DB’s Steelers Mailbag: How to Utilize Mike Williams, Najee Harris’ Looming Contract Situation, Steelers Biggest Needs in Draft
Before the Pittsburgh Steelers get set to try and enact revenge on the Cleveland Browns, it’s time for the December edition of the mailbag. This installment covers a myriad of topics including Mike Williams usage, Najee Harris’ impending contract situation and the AFC playoff picture with a splash of NFL Draft foreshadowing.
As always, I really appreciate all of the responses on social media that brought forth a variety of interesting topics to discuss. Here we go.
Q: What are the next steps with Mike Williams? I feel like we need to utilize him more instead of just being a decoy so that defenses start respecting him.
A: The Steelers were coming off a mini-bye week heading into the Bengals game this past weekend so if they were planning on further integrating him into the offense, that would have seemed like the time to do it. But if we’re being honest, Pittsburgh isn’t doing anything in the passing game from a conceptual standpoint that he hasn’t been asked to do in his career. When he has been in the game, he looks largely like the player we saw in a Jets uniform and I don’t think there’s been anything to suggest that they start to funnel him targets when other guys such as Calvin Austin are more dynamic at this point. I thought the trade price to acquire him was a little rich at the time, but if he makes a big catch or two in the postseason, it will probably be worth it.
Q: Do you see a role for Beanie Bishop moving forward after Cam Sutton out-snapped him last weekend in Cincinnati?
A: The Steelers gameplan on defense had a lot to do with that change, which Mike Tomlin alluded to after the fact. They were trying to be a little more creative in the back end with their zone coverage rotations and Sutton just has more experience doing that sort of stuff in this scheme so it makes sense that they would lean on his versatility in that regard. Bishop is younger, more athletic at this stage of his career and has the capacity to run with guys stride for stride and that’s simply not the case anymore for Sutton based on the film this season. Both of them have been on the field in dime packages, too. They also activated Cory Trice from injured reserve this week so how they mix and match those skill sets will definitely be something to watch moving forward.
Q: How do you think we finish in the conference?
A: The Steelers are currently penciled in as the three seed in the AFC and I see no reason as to why they can’t stay there and earn a home playoff game to open up the postseason. They’ve got tough games on the horizon as they have to head to Philly to take on the Eagles and welcome the Chiefs to Acrisure Stadium on Christmas day, a game that will have seeding implications. As of right now, they’ve got a 2.5-game lead on the Ravens for the North and they could seal the deal there by sweeping them in a few weeks. Personally, I think the Texans have some fatal flaws as a team and I don’t think they’re a real threat at this current point in time. If I were a betting man, I’d guess that they get the three seed.
Q: Do you think keeping Russell Wilson and Justin Fields beyond this season is realistic?
A: If Russell Wilson continues to sustain this level of play, he will be their top priority entering the new year, which should be to no ones surprise. It’s the best thing for both sides and the quarterback market is pretty cut and dry, so I would expect that negotiation settled fairly quickly so that they can move on to more pertinent matters. As for Justin Fields, things are more complicated than that. First off, is the starter comfortable with him as the backup or would he prefer to not look over his shoulder? Obviously, Fields wants to play and views himself as a starting caliber quarterback but the rest of the league wasn’t chomping at the bit to acquire him this past spring either. I think it’s possible but I won’t pretend to know the motivations of the people in that room. However, I don’t think the Steelers view him as the future of the franchise necessarily either.
Q: What’s been the biggest surprise to you on offense/defense?
A: The easy answer on the offensive side of the ball is simply how seamless the Russell Wilson and Arthur Smith offensive dynamic has been. When those moves were originally announced, I was very firm in my opinion that individually, they would be upgrades over their predecessors and could provide competency at two of the most important spots in the sport. Smith has done a really nice job leaning into the things that Wilson does well while maintaining necessary guardrails and the results have been more than solid. On the defensive side of the ball, I’d probably say the rapid development and play of Nick Herbig. I’ve been a fan of his game since the draft process ensued and thought he could be a nice complimentary rusher but as I wrote earlier this week, he’s much more than that. The ceiling is higher than even I could have imagined and they’ve got something pretty special there.
Q: How has Broderick Jones looked on film? Is there a reason why we see such unpredictable results with him?
A: There’s no doubt that Broderick Jones has been playing better since the bye week occurred, albeit hardly against the most feared gauntlet of pass rushers in those matchups. With offensive tackles, especially guys like this that come in raw from a technical standpoint without much experience, patience is of the essence. In recent weeks, he’s looked more engaged, springier off the ball and is back to occasionally moving people off the line of scrimmage at the run game which is good to see. For most of the season, there really weren’t many highs to even speak of and that’s why the lows were even more worrisome. Thankfully, the scheme is hiding his current limitations as a pass protector. You hope that the arrow continues pointing in the right direction and that the skill level eventually catches up to his athletic profile.
Q: Do you think the Steelers will prioritize retaining Najee Harris? And if not, which running back prospects could fill that role in the event that he walks in free agency?
A: I think that Najee Harris will hit free agency and get a nice contract elsewhere in the spring. The writing was on the wall once they declined his fifth-year option and based on his durability and production, he’s going to get more on the open market. Jaylen Warren, who is an upcoming restricted free agent as well, will almost assuredly be back. The good news is that this is a good year to need a ball carrier with an incoming running back class that’s loaded with different archetypes to choose from. Iowa’s Kaleb Johnson is a personal favorite of mine because of the scheme fit as a zone runner but there will be a plethora of options to choose from. There will be multiple guys available on the second day of the draft that can come in right away and handle a decent amount of volume behind what should be a further improved offensive line.
Q: If you’re Omar Khan and drafting 32nd in April, are you taking best player available or drafting the top defensive lineman available?
A: In my eyes, the most prudent way to approach the first two days of the NFL Draft weekend is to take the best player available at a position of need. Free agency is where you need to fill in the gaps on the roster and free yourself up to where you be more flexible instead of backing yourself into a position where you can’t capitalize on how the board falls. Of course, all of that is dependent on the state of where the team is at during that particular cycle and the resources at the general managers disposal. In the Steelers case, the cap is in a relatively healthy spot and they have possession of their top draft selections as well. Having said all of that, taking a defensive lineman early, perhaps even in the first round, should be on their radar even with Cam Heyward still playing at an absurdly high level at the moment.
Q: What are your top positions of need for the Steelers as of right now?
A: Well, things can change a bit between now and April given the fact that we have an entire free agency period to sort through. Right now, I would say that the biggest needs are wide receiver, cornerback, defensive line and running back. The most glaring hole on the roster is the Z-receiver spot across from George Pickens and there’s not really anyone on the roster right now that looks likely to step into that role next season. This receiver class isn’t as dynamic up at the top but I’m most interested in what archetype of playmaker they truly desire. Do they want a yards after catch threat? Would they prefer a route runner that creates separation for themselves organically? Or do they just want to double down with another deep threat, contested catch guy for to pair with Wilson’s deep ball accuracy? Those things will probably become more clear to us once the NFL Combine and pre-draft visits roll around.
Read This Next
