Will Depth Finally Bring Consistency In Pittsburgh?
Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
It was a cold night in January at Heinz Field. Ben Roethlisberger was back in the shotgun awaiting the snap when the ball was suddenly catapulted over his head. As it quickly tumbled towards the goal line, James Conner dove on it in hopes of salvaging a messy situation. The ball squirted out and into the end zone, where the Cleveland Browns recovered it for a touchdown.
This was the first play of the first round of the 2021 playoffs. It was an omen for what was about to transpire. The Browns smacked the Black and Gold to the tune of 48-36 and the devastating opening moment was forever seared into the brains of Pittsburgh Steelers fans. It was an ugly final act for a 12-5 season that had begun with an 11-0 run.
For years, Pittsburgh has had stars on the field, but their heavy contracts often came at the expense of a complete team. At the end of his successful run, Kevin Colbert was consistently fielding a strong starting 22 but lacking the ability to fill in supporting roles. Each recent season has felt like a 22-handicap golfer playing 18. A solid few holes at the beginning or the end, but the rest: a fumbling mess of torn-up grass and four-letter words.
In 2022, the absence of T.J. Watt dramatically highlighted the issue. Admittedly, it’s not reasonable to expect players like Malik Reed to step in for one of the best defensive players in the league and keep things status quo. But the decline in production also shouldn’t be so catastrophic that the Steelers can’t overcome it.
Fortunately, the days of waiting for the other shoe to drop may be behind the Steel City. With Ben Roethlisberger’s contract finally fully off the books and some key off-season moves coming to fruition, Omar Khan and Co. look to start 2023 with their most depth in recent history.
The offensive line, one of the most vulnerable units over the past few seasons, has finally been given the attention it deserves. After Dan Moore Jr played adequately in 2022, the team went out and committed their highest draft capital to Broderick Jones and signed the massively underrated Isaac Seumalo. Key in Khan’s ability to trade Kevin Dotson to the Los Angeles Rams was the presence of sixth man Nate Herbig. A nasty and physical offensive lineman, Herbig can bring support at each position along the O-line. He is a fantastic insurance blanket for a stout, talented group. When you add in that Seumalo has played every position on the line and even received a Pro Bowl nod in his first year switching spots in Philadelphia, the unit is feeling very good about their malleability and resilience.
On the D-line, Nate’s brother Nick Herbig has been a minicamp and preseason phenom. The other Herbig has impressed with his ability to learn from Watt. The quick study has taken pointers and coaching and rapidly applied them as though he’d been doing it for years. It’s the sort of effort and growth that earns a young player a lot of respect and opportunity from his coaches. While nowhere near Watt’s size or caliber, Nick Herbig has shown a knack for getting to the quarterback. When accompanied by Markus Golden, the two provide a dynamic duo for rest downs or, heaven forbid, injury.
The safety room is wonderfully crowded and insanely talented. Minkah Fitzpatrick, Keanu Neal, and Damontae Kazee are legit. And, oh by the way, future Hall of Famer Patrick Peterson has been peeking his head in from time to time.
And if the Steelers feel comfortable taking advantage of Peterson’s versatility, it’s an obvious acknowledgment of how they feel about their cornerbacks. With the addition of Desmond King, a former Pro Bowl corner, Tomlin might not have the flashiest group in the league but he has a deep list of smart cornerbacks who can execute his scheme.
Over in the offensive weapons department, the young depth is ludacris. The speedy Jalen Warren is a perfect change of pace behind Najee Harris. Calvin Austin III provides the deep threat the team has been missing since the days of Mike Wallace and Martavis Bryant, while Allen Robinson stabilizes the young room as a veteran leader. And Darnell Washington has the sort of athletic ability behind Pat Freiermuth that could make him a steal-of-the-draft candidate.
The Steelers are far from the sexiest roster in the AFC. But sexy doesn’t always equal Lombardi. With limited success in recent years, there are those who still question the Steelers’ ability to escape the basement of the division, let alone earn a playoff berth. Yet depth and consistency at every position is often what keeps teams alive down the stretch. With newfound confidence in nearly every position perhaps this is the year, the Steelers can get off the tee box, work their short game, and finally break 90. With a little help from Mike Tomlin, who knows, they might show up and shoot a championship round.
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