linebacker room, either Carter or Kwiatkoski would be a solid addition to the Pittsburgh 90-man roster.

The Carolina Panthers selected Carter in the fifth round of the 2018 NFL draft. He made the team and dressed for all 16 games as a rookie.

In four seasons with the Panthers, he progressively started more games every season. He peaked with 17 starts during the final year of his rookie deal in 2021.

During that season, Carter recorded 88 combined tackles, including 3 tackles for loss and 3 quarterback hits.

Last season, he played seven games for the Cleveland Browns. He also spent time in the offseason with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Carter signed with the Houston Texans in May but only spent a little more than a week on the team’s roster.

Kwiatkoski, who is a Bethel Park native and played college football at West Virginia, was a fourth-round pick of the Chicago Bears in 2016. He started at least six contests in three of his four seasons with the Bears, including seven games as a rookie.

In 2020, he started a career-high 12 contests for the Las Vegas Raiders. During 2020, he recorded 81 combined tackles, including 3 tackles for loss, 2 quarterback hits and 1 sack.

After two seasons with the Raiders, Kwiatkoski played 12 games for the Atlanta Falcons last year.

Steelers’ Current Situation at Inside Linebacker

To say the Steelers have revamped their inside linebacker room this offseason is an understatement. Robert Spillane and Devin Bush left in free agency while the Steelers released veteran Myles Jack.

In their place, general manager Omar Khan signed veterans Cole Holcomb and Elandon Roberts. The Steelers also signed Tanner Muse and Chapelle Russell to minor deals.

The other inside linebacker on Pittsburgh’s roster is second-year player Mark Robinson.

Muse, Russell and Robinson have combined to make four starts in their NFL careers. While Holcomb and Roberts are projected to start at inside linebacker for the Steelers in 2023, an injury to either veteran would push an inexperienced linebacker into the lineup.

Either Carter or Kwiatkoski would give the Steelers additional depth in the middle of their defense.

T.J. Watt finally confirmed what we were all thinking: He was not playing at 100 percent in the weeks after returning to the field for the Pittsburgh Steelers on November 13, 2022.

“I was not 100 percent for a lot of the games, and it was frustrating,” Watt admitted to The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly on June 5. “I just wanted to play football, and I couldn’t the way I wanted to. It was tough. … It wasn’t easy. It sucked not being able to participate and not being able to put your hand in the pile.”

Fresh off his Defensive Player of the Year nod, Watt looked poised to tear it up again. In the September 11 season opener versus the Cincinnati Bengals, he was on fire with 1.0 sacks, 12 total tackles (six solo; three for loss), a QB hit, two defended passes and one interception. But with the seconds ticking down, Watt went in for his second sack on Joe Burrow, only to slide off him before the quarterback got the ball off.

Watt walked off the field, grimacing in pain. He knew exactly what happened. Pointing to his left pectoral, he said, “I tore my pec.” Pittsburgh would go on to lose six of its next seven games leading up to the badly-needed November 6 bye week.

As we saw in the 2022 season, a less than 100 percent Watt is better than no Watt at all. And though football is a team sport, the Steelers suffered without him in the lineup. Per Steelers.com, the defense allowed 25.3 points and 389.9 yards per game and had 8.0 sacks and five takeaways in those seven games sans Watt. The unit just couldn’t get off the field, forcing the offense to do more. And that wasn’t in the cards with a rookie quarterback in Kenny Pickett who was just getting his feet wet.

While still feeling the effects of an injury that takes several months to heal, Watt suffered a rib injury a few weeks into his return. But his mere presence lit a fire under the defense and the team as a whole. They dropped two games, each by less than seven points to division rival Baltimore Ravens and Bengals, and finished the season with a 7-2 record. In 10 games with Watt, including Week 1, the Steelers went 8-2, allowing 16.9 points and 289.9 yards per game while registering 32 sacks and 18 takeaways.

Watt was nominated to the Pro Bowl, but for the first time since 2018, missed out on All-Pro honors and registered single-digit sacks for only the second time in his six-year career.

T.J. Watt Has a Simple Mantra for the 2023 Steelers Season

There’s a brand new season ahead for which T.J. Watt has one simple mantra: “I just need to stay healthy and everything else will take care of itself.”

Turning 29 on October 11, he can no longer train like he did when he first came into the league. Yet training is the most critical part of staying injury-free.

“I am not training as I was when I was 22, I will tell you that,” Watt said. “It makes no sense now. What I have learned is as you get older, you are always evolving. No offseason is the same. You are always evolving and learning about your body, and as I get older, that’s how I have approached every offseason, and this one was a little different than the others.”

Football and Steelers fans alike took to social media following Watt’s pec injury blasting him for being injury-prone. They couldn’t be more wrong.

He missed just one contest in the first three years of his career, appeared in 15 of 16 in 2020, and played in 15 of 17 in 2021.

A comeback season is in order for T.J. Watt.

The Pittsburgh Steelers defensive line is in a bit of a transition. Veterans Cameron Heyward and Larry Ogunjobi are expected to lead the group during the 2023 season, but the team would also like youngsters such as DeMarvin Leal and Isaiah Loudermilk to emerge in bigger roles this fall.

Rookie defensive lineman Keeanu Benton is another name to watch. At least that’s what Ogunjobi told Steelers.com’s Missi Matthews.

“I think that his skillset, what he’s able to do, how he moves, I think he’s going to surprise a lot of people,” Ogunjobi said of Benton. “I’m just really excited to watch him work.

“He has that explosion. He’s quick, he’s twitchy. I give him high praises, but I just see it. I see a kid who wants to work and who wants to be great.

“I feel like he has a super high ceiling.”

The Steelers drafted Benton at No. 49 overall in the second round of this spring’s draft.

Expectations for Keeanu Benton’s Rookie Season

It’s always good for one of the team’s rookies to receive praise from a veteran player.

But Ogunjobi’s complimentary words for Benton were perhaps a little extra meaningful given that playing with explosiveness was one of the question marks NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein tagged Benton with through the draft process.

Playing four years at Wisconsin, Benton recorded 81 total tackles, including 19 for loss and 9 sacks in 39 career college games. He also had 4 pass defenses, 2 forced fumbles and 2 fumble recoveries.

Before the draft, Zierlein projected him as a second-round prospect who needed “to become a more consistently impactful force in the middle to make noise as an NFL starter.”

Benton arrives in Pittsburgh with the chance to play regular snaps as a rookie at nose tackle. Steelers Depot’s Alex Kozora predicted Benton to make a similar impact as Javon Hargrave did during his rookie season in 2016.

That season, Hargrave posted 27 combined tackles, including 5 for loss, 3 quarterback hits and 2 sacks. In 2021, Hargrave became a Pro Bowler and last season, he recorded a career-high 11 sacks.

“Coming from a bigger school than Hargrave, who had to adjust to such a big jump in competition, in addition to a Steelers’ system that is more nose tackle friendly than it was in 2016, Benton could be even more productive out of the gate,” wrote Kozora.

Larry Ogunjobi Says ‘It Felt Natural’ to Return to Steelers

Entering the offseason, the Steelers possessed Heyward and several unproven commodities along the defensive line.

General manager Omar Khan added depth with Armon Watts and Breiden Fehoko then threw Benton into the mix on Day 2 of the draft.

But the offseason move that will likely have the biggest impact on 2023 was bringing back Ogunjobi. The Steelers signed the 29-year-old to a three-year deal worth $28.75 million.

“It felt natural,” Ogunjobi said about his return to the Steelers. “I think they took great care of me. They understood my situation. They always told me that they weren’t nearsighted in this and that meant a lot to me, just coming from the situation I was in prior.

“But I mean, they welcomed me with open arms. They allowed me to develop and grow into a system.”

Ogunjobi began his career as a third-round pick for the Cleveland Browns. After his rookie contract expired, he signed a one-year deal with the Cincinnati Bengals.

The 29-year-old described landing his first long-term free agency deal with the Steelers as “kind of funny” after playing five years in Ohio. But there isn’t a place he’d rather be now.

“Being able to come here and see the culture and what they’re building here, I understood that was special. It was something I wanted to be a part of.”

It’s safe to say that Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver/kick returner Gunner Olszewski isn’t a fan of the NFL’s new rule that allows kickoff returners to call for a fair catch anywhere inside the 25-yard line.

“A bunch of people are trying to get rid of our part of the game,” Olszewski told Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on June 15. “That’s how we feel about it. They feel like special teams are dangerous. Football is a dangerous game. You can’t ever take that out of it. I hate it for the game, but it’s the rule now. I’m just rolling with it.”

He’s rolling with it for the moment, that is. Olszewski’s job — like those of other kick return specialists around the league — figures to be in jeopardy, as the Steelers could no doubt find a less-expensive option to fair catch kickoffs and handle the occasional return.

According to Over the Cap, Olszewski is scheduled to earn a $2 million salary in 2023 while counting $2,617,500 against the cap. The Steelers can release him prior to setting the 53-man roster and save the $2 million while incurring a $617,500 cap charge. That roster move seems almost inevitable, especially considering how the former All-Pro — signed to a 2-year, $4.2 million contract in March 2022 — fumbled away his starting job just four weeks into his first season in Pittsburgh.

That said, Olszewski isn’t just upset with the NFL’s decision makers, he feels the players ought to have a direct say in rule changes like the new fair catch rule (passed in May 2023), which allows the ball to be placed at the receiving team’s 25-yard line.

“You can’t un-dangerous the game of football, in my opinion,” Olszewski added. “We know what we sign up for. Personally, I don’t like hearing guys who don’t sound like they understand football making decisions on our game. The [players association] doesn’t give us a chance to vote on anything like that. I’m not looking to complain about it. I hate it. I think it stinks for guys who are teamers and guys who try to go out and get jobs. They’re taking chances away from us.”

Steelers Release Safety Scott Nelson

One player who won’t be getting a chance to further his Steelers career is reserve safety Scott Nelson, who was released by the team on June 16.

Nelson had two short stints on Pittsburgh’s practice squad in 2022; he was signed to a one-year, reserve/futures contract in January 2023.

Broncos Try out 2 Ex-Steelers

In other recent news, the Denver Broncos had former Steelers running back Benny Snell Jr. in for a tryout this past week, with the news coming courtesy of Mike Klis, who covers the Broncos for 9News in Denver.

Snell, 25, was drafted by the Steelers in the 4th round in 2019, and all his NFL experience has come with Pittsburgh. He had his statistically-strongest season as a rookie, when he carried the ball 108 times for 426 yards and two touchdowns. All told, he has played in 63 regular-season games (five starts), having rushed the ball 275 times for 982 yards and seven touchdowns. He also has 17 career catches for 114 yards.

As noted by Klis, placekicker Randy Bullock also got a look-see from the Broncos. Bullock kicked for the Steelers in one game in 2016 and converted all four of his attempts — three field goals and one extra-point.

Bullock has kicked for six different teams over the course of his decade-long career, including the Cincinnati Bengals (2016-20) and Tennessee Titans (2021-22).

The Chicago Bears coaching staff was highly complimentary of former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Chase Claypool during the team’s offseason workouts. But a new report has emerged negating those compliments.

In fact, ESPN Radio’s Marc Silverman had a very grim update on how Claypool is doing this offseason.

“I have heard from a few people inside that building that he is not somebody who is very self-motivated. There’s a long way to go. Chase Claypool can change the narrative,” Silverman said on June 14. “All I can tell you is it isn’t trending in a way that the Bears have wanted it to trend in this offseason.

“Claypool is a guy that they’ve wanted to see some things from. They have not been able to see those things from him, on and off the field. All those things don’t sound great for Claypool going into training camp on where they think he’s going to be.”

The Steelers dealt Claypool to the Bears for a second-round pick in the 2023 NFL draft. The 2023 season will be the final year of Claypool’s rookie contract.

Claypool Trending in the Wrong Direction?

Silverman’s report probably isn’t going to surprise many Steelers fans. Claypool has arguably been trending in the wrong direction since the end of his rookie season.

He burst onto the NFL scene with a great rookie season, recording 62 receptions for 873 yards and 9 touchdowns. Claypool trailed Diontae Johnson by just 50 yards for the team lead in receiving, and Claypool led the Steelers with 11 total touchdowns.

But he’s only scored 3 touchdowns since then and his receiving numbers have dropped each of the past two seasons. In 2022, he had 46 catches for 451 yards and 1 score.

Over seven games with the Bears to end the 2022 season, he had 14 receptions for 140 yards. In 2020, Claypool had 7 catches for 110 yards in a single game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Maybe Claypool simply set his expectations too high after his rookie season. But there’s no denying he’s been a disappointment since then.

Silverman’s report just adds to that disappointment.

Bears Coaches Singing a Different Tune With Claypool at Offseason Workouts

It’s important to note that Silverman’s report was hardly an obituary for the 24-year-old receiver. As the ESPN radio host put it, there’s time for Claypool to “change the narrative.”

Actually, his coaches seem to be trying to help change that narrative.

Silverman’s report was in direct contradiction to what the Bears coaching staff said about Claypool during the second week of June.

Bears offensive coordinator Luke Getsy even appeared to suggest that the former second-round pick could be in a better spot now than he’s ever been previously.

“To say where he is now, obviously, he’s definitely in a much better place,” Bears offensive coordinator Luke Getsy told the media on June 7. “That’s what’s most important.

“Like coach Flus and those guys have said, I think that his positivity, his optimism coming into this thing, and his attack and his approach to how he’s trying to learn this thing is really cool to see.”

Bears wide receiver coach Tyke Tolbert sang Claypool’s praises as well.

“He’s a big target, as we know. People forget that he’s 230 pounds but he ran a 4.42,” Tolbert said. “He’s really fast. He was out here and he was getting behind the defense a few times.

“We’re excited to have him.”

The Bears, though, only have him for one more season. Claypool is entering a contract year, which makes this his most important season yet.

He will likely have to completely change the narrative to earn a second contract in Chicago.

Meanwhile, in Pittsburgh, the second-round pick it acquired from Chicago became cornerback Joey Porter Jr.

The Pittsburgh Steelers already have Pat Freiermuth making impactful plays at tight end. The Steelers also re-signed veteran Zach Gentry. Freiermuth and Gentry each played at least 49% of the team’s offensive snaps in 2022.

But the Steelers still expect big things from rookie tight end Darnell Washington. Based on how he performed at the team’s minicamp, those expectations are only rising.

“He’s great man,” Freiermuth said when talking about Washington in front of the media on June 14. “He does some things very natural to him, and he’s a good route runner, and he definitely is very physical.”

In three seasons at Georgia, Washington recorded 45 receptions for 774 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns.

Darnell Washington Looking Impressive at Steelers Minicamp

His production at Georgia left something to be desired. At least for all the hype he’s received since the Steelers drafted him during the third round in April, one could expect Washington to have produced more on the field than he did in college.

But Washington implied while talking to the media at minicamp that part of his lack of college production was the other talent on his team and simple game flow.

“I feel like I have a full route tree,” Washington told Steelers Now’s Nick Farabaugh. “At Georgia, I ran a lot of different routes in practice. If I had made a practice highlight tape, it would look like I had 2,000 yards.

“But when the game happened, those plays were not called, or Brock Bowers is doing Brock Bowers things out there. But I feel like I have a lot of upside.”

That upside led to the Steelers drafting Washington at No. 93 overall despite other teams reportedly having concerns with the health of his knees.

Quarterback Kenny Pickett didn’t address Washington individually, but Pickett talked about the rookie tight end in a group with some of the team’s other young offensive targets — Connor Heyward and Calvin Austin III.

“I don’t think it’s a secret to anyone here why they are playing really well. Those guys all work really hard at it, and they’re here every day working,” Pickett said. “They’re [running] crisp routes, clean routes, where I need them to be. So, I have a lot of faith in those guys to make plays.”

Farabaugh called Washington the “star of practice” for the Steelers on June 14. He also wrote that the rookie tight end “has some easy roles” that he can immediately fill during his first season.

What Role Could Washington Play for 2023 Steelers?

With Freiermuth and Gentry, there’s no obvious vacancy for Washington to fill. Heyward, who is listed as a tight end/fullback on Pittsburgh’s roster, also saw his playing time increase during the second half of his rookie season in 2022.

But with a third capable tight end, Steelers Depot’s Matthew Marczi proposed the Steelers deploying more two tight-end sets and even three tight-end formations.

Washington showed in college that he’s a capable blocker. At 6-foot-7 and 264 pounds, he could be a mismatch in the receiving game as well, particularly in the red zone.

The Steelers scored touchdowns on just 51.92% of their red-zone possessions during 2022, which was ranked 22nd in the league. Matt Canada’s unit needs more yards overall this season, but a more efficient offensive unit will also be key to the team returning to the postseason.

Based on his performance from minicamp, Washington appears to be part of that solution.

The Pittsburgh Steelers were connected to 4-time Pro Bowl running back Dalvin Cook after his release from the Minnesota Vikings on June 9.

But on June 14, former NFL quarterback Ryan Leaf named the Steelers one of the top possible landing spots for a different veteran running back — Leonard Fournette.

“You put [Leonard Fournette] in the backfield with Najee [Harris], you get down near, inside the 10-yard line, Kenny Pickett won’t even have to throw the ball,” Leaf said on NFL Network’s Good Morning, Football. “He just turns around, hands it off to his guys, get in the end zone. That’s how Pittsburgh takes the AFC North.”

Leaf’s co-host Jason McCourty concurred that Harris and Fournette would be a lethal 1-2 punch in Pittsburgh’s backfield.

“From a defensive perspective, I do not want to play against Najee Harris and Leonard Fournette,” McCourty said in response to Leaf. “I want no part of that. Not at all. Cold, hot, it doesn’t matter.”

Fournette rushed for 668 yards and 3 touchdowns while also posting 73 receptions for 523 receiving yards with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2022. Fournette has averaged nearly 82 yards from scrimmage per game over the last two seasons.

Steelers’ Need at Running Back

The Steelers signing a veteran running back has become a popular rumor over the last week.

Fox Sports’ Joy Taylor called the Steelers a “very interesting” spot for Dalvin Cook.

“When I think of the Steelers’ offensive identity, they always have fast, big wide receivers. They have a solid running game. They have Najee Harris, but it’s a two-back system pretty much anywhere you go now,” Taylor said on Fox Sports’ Speak on June 8. “They don’t want to wear somebody down.

“And if you have a creative offensive coordinator, you can really utilize a guy like Dalvin Cook, who can blast off.”

With Harris and Jaylen Warren, though, signing Cook is probably unlikely for the Steelers. However, Cook could still have an impact on who Pittsburgh might acquire as a depth running back this offseason.

The position is a need for the Steelers, as the backs behind Harris and Warren only have a combined 60 carries in the NFL.

Targeting Fournette allows the Steelers to avoid getting into a bidding war for Cook or having to wait for the fallout of Cook signing elsewhere before adding another running back.

How Leonard Fournette Could Fit With Steelers

As Leaf argued, the Steelers should be attracted to Fournette’s running power. He’s rushed for 34 touchdowns and scored 7 receiving touchdowns in his six-year career. Of those 41 scores, 35 of them were inside the 11-yard line.

Fournette’s ability as a runner and pass catcher should also be appealing for the Steelers. In both of the last two seasons, he’s had at least 450 rushing and receiving yards.

Furthermore, in three of his past four campaigns, Fournette has recorded at least 69 receptions.

The 28-year-old led the Buccaneers in rushing last season, but he has experience sharing the backfield. So while he could cut into Warren’s snaps, Harris should still play plenty even if the Steelers signed Fournette.

That’s one advantage Fournette would have over Cook, who is likely looking to be the clear-cut RB1 on his new team. He should also demand a cheaper salary than Cook.

Signing Fournette, though, isn’t a slam dunk for the Steelers. Steelers Depot’s Josh Carney conceived that Pittsburgh has a need for a No. 3 option at running back, but he wrote that “Fournette isn’t that guy.”

“He’s not going to play special teams, and likely won’t be thrilled taking a backseat, especially after he was a workhorse the last two seasons in Tampa Bay with a combined 511 touches in 2021 and 2022,” Carney wrote. “On paper, it’s a fun pairing, and would undoubtably be a fun pairing in Madden, too.

“But in reality, it doesn’t make much sense overall considering the dynamic in the running back room currently.”

Some NFL analysts have questioned this offseason whether Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett is the solution behind center for Pittsburgh.

Don’t count Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay among them.

Kay projected one player at each position to explode into stardom during the 2023 season. At quarterback, he picked Pickett.

“Pickett—the lone quarterback selected in the first two rounds of last year’s draft—may not have posted big numbers in his first NFL season, but he showed he’s a capable signal-caller who can lead his team to wins,” Kay wrote. “With a full offseason to prepare as the starter, he should see his stats significantly improve while he pushes to take the Steelers back to the playoffs following a one-year layoff.”

Pickett had more interceptions than touchdowns as a rookie. But he did lead the Steelers to a 7-5 record.

QB Kenny Pickett Ready to Explode in 2023?

It’s very typical for rookie signal callers to go through a lot of growing pains. Eli Manning and Josh Allen both had more interceptions than touchdowns as rookies just as Pickett did.

Steelers fans saw the struggles a rookie quarterback can go through first hand generations ago. Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw had 6 touchdowns and a league-leading 24 interceptions as a rookie in 1970.

Of course, there are plenty of examples of bad rookie quarterbacks who never figured it out. To name a few, Sam Darnold, Josh Rosen and Jimmy Clausen all had poor rookie seasons after being touted as franchise quarterbacks throughout the draft process. But they improved little during their second years.

Kay argued Pickett would find himself in the former group a year from now. He isn’t alone with that opinion.

Former Oakland Raiders MVP quarterback Rich Gannon raved about Pickett when comparing him to the 2023 quarterback class on his Sirius XM Radio show in April.

“If it were me, I’d take him in front of everybody,” Gannon said on his show. “I just really like him.”

Pickett didn’t finish with great stats, but he already showed improvement during his rookie season. In his final eight games of the season, he had 5 touchdowns and only 1 interception. Pickett also led the Steelers to two fourth-quarter comeback wins during that stretch.

The Nightmare Scenario for Pickett & the Steelers

Kay and Gannon are convinced, but not all analysts believe that Pickett will turn into Pittsburgh’s long-term starter behind center.

Former NFL quarterback Matt Cassell ranked Pickett the league’s No. 27 quarterback before the 2023 NFL draft.

Furthermore, Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon presented Pickett at the forefront in the team’s ultimate nightmare scenario.

“Kenny Pickett fails to improve significantly on a weak rookie season but Mike Tomlin and a strong defense cause them to win just enough games to leave them without a primo draft pick in 2024.”

Granted, Gagnon picked a nightmare scenario for all 32 teams, most of which will not come to fruition. It’s hard to argue that any Steelers nightmare at this point wouldn’t involve Pickett’s play or health in some capacity.

But it still illustrates Pickett doubters exist.

More analysts, in addition to Steelers players, are coming out of the woodwork, though, in support of Pickett as Kay did. Pro Football Focus’ Jim Wyman included Pickett on his 2023 all-breakout team on June 12.

“His counting stats leave something to be desired, as Pickett finished his rookie year throwing for just 2,404 yards with only seven touchdowns and nine interceptions without a single multi-TD game,” Wyman wrote. “However, the Steelers’ late-season playoff push coincided directly with Pickett’s late-season improvement.

“Pickett finished the season with a 75.5 offensive grade and 73.5 passing grade and with that late-season push, he could be primed for a big year in 2023.”

The Pittsburgh Steelers are working out veteran linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski, according to Mark Kaboly of The Athletic, as part of the team’s ongoing effort to upgrade its off-the-ball linebacker corps.

At the same time, the Steelers are also trying out former Carolina Panthers inside linebacker Jermaine Carter Jr., per Nick Farabaugh of Steelers Now. Carter spent the first four years of his career with Carolina (2018-21) before working for the Kansas City Chiefs, Cleveland Browns and Houston Texans in 2022.

Nick Kwiatkoski Signed a $21 Million Contract in 2020

Kwiatkoski, 30, is a former 4th-round pick of the Bears (2016) who spent the first four years of his career in Chicago, playing well enough to earn a three-year, $21 million contract with the Raiders in 2020. He earned $14.5 million over the course of two seasons in Las Vegas before getting released, but soon caught on with the Falcons, appearing in 12 games for Atlanta in 2022.

Thus far, he has played in 89 games and been credited with 293 total tackles (208 solo), not to mention 7 sacks, 2 interceptions, 8 forced fumbles and a dozen passes defensed.

The Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, native played his college ball at West Virginia, where he started his career as a defensive back before transitioning to linebacker.

If he signs with the Steelers, one would expect it to be for the veteran minimum. According to overthecap.com, he was paid a salary of $1.035 million, with a cap number of $895,000. He would be one of a handful of new additions at the position in the wake of free agent signees Cole Holcomb and Elandon Roberts, not to mention former Raiders third-round pick Tanner Muse.

Jermaine Carter Is a Former 5th-Round Pick

As for Jermaine Carter Jr., he’s a former Maryland Terrapin who was selected No. 161 overall in 2018 by the Panthers. The Steelers showed significant interest in Carter ahead of the 2018 NFL draft, bringing him in for a pre-draft visit.

To date Carter has appeared in 72 regular-season games and been credited with 194 total tackles (96 solo), along with 2 fumble recoveries and a half-a-sack. Almost all of that production came with the Panthers, though he recorded 8 tackles for the Browns in seven games last year.

3 Steelers Absent for 1st Day of Minicamp, Including T.J. Watt

On Tuesday the Steelers opened a mandatory three-day minicamp with an afternoon practice.

“Everyone was here that I anticipated being here,” said Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin during his media session on Tuesday. “I gave a couple of guys an excused absence for a variety of reasons. T.J. (Watt) wasn’t here. Ryan McCollum wasn’t here. I’m sure you guys missed T.J. I’m sure none of you missed Ryan McCollum,” quipped Tomlin about the former Detroit Lions center, who played on the same line as Steelers tackle Dan Moore Jr. when both were in college at Texas A&M.

Tomlin went on to confirm that punter Pressley Harvin III also was excused on Tuesday. That left the punting duties to Braden Mann, who was claimed on waivers from the New York Jets in mid-April.

As the Pittsburgh Steelers prepare to break before the demands of training camp, one order of business lingers: the future of Alex Highsmith. Heading into his fourth season, he’d be playing on the final year of his rookie deal should a new one not get hammered out before kickoff.

Highsmith first spoke about contract talks in an official capacity during a media scrum following organized team activities (OTAs). Though he’s not sure where things stand contractually, he has a good feeling. “I’m optimistic. I love being around the guys. I’m just grateful to even be in this position.

Some players opt for limited individual drills while their contract is being negotiated between their club and agent, while some don’t show up at all (OTAs are voluntary). T.J. Watt, Minkah Fitzpatrick and Diontae Johnson were all hold-ins, but Highsmith values getting work in over the risk of potential injury.

“I don’t really know where things stand but I just know I want to be here working. I’m just grateful for the opportunity that I have. I don’t know what the future holds, but I really hope it’s here. I’m confident. We’ll see if something gets worked out. I really want to be here. I’m someone who always likes to work, I love working and that’s why I’m here.”

Highsmith’s estimated value, according to salary-tracking website spotrac.com, is $13.9 million per season. But an inside source of Behind the Steel Curtain editor Jeff Hartman’s said it’s looking like a significantly higher value at $17 million.

Time With Steelers Has Flown for Alex Highsmith

It’s been six seasons since Le’Veon Bell last suited up in a Pittsburgh Steelers uniform, but time away never stops a player from talking about his former team.

The subject of Najee Harris came up during a May 26 appearance on the Steel Here podcast, and Bell offered some advice for his successor: Lose weight.

“He needs to lose weight,” Bell said, repeating it twice. “…He could shed a little bit just so he can be quicker.”

Bell compared Harris’ weight to that of himself when he first entered the NFL as a rookie in 2013. “He’s kind of like how I was when I first came into the league.”

According to Behind the Steel Curtain, Bell’s listed weight was 244 which, for a player who made hurdling opponents look easy, is big. Apparently he thought so, too. In a 2014 interview with Mark Kaboly (link no longer active), he shared that he dropped 20 pounds during the offseason. With the dramatic shift in weight came expectations of a faster, more explosive runner. Bell rushed for 860 yards in 2013 versus 1,361 in his second season, per Pro Football Reference.

But everybody is different — literally. Though not as dramatic, Harris did the complete opposite heading into his second year and it became a hot topic during the lull of the offseason. There was a bit of a discrepancy in just how much weight he put on. Per a tweet from NFL aggregate reporter Dov Kleiman, Harris was listed as 232 pounds in 2021.

The tweet prompted Harris to set the record straight. “Bra I weighed 240 last year,” he replied on Twitter. “Reporters really don’t be knowing nothing just be tweeting shit.” Kleiman pointed out that his frame of reference was his team’s website which, indeed, listed him at 232 pounds.

Harris joked (or he could’ve been serious) that reporters need something to write about since Ben Roethlisberger retired. “I think they were just bored because Ben retired, so they have nothing to talk about,” he said on All Things Covered with Bryant McFadden and Patrick Peterson on July 25, 2022. “So, somehow it changed to me and my weight. They tried to say something about being Jerome Bettis.”

It did become a thing for probably longer than it should have. CBS Sports Bryan DeArdo reported that Harris’ 244 weight was one pound heavier than Jerome Bettis was reported at his rookie season in 1996.

No matter what the weight gain, it’s hard to quantify the effect it had on his performance. While Bell ran for 500 more yards after trimming down, Harris sustained a foot injury at training camp that lingered into midseason. Surprisingly, he didn’t miss anytime with the lisfranc and played through with a steel plate in his shoe. He was able to grind out 1,034 yards (166 fewer than his rookie season) but didn’t return to form until after their Week 9 bye.

Expectations for Najee Harris in 2023

Though Le’Veon Bell believes Najee Harris needs to shed some weight to be faster, he likes his style. “He runs like a scat back but not really but like he got like a lot of skip to him,” Bell said. “He jumps over people… He got stuff to him. I like the way he runs.”

As nerve-wracking as it was for fans to watch, Harris didn’t stop hurdling defenders while playing injured. When healthy, there’s no telling what he can do. The offensive line should be much improved, though with some new parts (Isaac Seumalo, Broderick Jones), it could take some time to gel as it did last season. With a full offseason as the starter, Kenny Pickett‘s game should also be more crisp. Both factors will have a significant impact on Harris’ production in 2023. If it all comes together, it’s not a stretch to suggest he could out-perform his 1,200-yard rookie campaign.

Several NFL teams have been linked to 4-time Pro Bowl running back Dalvin Cook as his potential next team. The Minnesota Vikings officially released Cook on June 9.

Even with Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren on top of the running back depth chart, the Pittsburgh Steelers have been one of the teams linked to Cook. Fox Sports’ Joy Taylor called the Steelers a “very interesting” possibility for the 27-year-old.

While the Steelers could use additional depth at running back, it doesn’t have to be with a big name such as Cook. General manager Omar Khan orchestrating a trade for a running back that loses opportunities to Cook is probably a much more likely scenario for Pittsburgh.

Looking at the running backs who could possibly lose snaps to Cook, Miami Dolphins veteran Raheem Mostert is an interesting possible fit for the Steelers.

Could the Steelers Be Interested in Trading for Dolphins RB Raheem Mostert?

Before Cook’s release even became official, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the Dolphins and Denver Broncos were two teams expected to have interest in the 4-time Pro Bowler.

Even without Cook, Miami has a crowded backfield. Mostert sits on top of the depth chart with another former San Francisco 49ers back, Jeff Wilson, as his backup.

Salvon Ahmed and Myles Gaskin are other veterans the Dolphins have in their offensive backfield. Miami also drafted De’Von Achane in the third round of the 2023 NFL draft.

If the Dolphins sign Cook to upgrade their backfield, any of Miami’s backs, with the exception of Achane, could conceivably be available through a trade.

Having turned 31 in April, Mostert is the most experienced of that group. He has played eight seasons in the NFL since being an undrafted free agent in 2015. He had his best season last year with 891 rushing yards as Miami’s starter.

His experience could be very useful to the Steelers offense, which is filled with players under 30, a lot of which have played two seasons or fewer.

At running back, the Steelers don’t have a player older than 25.

Anthony McFarland is expected to be the team’s No. 3 back behind Harris and Warren. Jason Huntley, Darius Hagans and newly-signed Alfonzo Graham could competed with McFarland this summer for the No. 3 job.

Those four backs, other than Harris and Warren, have a combined 60 NFL carries in their careers.

Other Potential RB Trade Targets for Steelers

Mostert is the most interesting potential Miami running back trade target for the Steelers, but he isn’t the only Dolphins back who could provide depth and experience.

Wilson, Ahmed and Gaskin have all recorded at least 140 rushing attempts since joining the league in 2020. Therefore, all three have more experience than McFarland or any of the other depth Steelers running backs.

If the price for Mostert is too high or should the Dolphins elect to keep Mostert with Cook (assuming they sign Cook), then the Steelers could inquire about Wilson, Ahmed or Gaskin.

Waiting until after the final roster cut down day at the end of August is a possibility for the Steelers too. The Dolphins might not keep all of those running backs even if they don’t sign Cook.

If the Broncos sign Cook, perhaps the Steelers could pursue veterans Samaje Perine or Tony Jones Jr. in a trade from Denver. Both just joined the Broncos in free agency this offseason.

Neither have been consistent starters in their careers, but they each have more than 65 carries and 10 receptions in their careers. Perine has been in the league since 2017 and was a useful pass-catcher and change-of-pace back for the Cincinnati Bengals the last three years.

The Sporting News’ Kevin Skiver identified the Buffalo Bills, Dallas Cowboys and Tampa Bay Buccaneers as three other potential teams besides the Dolphins and Broncos who could target Cook in free agency. If they do, those three teams also have running backs the Steelers may be interested in targeting through a trade if the price is right.

Like it or not, it won’t be long before the Pittsburgh Steelers extend Mike Tomlin‘s contract. The coach who some fans can’t stand, some fans love and others are on the fence about is heading into his 17th season with the Steelers — two seasons more than Bill Cowher but six fewer than Chuck Noll.

The question is when should we expect the deal to be done? Tomlin has two years left on his current contract — through the 2024 season — which is typically when owner and president Art Rooney II tacks on more years. Steelers insider Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette says don’t expect that to change. “They’ve never waited before, don’t expect them to start now,” he wrote in a May 30 chat.

“And, when it does, the extension will further infuriate that segment of the fan based that points to the Steelers not winning a playoff game in six years — the franchise’s longest drought since the 1970 merger — and hasn’t been to the Super Bowl in 12 years,” Dulac wrote in a January 31, 2023 column. He noted that since Pittsburgh’s last Super Bowl appearance in 2010, 14 different teams, or 44% of the league, have been to the big game.

Historically, the Steelers have added two additional years to each contract renewal, which would put Tomlin in his 20th year with Pittsburgh in 2026, three years shy of Noll’s tenure. The four-time Super Bowl-winning coach was nearly 60 when he retired, Tomlin would be 55. Not that age matters when it comes to coaching — Bill Belichick is 71, heading into his 24th season with the New England Patriots, and showing no signs of stopping.

In the last five-plus decades, the only time Pittsburgh’s made a head coach change has been when one retires. The Rooneys have given their coaches extended leashes that can’t and won’t be shortened, no matter the track record. Noll went four consecutive seasons without making the playoffs (1985-1988) and Cowher three (1998-2000). Tomlin has taken his team to the playoffs 10 times with a losing postseason record of 8-9. The Steelers have missed the playoffs five times under Tomlin with no more than two consecutive seasons between appearances.

“I don’t really evaluate Mike on anything other than I’m glad he’s our coach,” Art Rooney II told Missi Matthews for Steelers.com in February 2023. “Hopefully he’ll be our coach into the future. He gives us a chance to win, year in and year out, and put us in a position where we have a chance to compete for a championship.”

Coaching is everything to Tomlin, seemingly what he was born to do, and it’s not a stretch to see him continuing for many more contracts to come. Expect this one before the start of the 2023 season.

Mike Tomlin’s Quest for a 2023 Playoff Win

The next hurdle in Mike Tomlin’s quest for a playoff win is the 2023 season, which kicks off at Pittsburgh’s Acrisure Stadium on September 10. The Steelers are just coming off their spring practices, which ended June 8. Three days of mandatory minicamp — June 13 to 15 — is the last offseason workout until training camp begins on July 27.

There are several key position battles that will be won and lost in Latrobe, but the significant difference between 2022 and 2023 is at quarterback. Last season, it was Mitch Trubisky‘s job to lose and he didn’t. This time around, Kenny Pickett is the guy. It’ll be his first camp at the helm and no one is breathing down his neck. The result should be a more polished Pickett ready to lead his team to postseason success.

To say former second-round pick Chase Claypool was a disappointment in 2022 is a major understatement. Spending half the season with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Chicago Bears, Claypool posted a career-low 46 catches for 451 yards and only 1 touchdown.

After the Steelers traded him to the Bears, Claypool had just 14 receptions for 140 yards in seven games.

But that has hardly lowered the expectations for the 24-year-old receiver in 2023. The Chicago coaching staff seemed to imply that Claypool is due for a bigger 2023 season because he is looking much more comfortable with the Bears in offseason workouts.

“To say where he is now, obviously, he’s definitely in a much better place,” Bears offensive coordinator Luke Getsy told the media on June 7. “That’s what’s most important.

“Like coach Flus and those guys have said, I think that his positivity, his optimism coming into this thing, and his attack and his approach to how he’s trying to learn this thing is really cool to see.”

The Steelers traded Claypool to the Bears for a 2023 second-round pick. That selection for Pittsburgh became cornerback Joey Porter Jr. at No. 32 overall.

Chase Claypool Due for Bounce Back Season in 2023?

Based on his raw talent, Claypool should be an NFL star. He appeared to be on the verge of stardom when he posted 62 receptions for 873 yards with 11 total touchdowns as a rookie in 2020.

But Claypool has only scored three times since then. He also hasn’t managed to match his rookie receptions or receiving yards totals again.

Based on the hype for the 24-year-old at Chicago’s offseason workouts, the Bears coaching staff expects that could change in 2023.

“I’m excited where he is,” wide receivers coach Tyke Tolbert told the media. “He’s more into what we’re doing offensively. He asks a lot of good questions. He’s here extra too — when he doesn’t have to be here, he’s here doing a lot of extra things, trying to get better, watching tape on his own, that kinda thing.

“He’s a big target, as we know. People forget that he’s 230 pounds but he ran a 4.42. He’s really fast. He was out here and he was getting behind the defense a few times. We’re excited to have him.”

With that size and speed, the sky is the limit with Claypool. Whether he puts it together, though, in a primarily run-first offense remains to be seen.

Did Getsy Imply Bears Are ‘Much Better Place’ for Claypool than Steelers?

From the Steelers perspective, it’s possible to interpret what Getsy said about Claypool as a dig against the receiver’s former team.

Looking at Getsy’s quote about Claypool at offseason workouts in its entirety, it’s not completely clear if the Bears offensive coordinator is saying Claypool is in a better place now than he was during the second half of 2022 or before the trade.

“I think comfortability within the building, whether that’s being around the head coach, being around us on the offensive staff, his teammates,” Getsy said. “And then, most importantly, Justin [Fields]. I think that relationship is always the most important — the quarterback/receiver relationship.

“I think all that’s improving. As far as his knowledge of what’s going on around him, that’s improving. Because we demand a lot of that position, as we’ve talked about here plenty of times. That’s a big part of what we do with that role. It’s been good to see him be able to take a step there.”

Most Steelers fans would probably disagree that the Bears are a better place for Claypool. Both the Pittsburgh and Chicago offenses finished in the top 10 in rushing attempts last year, but the Bears had the second most rushes in the league during 2022.

Chicago also acquired receiver D.J. Moore this offseason. That could open things up for Claypool. But if passing attempts for the Bears remain low, it could also further limit Claypool’s opportunities.

But, more than likely, Getsy probably meant that Claypool is in a better place than he was last year with the Bears with his quote on the receiver at OTAs.

The Pittsburgh Steelers could use a little more depth in the offensive backfield. The team’s running backs behind the starter and primary backup have a combined 60 career carries in the NFL.

Fox Sports’ Joy Taylor, though, is imploring the Steelers to consider doing more than just add some experience to their running back room. Taylor labeled the Steelers ‘very interesting’ for recently released 4-time Pro Bowl running back Dalvin Cook.

“When I think of the Steelers’ offensive identity, they always have fast, big wide receivers. They have a solid running game. They have Najee Harris, but it’s a two-back system pretty much anywhere you go now,” Taylor said on Fox Sports’ Speak on June 8. “They don’t want to wear somebody down. And if you have a creative offensive coordinator, you can really utilize a guy like Dalvin Cook, who can blast off.

“So, having a young quarterback with a solid run game like that would be very interesting, and obviously, that’s what the Steelers like to do.”

Trade rumors have swirled around Cook for much of the offseason, but the 27-year-old is now officially a free agent.

NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero first reported the Minnesota Vikings‘ plan to release Cook on June 8. The Vikings officially announced the running back’s release the next day.

Could the Steelers Sign Dalvin Cook?

Cook arrived with the Vikings as a second-round pick in the 2017 NFL draft. He suffered a torn ACL during his fourth game after setting team records as a rookie.

He dealt with leg injuries again in his second season, which limited him. But Cook took off in 2019, rushing for 1,135 yards. He has posted four consecutive 1,000-yard seasons since then.

In 2022, Cook had 1,173 rushing yards with 8 touchdowns. He also posted 39 receptions with 295 receiving yards and 2 more scores.

The Vikings releasing Cook had everything to do with money and nothing with his talent. Minnesota saved $9 million in cap space with the release of the running back.

Cook should now be an attractive possibility in free agency for a lot of teams, including possibly the Steelers.

Matt Canada’s offense ranked 10th in the NFL in rushing attempts last season. During the team’s 7-2 surge to end 2022, the Steelers averaged more than 34 carries per game and 146 rushing yards per contest.

In quarterback Kenny Pickett’s second season, the Steelers should again be a predominantly running team. They could use all the running back depth possible.

Cook is also a dynamic receiver, who could act as a safety net for Pickett in the passing game.

Finally, the Steelers can fit Cook under the salary cap. Spotrac reported Pittsburgh possesses about $14.7 million in cap space as of June 11.

Steelers Appear to be Unlikely Landing Spot for Cook

Theoretically, yes, the Steelers could sign Cook. Will they, though, is a completely different story.

The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly threw cold water on the idea of signing Cook in a sarcastic tweet on June 10.

While running back depth remains a need for the Steelers, adding a star like Cook doesn’t seem to be an ideal fit.

Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren are projected to be Pittsburgh’s top two running backs in 2023. Harris and Warren grew into a dynamic duo during the second half of last season, combining to rush for 899 yards in the final nine games.

Together, they averaged nearly 127 yards from scrimmage during that stretch. Furthermore, Warren recorded 4.7 yards per carry in those nine contests.

With those two backs, it’s hard to envision Cook having a major role if he signed with the Steelers. Or if Cook came to Pittsburgh and assumed a top spot on the depth chart, that would mean fewer snaps for Harris and maybe almost none for Warren.

That’s not ideal with Warren performing well at offseason workouts.

Cook may be a interesting possibility for the Steelers but probably not a very likely one.

Three-time Pro Bowler Frank Clark signed with the Denver Broncos on June 8. But there are still quite a few edge rushers available in free agency.

Steelers Depot’s Jonathan Heitritter argued the Pittsburgh Steelers should be in the market to sign one of them.

“To compete with the best, you’ve got to beat the best,” Heitritter wrote. “Pittsburgh needs to continue to build up its defense to match and exceed the defensive units they will face on a regular basis in the AFC.

“The Bills, Dolphins, and plenty of other squads run 4-5 deep in viable edge rushers, meaning that adding another proven veteran shouldn’t be off the table for Pittsburgh, and honestly should be something they should investigate prior to the start of the season.”

The Steelers finished with at least a share of the NFL sack lead for five consecutive seasons from 2017-21. But in 2022, Pittsburgh was 14th in the league with 40 sacks.

With about 2.35 sacks per game last season, that was Pittsburgh’s lowest per game sack average since 2014.

Potential Edge Rushers for Steelers to Sign in NFL Free Agency

Even with Clark joining the Broncos, there are other edge rushers available in the free agent market.

Heitritter mentioned four possible edge rushers for the Steelers.

“As far as options go, there are several notable names currently out there that are looking for jobs,” Heitritter wrote. “Older veterans like Robert Quinn, Justin Houston, Carlos Dunlap and Jason Pierre-Paul all remain unsigned and are looking to play for a playoff contender.”

Those four edge rushers have made a combined 12 Pro Bowls and earned 3 first-team All-Pro nominations during their careers. Justin Houston was the most productive from a sack perspective last season, as he posted 9.5 sacks for the Baltimore Ravens.

With 4 sacks and 12 quarterback hits, Dunlap helped the Kansas City Chiefs win the Super Bowl last season.

Quinn posted a career-high 18.5 sacks with the Chicago Bears in 2021. The Bears traded Quinn to the Philadelphia Eagles close to the 2022 trade deadline, where he became a key rotational pass rusher for the NFC Champions.

Like Dunlap, Pierre-Paul won the Super Bowl too, with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020.

Any of those four edge rushers would be a nice addition to Pittsburgh’s pass rush. Spotrac reported the Steelers have a little more than $18 million left in salary cap space. The Steelers could fit any of those four edge rushers under the cap on a one-year deal.

Yannick Ngakoue, Jadeveon Clowney, Matthew Ioannidis and Shelby Harris are other accomplished veteran edge rushers who are also available in free agency.

Steelers Signed LB Markus Golden

Although the Steelers have the cap space to add an edge rusher before training camp, the team has already made a late offseason signing to boost its pass rush.

On May 25, the Steelers signed Markus Golden to a one-year deal worth about $1.3 million.

“He’s exactly the kind of pass-rusher they love in Pittsburgh,” an AFC scouting director told Heavy senior reporter Matt Lombardo. “They don’t mind size and length limitations, they just like production on the opposite side of Watt. And, listen, you can’t ever have enough pass-rushers.”

Golden had just 2.5 sacks for the Arizona Cardinals last season, but in 2021, he recorded a career-high 11 sacks.

Despite the drop-off in sacks, Golden continued to be in the opposition’s offensive backfield last year. He had 7 tackles for loss and 20 quarterback hits in 2022. Golden recorded 10 tackles for loss and 19 quarterback hits during 2021.

With Golden, the Steelers have three edge rushers who have posted double-digit sack seasons at least once in the past two years. T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith combined for 20 sacks in 2022.

Although he turned 34 this offseason, defensive end Cameron Heyward remains a force as a pass rusher as well. Heyward registered his third double-digit sack season with 10.5 sacks last season.

Watt, Highsmith, Heyward and Golden already form an impressive collection of pass rushers. But if general manager Omar Khan desires another one, there are some interesting options still available.

Seventeen months removed from the retirement of franchise quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, the Pittsburgh Steelers appear to be on the path to competitiveness again. An impressive start (at least on paper) given that some clubs need several drafts before they become relevant post-franchise QB.

Aside from maybe a pass-defending inside linebacker, general manager Omar Khan and head coach Mike Tomlin filled the Steelers’ holes nicely this offseason. To recap the highlights: The secondary was shored up with the addition of Keanu Neal and Chandon Sullivan and re-signing Damontae Kazee. After very little hesitation at the opening of free agency, Pittsburgh signed linebackers Elandon Roberts and Cole Holcomb, guard Nate Herbig and veteran cornerback Patrick Peterson. Last but not least, on May 24, much-needed depth at outside linebacker was addressed signing Markus Golden to a one-year contract.

Not only was free agency a hit for the Steelers, but they accomplished one of their best drafts in years with offensive linemen Broderick Jones and Spencer Anderson, cornerbacks Joey Porter Jr. and Cory Trice, linebacker Nick Herbig, defensive tackle Keeanu Benton and mountain-of-a-man Darnell Washington at tight end.

All appears right in the world of the Steelers, but Bleacher Report laid out a “nightmare” scenario that could sneak up on the team.

“Kenny Pickett fails to improve significantly on a weak rookie season but Mike Tomlin and a strong defense cause them to win just enough games to leave them without a primo draft pick in 2024,” Brad Gagnon wrote.

That scenario is certainly something Steelers fans have been and continue to be afraid of. Pickett is still an unknown commodity. But after a rocky start, he displayed the traits that should have the team set at quarterback for the foreseeable future. Pittsburgh won seven of their nine games in the second leg of the schedule to climb back into the playoff picture, but the Dolphins dashed those dreams.

Mixed Projections for Steelers QB Kenny Pickett

As far as the media is concerned, the outlook for Kenny Pickett’s second season behind center for the Pittsburgh Steelers is mixed. Pro Football Focus’s initial QB rankings ahead of the 2023 season have him at 22nd between New England Patriots’ Mac Jones and San Fransisco 49ers’ Brock Purdy.

“The best quarterback in what was deemed an awful quarterback class, Pickett performed admirably in his rookie season even though the statistics weren’t necessarily pretty,” wrote Sam Monson. “His PFF passing grade was good enough to rank 16th in the league, but he finished the season with more interceptions (nine) than touchdowns (seven). Pittsburgh’s scheme was toothless and predictable in 2022, and that might be the biggest obstacle standing between Pickett and real improvement in these rankings.”

Everything in Monson’s blurb is accurate. We can only hope that Pittsburgh’s “toothless and predictable” scheme grows some teeth in 2023.

Failed NFL quarterback turned media personality Chris Simms rarely has a nice thing to say about Pickett or Pittsburgh. In his slow drip of a QB countdown, Simms has Pickett ranked 25th above San Fransisco 49ers’ Brock Purdy, but below guys like Baker Mayfield, Justin Fields and Jimmy Garoppolo. He still has a long way to go and a lot to prove, but to be ranked well below Mac Jones is brow-raising.

Thankfully the only opinion Pickett pays any attention to is that of his head coach, Mike Tomlin, and his teammates.

The Pittsburgh Steelers aren’t known as a franchise to execute big-time trades. But when a major need exists, blockbuster deals aren’t off the table for Pittsburgh.

That’s led some to wonder whether the Steelers could be a destination for Washington Commanders defensive end Chase Young this offseason. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reported on June 7 that “it seems unlikely the Washington brass would move him” before the 2023 season, but that the team is also “open to listening” to trade offers.

Steelers Depot’s Dave Bryan argued, though, that it “isn’t very plausible” that the Steelers will be one of the teams making Washington an offer.

“I will be surprised if Washington deals Young prior to Week 1 of the 2023 regular season,” Bryan wrote. “I’ll be even more surprised if the Steelers traded for Young if he winds up being dealt.”

Young made the Pro Bowl and won the Defensive Rookie of the Year award in 2020. But he suffered a torn ACL and patellar tendon in his right knee in 2021.

As a result, he’s missed 22 games over the past two seasons.

A Potential Chase Young Trade is Complicated

The Steelers could be loosely linked to Young (assuming he’s available) for a couple different reasons.

First, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin is obviously a fan of Young. When Washington visited Pittsburgh during the 2020 season, NFL Films caught Tomlin complimenting Young along the sideline.

“I don’t ever want to lose enough games to get a guy like you,” Tomlin told Young. “You know what I mean? ‘Cause you gotta lose 14, 15 games to get a guy look like you.”

Secondly, Steelers fans could point to the Minkah Fitzpatrick trade as precedence for a potential Young deal this summer.

There are obvious differences between the two situations — Fitzpatrick was coming off an All-Pro season while Young is trying to get back on the field consistently. The Steelers also have a new general manager since the Fitzpatrick trade.

But if Omar Khan still deems edge rusher and/or defensive line a big enough need this summer, acquiring Young could be one of the best methods for filling that void.

However, a trade for Young is complicated for any team who is interested.

Bryan reported that Young would cost about $5.3 million against the 2023 salary cap if acquired before August 5. The Steelers have that cap space, but that’s an expensive salary for a player who is still recovering from perhaps the most serious of football injuries.

Young is also not under contract beyond 2023. Any team that acquires Young not only has to be willing to pay his 2023 salary but also plan on signing him to a long-term deal.

That’s difficult to plan given that Young is not healthy. But otherwise, Young is a one-year rental.

Bryan argued it might be more prudent for Young to remain in Washington anyway. He has to prove himself again in order to land a lucrative long-term deal. Playing in a familiar setting and system improves his chances of maximizing his value.

Extending LB Alex Highsmith Likely Top Priority for Steelers

Young’s talent makes him an appealing option for any NFL team. He’s an intriguing possibility for Pittsburgh because the Steelers could use more youth and experience along their defensive line.

The former No. 2 overall pick has both.

Extending linebacker Alex Highsmith on a long-term deal, though, is likely one of Khan’s top priorities left this offseason. If the Steelers lock up the outside linebacker, then they will already have their pass rushing duo for the foreseeable future even without Young.

“The expectations are that the team will extend Alex Highsmith, making him and T.J. Watt the bookend starters of the future,” Steelers Now’s Nick Farabaugh wrote. “If that happens, Young is at best the OLB3 on a team that would have to pay some significant draft capital to land him.”

Farabaugh added that “the combination of need and cost” makes Young “out of reach for Pittsburgh.”

In 27 career games, Young has recorded 75 combined tackles, including 13 tackles for loss, 17 quarterback hits and 9 sacks. But 7.5 of those 9 sacks came in 2020.

Great recognizes great. No one is a better judge of talent than the talented ones. Halfway through his career, T.J. Watt is already one of the greatest outside linebackers ever to don the black and gold. He’s been dominating since his second season in 2018, making quarterback’s lives miserable with 13.0 sacks, 21 quarterback hits and 68 tackles (12 for loss). Watt also registered six forced fumbles, tied for second in the NFL, with his brother J.J. Watt leading the way with seven.

When the Steelers’ 2022 NFL draft class came in, Watt knew the top two picks of Kenny Pickett and George Pickens would turn heads.

“George Pickens is one of those guys that’s like, I don’t know if he really understands how good he is. It’s like, holy cow,” Watt told Peter King on The Peter King Podcast. “Some of the things that you see in practice. On top of that, it’s the little things like finishing plays. Running, he can run for days.”

A receiver is only as solid as his quarterback, and Watt was excited about the progression of their then-rookie signal-caller from training camp through Week 18.

“Kenny Pickett is getting better each and every week. Commanding two-minute drills back in training camp. You can just see the progression. Then you come to the Ravens game, down the stretch, where he was able to lead the team down the field. We just had a feeling that, Hey, we’re gonna score this. We’re gonna get on defense and we’re gonna win this game. So it’s just little things like that, that it’s all about gaining respect through teammates through work. And those guys came to work every day.”

Kenny Pickett, George Pickens Are a Dynamic Duo for the Steelers

Kenny Pickett didn’t win the starting job to kick off the 2023 Pittsburgh Steelers season, but eventually, he was given a helmet. And, as T.J. Watt pointed out, he improved each week. Heading into year two, though, expectations will be much higher.

Mike Tomlin preaches hard about “the second-year leap” demands of his youngsters no matter what round they were drafted in. He has a clear vision of what he wants from Pickett.

“It’s the second lap around the track,” Tomlin said on The Rich Eisen Show. “He’s no longer speculating in terms of what this business is about, what the job demands, what the challenges are, what the feel of the process is like, whether it’s getting ready for a season or getting ready for a week. He has all of that experience, and so I just think it’s reasonable for him to have significant growth in all areas with that understanding to be more engaged in the process and to have an opinion about the process, to lead more comfortably in his own voice.”

Pickens will be a key component in Pickett’s growth and vice versa. The dynamic duo had a ton of chemistry in 2022.

“George Pickens has got a chance to be a legit game-changer at wide receiver,” ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky said on NFL Live. “A scheme-changer that when defenses watch the tape, they go, ‘What are we going to do with him?’ If George Pickens can consistently play to the level that we saw glimpses of last year, we’re going to talk about a guy that’s going to go for like 100 catches, 1,400 yards and push 10 touchdowns. I think he’s that talented. If he becomes that, the Steelers will no longer be quiet in November, December.”

Seventeen months removed from Ben Roethlisberger‘s retirement, the Pittsburgh Steelers have the tools to be contenders again. The question is: Will they use them correctly?

On June 5 the Pittsburgh Steelers signed former Philadelphia Eagles offensive tackle Jarrid Williams, with the news first coming down from Exclusive Sports Group, which represents the former Miami Hurricanes standout.

The Steelers subsequently confirmed the news, while also announcing the addition of former Virginia State running back Darius Hagans, who was signed by the Indianapolis Colts as a rookie undrafted free agent following the 2023 draft but was released on June 1.

Jarrid Williams Spent the 2022 Season With the Eagles, Lions

Williams, 25, is the third former Eagles offensive lineman to join the Steelers during this offseason, following in the wake of ‘Nasty’ Nate Herbig and Isaac Seumalo, who both signed in mid-March.

Williams started his college career with Houston, making a total of 16 starts for the Cougars before transferring to Miami, where he started 23 games, mostly at right tackle. He went undrafted last year (2022) but caught on with the Eagles and spent most of the season in Philadelphia. He also spent time on the Detroit Lions practice squad before re-joining the Eagles during the postseason.

He’s the latest addition to an offensive line room that now features six tackles, headlined by incumbent starters Chuks Okorafor and Dan Moore Jr., plus 2023 1st-round pick Broderick Jones. Williams — who is listed at 6-foot-6 and 310 pounds — will be competing with Dylan Cook and Le’Raven Clark for a backup job, with Spencer Anderson also in the mix.

Darius Hagans Scored 22 TDs at Virginia State

Meanwhile, Chesapeake, Va. native Darius Hagans distinguished himself at Virginia State after starting his college career at DII Alderson Broaddus University in West Virginia.

In three seasons with the Virginia State Trojans, Hagans appeared in 29 games, carrying the ball 420 times for 2,069 yards and 17 touchdowns, an average of 4.9 yards per carry. He also had 31 catches for 428 yards and five receiving touchdowns.

The NFL Draft Bible calls Hagans a “big, hard-nosed runner, (who) possesses excellent size, a strong frame and exceptional burst…. Overall, his blend of size, speed, power and ability to play all special teams units make him a bona fide roster candidate at the NFL level. The best-case scenario, he can win a job as kick returner and evolve into a dependable third running back option on the depth chart.”

Hagans will be competing for a job behind incumbent starter Najee Harris and primary backup Jaylen Warren, the latter of whom is entering his second NFL season. To win a spot on the 53-man roster he’ll likely have to beat out 2020 4th-round pick Anthony McFarland Jr., as well as ex-Eagles RB Jason Huntley and former Morgan State star Alfonzo Graham, who inked a deal with the team following a tryout at Pittsburgh’s rookie minicamp.

To make room on the roster for Hagans, the Steelers released former Harvard and Sam Houston State wide receiver Cody Chrest, who signed just 12 days ago following a short stint with the Colts. Chrest is blessed with elite athleticism, but has struggled to overcome a “really complicated” injury history.

Pittsburgh currently has 90 players on its offseason roster, so corresponding move(s) will be required to make any new addition(s).

Defensive lineman Cameron Heyward has built a fine career with the Pittsburgh Steelers. With four All-Pro nominations, including three first-team All-Pros, and six Pro Bowl appearances, Heyward has an argument to one day be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

But Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox suggested that the Steelers should consider letting Heyward finish his career with another team.

In an article where he named one player every team should contemplate shopping on the trade market before the start of the season, Knox argued Heyward should be a potential trade chip for the Steelers.

“The Pittsburgh Steelers are never truly rebuilding. Last season, for example, they rolled with then-rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett and still one nine games,” Knox wrote. “A run at the playoffs in 2023 should be expected.

“Yet, it would still behoove the Steelers to at least consider trading standout defensive tackle Cameron Heyward. The six-time Pro Bowler is still a very productive player—he had 74 tackles, 10.5 sacks and 30 quarterback pressures in 2022—but he’s also 34 years old and has just two years remaining on his contract.”

Behind 10.5 sacks, Heyward made his sixth straight Pro Bowl in 2022. He has recorded 78.5 sacks in his career, which is 2 shy of the Steelers’ official sack record.

Pros and Cons to Steelers Trading Cameron Heyward

Heyward continues to play at a high level, but he did turn 34 in May. So if Knox only got one thing correct in his evaluation of Heyward, it’s that he’s much closer to the end of his career than the beginning.

If the Steelers dealt him this offseason, they would be maximizing the return they would receive in a trade.

“Elite defensive tackles have a lot of value in the current market. Parting with a couple of years early could net the Steelers a younger impact player or premium pick with which to build around Pickett,” Knox wrote. “Trading Heyward would also save $15.9 million in cap space, which could be used to further build Pickett’s supporting cast.”

But should the Steelers consider themselves a 2023 contender (they undoubtably do) trading Heyward makes little sense. He’s still a major piece of the Pittsburgh defense, which has the potential to be a top 10 unit if its stars are healthy this fall.

Knox complimented the depth the Steelers have been building along their defensive line in recent years. But that depth is unproven. Heyward is one of only two defensive linemen on the Steelers roster with at least 25 NFL starts.

The other defensive lineman with more than 25 career starts on the Steelers roster is Larry Ogunjobi.

Trading Heyward would leave a big hole. While it would open up cap space, it’s probably too late in the offseason for the additional cap space to make a difference for the 2023 roster.

Spotrac reported the Steelers still have about $14.8 million in space as of June 5 anyway.

Heyward Trade Rumors Surfaced Previously

Trading Heyward before the start of the 2023 season appears highly unlikely. Even Knox wrote that it will “probably not” happen. But it’s not the first time it’s been suggested.

93.7 The Fan’s Andrew Fillipponi tweeted on October 26 that he heard an NFC team inquired the Steelers about trading for Heyward. But trade discussions did not develop from there because the Steelers weren’t interested.

This interesting tidbit proves there likely would be a market for Heyward if he were made available.

But if general manager Omar Khan wasn’t willing to sell Heyward to the highest bidder when the team held a 2-6 record and little chance of making a postseason run last year, then it’s extremely unlikely he’s interested now.

The Steelers drafted Heyward at No. 31 overall in the first round of the 2011 NFL draft. He wasn’t on the roster the last time the team made a trip to the Super Bowl, but he’s the last holdover from that successful era. Heyward is also a vocal team leader and one of the most popular players in the fan base.

Never say never, but the Steelers trading Heyward this summer appears highly unlikely.