DB’s Steelers Mailbag: WR, Fields Extension, Porter’s Play to Start 2024

With the first quarter of the NFL season officially in the books, it felt like the appropriate time to conduct a mailbag to answer all of your questions about the state of the 3-1 Pittsburgh Steelers. This installment covers a wide range of topics including offensive/defensive player evaluations, injury concerns, contract talks and improvements that need to be made moving forward.

As always, I sincerely appreciate everyone participating and bringing quality talking points to the table. Here we go.

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Justin Fields before a game against the Indianapolis Colts on Sept. 29, 2024. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now

Q: Based on what you’ve seen from him so far, do you think (Justin) Fields is offered a contract before the end of this year or on the team beyond this 2024?

A: I don’t see Pittsburgh breaking their in-season negotiation rule for Justin Fields and I think it’s still too early to be overly concerned about what the long-term future holds there. Over the first month of the season, he’s given them competent quarterback play which was always the goal this year. Currently, he ranks 13th in EPA/play and 18th in success rate on an offense that isn’t exactly clicking on all cylinders around him, nor does it have overwhelming talent at key spots. He’s got a super specific skill set in that he’s capable of doing things that others aren’t from an athletic perspective but the weaknesses in his game are something you have to mindful of when game planning with him. Overall, Fields has been shown some growth and has been more than solid enough for me to feel comfortable rolling with him as the guy moving forward but we’ll see what the rest of the season looks like before assessing a long-term deal.

Q: Do you see the Steelers being able to be an above average rushing team with their offensive line injuries stacking up? That’s what they want to be but could they shift to more passing?

A: The Steelers entered the season with a clear philosophy of trying to maul people up front with their investments along the offensive line and reduce the amount of stress on the quarterback. The issue is that through the first month, the run game has sustained a 21.7% success rate which is tied for worst in the entire NFL and particularly problematic for an offensive coordinator intent on pounding the rock early. With the issues to Troy Fautanu and James Daniels, it’ll be a daunting task for them to reach that mark but it won’t be for lack of trying. When you factor in Smith’s DNA, the lack of talent at the wide receiver position and the need to avoid putting too much on Fields shoulders on a weekly basis, they have to figure out a way to get this thing on track despite obvious hurdles at hand.

Pittsburgh Steelers Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick coming out of the tunnel against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sept. 22, 2024. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now

Q: Thoughts on how Minkah Fitzpatrick is playing this year and how he’s being deployed?

A: I think he’s played well but I understand that fans are chomping at the bit for him to make a splash play because that’s what we’ve become accustomed to seeing over the years. Fitzpatrick’s usage this season matches what we all were aiming for after the Steelers signed DeShon Elliott, who has been fantastic in his own right. According to PFF, they have charted with 213 snaps at free safety and just 13 snaps in the box, which matches the eye test. Teams are going to continue avoiding him whenever possible but I’m confident that the ball will start finding him again eventually. Even aside from that element of his game, he’s been a fantastic tackler with unlimited range, making stops from depth in the run game and stopping receivers from the line to gain after the catch.

Q: Does Isaac (Seumalo) play the right or the left when he comes back? Right side helps Jones more and leaves McCormick in a more natural fit right?

A: This is a good question because Mason McCormick played exclusively left guard throughout college and while Isaac Seumalo has played mostly left guard in the league, he did flip to the right side during his final season in Philadelphia in 2022. Most of the time, whichever guy is the more established, better player is the one that will stay put while the other is forced to move. I don’t have a strong feeling either way but would just hope that the team rolls with whatever pairing makes the group the best. What I care most about is getting No. 73 back fully healthy and in the lineup which should provide some immediate impact up front. The loss of James Daniels for the season is obviously less than ideal but it will give Pittsburgh the opportunity to see what he can and if he’s someone they think is ready for a starting role entering 2025.

Q: How would you grade Joey Porter Jr.’s performance so far this season? It looked like he had some trouble last game (vs. Indy)?

A: Sunday was an uncharacteristic game for Joey Porter Jr. and the entirety of the Steelers defense. There were a couple receptions where he was in phase but unable to win at the catch point, an area where his length typically shines. Pittsburgh is playing more zone coverage to start the season and it seems like he’s lining up in off-coverage more frequently than he did during his rookie campaign. I don’t think either of those things necessarily coincide with his unique skill set or what he does well on the boundary. Over time, you hope to see his feel and overall urgency in zone coverage improve but his press man coverage ability is still insanely valuable. If Porter hauls in the interception opportunity in the end zone, we probably aren’t even talking about the catches that took place prior. It’s a slow start but I’m not even remotely concerned.

Q: Do you see a trade coming for a big wide receiver and is that the missing link on offense?

A: There’s no doubt that the Steelers need more firepower on offense but it’s tough to gauge who will even be available at this stage of the proceedings. The vibes seem weird right now in Las Vegas and Davante Adams is the best player that could potentially be available. Given his age and cost of his contract, the draft capital to acquire him shouldn’t be completely unreasonable.

One longshot possibility that would intrigue me would be Amari Cooper, who is off to a super slow start to the season but is on an expiring contract with a cheap base salary. Cleveland is in a spiral but would they really ship him to an AFC North rival? Only they know that answer. While WR2 is a massive need, I wouldn’t go as far to call it the missing link necessarily. This scheme is really predicated on being able to run the ball, hit play action shots off those base concepts and until they can do those things at an acceptable clip, this is going to be a severely inconsistent unit.

Q: Did we see a potential breakthrough game for Darnell Washington on Sunday? I feel like he can be a secret weapon in the passing game. What are your thoughts?

A: My thoughts are that Darnell Washington is one of the most unique players in the entire league right now. The highlight reel worthy play against the Colts that featured him dribbling a defender off the turn before hurdling a man down the right sideline was one of more insane plays of the entire weekend. Since the Steelers drafted him, I cautioned fans that he’s not likely to ever be a high volume player because of some of his change of direction limitations with his build but there are still ways to get him involved. I think that they should continue to find ways to leak him in the flat, run up the seam and involve him in the red zone. Even if those things don’t come to fruition on a consistent basis, his effort and willingness as a blocker, both in the run game and in pass protection, make him a valuable piece. Another positive sign is that his hand placement has improved this year as well.

Q: Does your preseason record prediction still stand? Or do you think they’ll win more or less games this season?

A: Before the season, I predicted that the Steelers would finish 9-8 and compete for a Wild Card spot. They’ve a game over where I would have personally anticipated them to be at this juncture but I still think we’re talking about the same range of outcomes in the long run. The defense, even after an underwhelming performance on Sunday, has largely been good and could be even better down the stretch if a guy like Patrick Queen gets rolling after a slow start. The offense was my main hesitation because I thought that it would take a little while to gel up front but injuries have made that even more difficult so far. The best news that I can offer is that the AFC North as a whole is noticeably worse than most people expected which certainly plays very much into their favor.