Behind the Steel Curtain

Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

Jeremy Betz gives you the biggest highlights from the prospect workouts in Indianapolis.

Indianapolis is a-buzz once again for the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine. Over the next few days, 300+ college prospects will give their all to prove their athletic prowess on the field.

The so-called “Underwear Olympics” are these players’ best opportunity to impress all 32 NFL teams in person before the Draft. Day 1 featured two position groups the Steelers will be keeping close tabs on in 2023, Defensive Line and Linebacker. The grouping also included EDGE rushers. You can find my recap of Day 1 HERE.

Day 2 is all about the Defensive Backs, another high profile position group the Steelers will be watching closely. Cornerbacks and Safeties will compete in a variety of drills to show off their athleticism for teams looking for impact players in the secondary. The DB class is deep, and the cornerback group especially looks to have some elite prospects.

Each day, I’ll compile my notes and observations of the on-field workouts into a recap of the day’s activities. I’ll break it down by workout and highlight the most intriguing performances of the day. Let’s dive in!

NOTE: The following observations are from the live coverage of the Combine on the NFL Network. Any results posted outside of that coverage are not included in this piece.

40-YARD DASH

Label Michigan CB DJ Turner II “Turner the Burner” based on his other-worldly 40 time of 4.26 sec. A well-built corner with that speed? Solidified himself as an early Day 2 pick, no doubt.

CBs Jakorian Bennett and Deonte Banks out of Maryland tore up the 40 with 4.30 and 4.35 respectively. Banks’ time is extra impressive considering he’s a 6’0”, 200lb tank of a CB. Has a chance to be the 4th CB off the board.

At only 166lbs, Mississippi State CB Emmanuel Forbes needed to show elite speed and athleticism. Great start with a 4.35 sec. 40.

The South Carolina CB duo of Darius Rush and Cam Smith move with ease, running 4.36 and 4.43 dashes respectively. Smith is as smooth an athlete as it gets.

CB Christian Gonzalez can fly, and his length is elite as well. 4.38 secs. is really good. With Devon Witherspoon not running and Porter Jr. running a little slower than expected, the former Oregon Duck might have cemented CB1 status in this draft.

S Brandon Hill out of Pitt had himself a day, starting with his 4.43 sec. dash to pace the safety group. A bullet on the back end.

S Daniel Scott out of California is a big DB at 6’1”, 208lbs but boy can he motor. His 4.45 40 looked explosive.

At 5’10”, 211lbs, Illinois Safety Sydney Brown is a rocket with a nasty disposition. His 4.47 40 was impressive. Brown has drawn comps to Troy Polomalu for his physical presence and on-field versatility. His teammate and fellow safety at Illinois, Jartavius Martin, also looked fast running a 4.46 sec. dash.

VERTICAL JUMP

Deonte Banks proved his explosiveness with a 42” vert. Might be the best overall athlete in the CB group.

CB Julius Brents out of Kansas St. powered up a strong 41.5” vert. His length and physicality will impress some people.

Christian Gonzalez is just impressive to watch. Legit looked like he was floating on his 41.5” vert.

Jakorian Bennett hits 40.5” on his vert. More explosiveness out of Maryland.

South Alabama CB Darrell Luter Jr. is having a great combine. Improving his stock with a solid 40 time and a top-tier 40.5” vertical jump.

Are you serious Jartavius Martin with a 44” vertical? Rumor has it he hasn’t come down yet.

S Jason Taylor II out of Oklahoma St. jumped out the gym with a 43” vert. impressive looking prospect. Physical specimen.

BROAD JUMP

More Julius Brents in this article with an absolutely massive 11’6” broad jump. Try a broad jump at home and then tip your cap to Brents. Wow.

Not far behind is, you guessed it, Deonte Banks with an 11’4” leap. Banks is likely a 1st Round pick now after his Combine workouts.

Cam Smith had a so, so vert (38”) but a huge 11’2” broad jump. My favorite player to watch in the on-field drills showing some real explosiveness.

Jartavius Martin is turning in a Juan Thornhill-like combine performance that will help him similarly climb draft boards. A magnificent 11’1” broad jump for Martin.

How about the little guy out of TCU? CB Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson exploded out of his stance for am impressive 11’0” broad jump. Big time leap.

Emmanuel Forbes, DJ Turner II, and Stanford CB Kyu Blu Kelly all had great jumps of 10’11”. Kelly is an intriguing fringe Day 2 prospect with good athleticism.

Sydney Brown jumped 10’10” in the broad. He’s working his way into a Day 2 lock with this workout.

POSITIONAL DRILLS

The DB prospects participate in a variety of skill drills to test fluidity, flexibility, agility, quickness, and ball skills. Here’s a breakdown of each drill:

Line Drills - tests fluidity and the ability to flip the hips
Backpedal & Transition - tests backpedal agility, fluidity, and the ability to transition to full sprint and find the football in the air
“W” Drill - tests change-of-direction (COD), plant and drive ability, and quickness
Sprint Out Drill - Tests backpedal to sprint transition, fluidity, and quick react ability
Teryl Austin Drills 1 & 2 - tests COD, plant and drive, hip release, fluidity
Figure-8 Drill - tests plant and drive, fluidity, and hip release
Gauntlet Drill - tests ball skills, ability to flip the hips, agility/body control at full sprint

Here are the players who stood out in the positional drills:

CORNERBACKS

Deonte Banks - explosive mover; line drill standout
Christian Gonzalez - effortless athleticism in every drill; easy ball skills
Clark Phillips III - as quick as they come; truly elite transitioner from backpedal to sprint
Cam Smith - visually the most fluid mover in the CB group, excelled in COD and hip-flipping drills
Tyrique Stevenson - impressive footwork; easy speed
Kelee Ringo - a little stiff and upright, but his quickness is next-level
Cameron Mitchell - another effortlessly fluid mover; good feet
Julius Brents - looks like a safety, moves like a corner; explosive mover
Brian Branch - confident athlete; best backpedal to sprint transition of the group
Daryl Luter Jr. - great ball skills; fluidity improving

SAFETIES

Sydney Brown - Can’t talk enough about how explosive Brown looked in all the drills
Brandon Hill - Hill will keep rising up boards after showing elite speed for a S
Jordan Howden - smooth and agile mover; displayed good hands in coverage
Antonio Johnson - really fluid coming out of breaks and flipping his hips
Jartavius Martin - the combine king at S; best mover of the entire group
Jammie Robinson - translatable speed and quickness
Daniel Scott - best combo of size and athleticism at S
Ji’Ayir Brown - as explosive as they come; elite suddenness and twitch

Did anybody stand out to you when watching the NFL Combine coverage on Thursday? Let us know in the comments. For a complete list of 2023 NFL Scouting Combine workouts and results, visit nfl.com/combine/tracker/live-results.

Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images

The 2023 NFL combine is back for fans to watch all the testing on Saturday.

The 2023 NFL offseason is rolling on and the NFL Combine is upon us as they will have their various testing events televised for the enjoyment of the viewing audience. The coverage began Thursday, continued on Friday, and is rolling on into Saturday. After no Combine in 2021, and 2022 being in prime time, some may be expecting coverage to begin much later and go into the night. If you fall into that category, or have not been able to find a schedule for the event, BTSC is here to help!

All participants will perform six on-field drills regardless of position as well as the bench press. With the exception of special team players, position groups will also have additional drills specific to their designated position. In all, 319 players were invited to the combine to showcase their talents. Some players may chose to skip some or all the drills either due to injury or their desire to perform them at their individual school’s pro day.

With a change to some of the position-specific drills in 2020, a full list was provided three years ago. Any adjustments to the position drills for 2023 have not been announced. For this reason, the position-specific drills from recent years will be listed as they may be the same drills again in 2023.

Listed below is the schedule for this year’s NFL combine, which position groups are scheduled for each day, and the specific drills for each position.

2023 NFL Combine Schedule TV: NFL Network
Online: NFL+, NFL Network App, NFL.com or click HERE to create a Fubo Account and stream the entire combine

Drills for all participants:

40-yard Dash
Vertical Jump
Broad Jump
Three-cone Drill
20-yard Shuttle
60-yard Shuttle
Bench Press (performed the following day)

Saturday March 4, 2023

1 PM to 8 PM: On-field workouts for Tight Ends, Quarterbacks, and Wide Receivers

Position specific drills from past years:
— TE: End zone fade route
— QB: Timed smoke/now route, End zone fade route
— WR: End zone fade route

Sunday March 5, 2023

1 PM to 7 PM: On-field workouts for Offensive Linemen and Running Backs

Position specific drills from past years:
— OL: New mirror drill, New screen drill
— RB: Duce Staley drill, Inside routes with change of direction

Get the latest Steel Curtain Network podcast content in the ‘Podcast Roundup’.

We here at BTSC, and our podcast platform Steel Curtain Network, are here with you every step of the way as the Steelers set the stage for 2023. With so much going on, make sure you check out our ‘Podcast Roundup’ article to keep up with the latest podcasts that cover everything Steelers for your black-and-gold knowledge, curiosity and enjoyment.

With that being said and typed, have fun with the shows below with a brief description of each podcast.

Here We Go, The Steelers Show: Combine through the black-and-gold microscope

What player traits are the brass of the Pittsburgh Steelers seeking and how do the best products conduct themselves at the combine? This is just one of the topics of Here We Go, the Steelers Show. Join Bryan Anthony Davis and Kevin Smith in breaking down the NFL and the Steelers like no one else does.

Check out the rundown:

• News and Notes
• Dude of the Week
• and MUCH MORE!

Listen to the show on the player below:

Be sure to check out this and all episodes on the following platforms:

Apple Users: CLICK HERE

Spotify: CLICK HERE

Google Play: CLICK HERE

Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images

There is always something to talk about when it comes to the Black & Gold!

It’s Friday again, so it’s time for the six pack of questions. It seems as if Jeff and Dave come to a consensus in cutting to the chase...

This week, I, Dave, will be tasked with the questions up for discussion.

The rules are still the same...

Quick rundown of the ground rules.

• I’ll ask at least four questions strictly related to the Steelers.
• The rest of the questions could be about anything.
• Be respectful.
• Have fun talking about the Black-and-gold.

Procedural Note: Since the title feature has gone away, please feel free to leave your usual title as the first line of your response and even bold it if you can for the ease of others.

So here we go! With the formalities out of the way, it’s time to jump on in. Hopefully this party is exactly what you’re looking for on a Friday night. Here goes:

1. The NFL Combine is rolling on. Do you follow intently looking at measurements and following reports from interviews, do you casually keep track of a few things, or do you pretty much ignore it and wait for others to break down the prospects?

2. The Steelers now have all their exclusive rights free agents signed for 2023. Will the Steelers sign any free agents from their 2022 team before the start of free agency on March 13 (the legal tampering period)? If so, who do you think would be the most likely candidate?

3. Let’s keep up with asking the great player in Steelers history. Here is an interesting one: Who do you think is the best Offensive Tackle in Steelers history?

4. Fill in the blank: The first outside free agent the Steelers will agree to terms with will be at the _______________ position.

5. There has been a lot of buzz around DT Jalen Carter from Georgia and the misdemeanor charges he is facing in regards to a fatal car crash. While we do not know every detail of the situation, what level of concern would you have as an NFL GM at this stage of things when it comes to drafting him?

6. Someone treats you to ice cream. What flavor are you picking?

Stay safe out there!

And it wouldn’t be a Friday night unless we said...

HERE WE GO STEELERS!

PODCASTS

We added some new shows and a new platform to our podcasts...if you haven’t checked out our full lineup of morning, noon, and evening shows, give them a try by listening below!

Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Join fellow Steelers fans to watch the workouts of the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine.

The NFL offseason is in full swing, and one of the biggest events of the offseason is the NFL Scouting Combine. The NFL has descended on Indianapolis for the first combine once again, and fans are excited to see prospects back in action.

As for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Friday’s workout is going to be worth watching considering today’s workouts are for the defensive backs. Here is more information on how you can watch the event:

2023 NFL Combine Schedule TV: NFL Network
Online: NFL+, NFL Network App, NFL.com or click HERE to create a Fubo Account and stream the entire combine

Drills for all participants:

40-yard Dash
Vertical Jump
Broad Jump
Three-cone Drill
20-yard Shuttle
60-yard Shuttle
Bench Press (performed the following day)

Friday March 3, 2023

3 PM to 8 PM: On-field workouts for Place Kickers, Special Team Players, Cornerbacks, and Safeties

Position specific drills from past years:
— DB: Line drill, Teryl Austin drill, Box drill, Gauntlet drill

Use this open thread/comment section to enjoy and evaluate prospects with fellow Steelers fans below. Be sure to keep it respectful, and have fun with it!

Be sure to stay tuned to BTSC for the latest news and notes surrounding the black and gold as they prepare for the start of the new league year and the 2023 NFL Draft.

Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

As the NFL wisely takes brain injuries more seriously, there is something else they could to show they mean business.

In professional sports, there is always going to be a risk of injury. In contact sports, the injury risk increases. With many who cover the NFL classifying it as a “collision” sport… well, I think you get the idea.

The NFL had two high-profile injury situations in 2022 where in a prime time game, both times in Cincinnati, a frightening situation arose with a player on the field with medical personnel attending. The most recent one which became huge headlines outside of the sports world was when Damar Hamlin collapsed on Monday Night Football and had to be resuscitated on the field of play. Thankfully, Hamlin has recovered and made numerous appearances since the horrific scene.

The other situation which occurred at Paul Brown Stadium came in Week 4 on Thursday Night Football when Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was down on the field dealing with another concussion issue after one had arisen five days earlier in their previous game. Based on the Tagovailoa situation, the NFL implemented changes to their concussion protocol mid-season.

As technology increases and more and more information is gained, the seriousness of head injuries in sports, particularly the NFL, continues to come to the forefront. With the physicality of professional football, it’s an impossible task to keep concussions completely out of the game. At this point, the best the NFL can do is to continue to try to reduce them as much as possible while maintaining and adjusting the protocols to keep players dealing with concussions from being in a situation that could exacerbate their condition.

Concussions are such a different injury from others in the NFL. If a player is dealing with a high ankle sprain, the ultimate test for their safety is if they can perform the physical tasks of playing the game. With a concussion, a player can be physically able to do everything in order to play, but it’s their cognitive ability that has to be measured. Because of this, until recently many players played through concussions whether it be during a game or coming back from one and playing too soon. They could run and pass and catch and kick and do all things that their various positions could need in order to play football, therefore it was a much easier thing to “play through” then dealing with other injuries.

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin has said before, “The protocol is the protocol.” As a coach, the new protocols in the NFL are not something the players will be rushed through or the coaches should be asking for someone to get pushed through in order to play. This may have been the case 10, or possibly even five, years ago, but it’s not so easy in today’s NFL.

But is it still possible?

Obviously the Tagovailoa situation in the NFL added more to the concussion protocol so a player who is in more danger if he were to sustain another head injury would not be on the field of play. But when players are trying to get back on the field as fast as possible, and it would be beneficial to the team, some may always question if players are moved through at the proper rate.

There is really nothing to fix this problem, but there is something that would at least lower the burden on teams if the NFL were to implement a specific rule. Additionally, it would also help the appearance that the NFL is not going to rush players back from a concussion.

Here is my proposal:

When a player on the 53-man roster is in the concussion protocol and will miss the game, the team is allowed a practice squad elevation that does not count towards their standard practice squad elevations.

To clarify what I mean, I basically want the NFL to apply the rule they had set up in regards to practice squad elevations when players were on the Reserve/COVID-19 List and apply it to players in the concussion protocol.

During the 2021 season, if a team had a player who they did not replace on the 53-man roster that was on the Reserve/COVID-19 List, they could elevate an additional practice squad player which did not count towards the two they were allotted. Additionally, it did not count towards the number of elevations a player could have in a season. When a team elevated players from the practice squad, they had to designate whether or not they were a standard elevation or a COVID-19 elevation. Of course, if no players on the 53-man roster were on the Reserve/COVID-19 List, that designation could not be used.

If the NFL wanted to go the extra step to make sure players were not rushed back from concussions, allowing teams to have a concussion protocol elevation would go a long way. But why should concussions have a special designation?

The biggest reason is there is more uncertainty with player availability when it comes to the concussion protocol. Using the example of before of a high ankle sprain, the coaching staff and trainers would have a better idea if they think a player would be available or not as the week progresses based on their practice participation. When it comes to the concussion protocol, a player might appear to be fine and can do things physically in practice but not be able to pass separate concussion tests. In other words, a player could appear to be fine with everything they did all week but still not be cleared to come out of the protocol.

To give an example, let’s say the Steelers have two players who are injured and questionable for the game and another one questionable due to being in the concussion protocol when they finish their Friday practice for Sunday game. If none of these players have a positional replacement on the active roster who would go from inactive to active, the Steelers could be short at three different position groups, or very short at one or two if players play the same position. Under the current rules, the Steelers would probably have to consider a roster move by 4 PM Saturday to make sure they had all their bases covered for these three players. The two players who are injured are easier to judge. The player who participated in practice on Friday but didn’t clear the concussion protocol yet really leaves the Steelers in an unfortunate situation. Knowing that if the player did not clear the concussion protocol they could make the move 90 minutes before the game rather than the day before.

To me, the injury of a concussion goes into a different category because of visibility. Much like the players who tested positive for COVID-19, they may appear fine but were a risk to be on the field. The same thing could be said about some players when they have a concussion. Every concussion is different and some players may think they are fine when they are not.

There is so much that goes on behind closed doors in the NFL that fans are not privy to the information. Whether it be the Steelers or another franchise, I’m certain there has been pressure at some point by a coach to have a player come through the concussion protocol to make sure that they had the proper players available. If adding this rule would keep this from happening and knowing that teams had an easier fallback plan when a player may visibly appear to be ready, it’s only going to help with reducing the dangers of multiple concussions in the future.

So what do you think of the NFL adopting this rule? It’s not be something that reduces a player from getting a concussion in the first place, but it could possibly help keep them from returning too quickly. Is there any downside to it? Make sure to leave your thoughts in the comments below.

Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images

The Pittsburgh Steelers continue the meeting process at the NFL Scouting Combine.

The 2023 NFL Scouting Combine is well underway, and the meetings between prospects and NFL teams have begun. Many compare Combine meetings between organizations and prospects like speed dating. Not a lot of time to get to know players, and you are trying to meet with as many prospects as possible.

It is at this time when players make their meetings with teams official during their time in front of the media. In this case, players who have met with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

It should be known there are a myriad of meetings which go unreported, and also less significance in these quick, rapid-fire meetings during the chaos that has become the NFL Combine.

With all that said, Friday was when quarterbacks, wide receivers, and tight ends took the stage for media availability, and plenty of players said they had meetings with the Steelers during their time at the podium. Below you’ll see a list of players who were open about their meetings, where they went to school, some bullet points on the prospects, and more.

(Note: All “breakdowns” below are courtesy of The Draft Network)

Let’s get into it!

Parker Washington, Penn State WR

Penn State WR Parker Washington said he met with the Steelers.

"Talked a little ball. Just a good formal." pic.twitter.com/r1w2JH3kMf

— Bradley Locker (@Bradley_Locker) March 3, 2023

Top Reasons to Buy In:

• Effective run-after-catch weapon and strong contact balance
• Strong hands and contested catch ability have created some surreal plays on the ball
• Special teams potential is present to carve out an active roster spot

Top Reasons For Concern:

• Needs growth to win as a true NFL route-runner
• Untraditional wide receiver build
• Questions about ceiling as a player will linger amid consistent complementary role in the offense

Mitchell Tinsley, Penn State WR

Penn State WR Mitchell Tinsley said he met with the Steelers.

"A lot of teams, they like what I can do in terms of my versatility. I think they really like my game also."

Noted that he watches Chris Godwin and other PSU receivers. Talked about his route running and hands. pic.twitter.com/x3wfQLCEko

— Bradley Locker (@Bradley_Locker) March 3, 2023

Pros: This is a big-time RAC threat that is difficult to tackle in the open field. Mitchell Tinsley made several dynamic, impressive plays with the ball in his hands after catch on throws in traffic to pinball off tacklers and create free yardage for his offense. He built his production based on a lot of strong chemistry with QB Bailey Zappe at Western Kentucky in 2021 as the “second” receiver in the passing attack behind Jerreth Sterns. He will have a chance to fulfill a similar role for Penn State in 2022 with Parker Washington. I don’t think Tinsley is a burner but he’s a try-hard, as evidenced by his background. His lack of raw gifts initially as a player has promoted good habits as a route-runner and in all phases of the position; he’s gotten to where he is not based on talent but based on work ethic and growth in fundamentals. I consider him to have strong hands and to be a reliable catcher of the ball in traffic.

Cons: At the end of the day, Mitchell Tinsley is still a player who had to forge himself from the ground up to become the player he is today. That comes with only marginal physical skills and I’m not sure he’s going to be a mismatch player at the NFL level. But he can clearly run routes and serve as a secondary option in the passing game. I certainly wouldn’t rule out the potential of him claiming a strong special teams role in the NFL as well, although I haven’t assessed much film out of WKU to give any level of concrete evidence as such. How Tinsley manages the leap in competition and how well he showcases his route-running translating to a different offense will be defining factors in his draft stock in 2023.

Tre Tucker, Cincinnati WR

Cincinnati WR Tre Tucker said he met with Mike Tomlin at the Senior Bowl and said it would be "awesome" to go to the Steelers.

Shared a story of racing Dino Tomlin in the 40 and telling the coach he'd see him again in a few years. A prudent prediction indeed. pic.twitter.com/nLft47THOB

— Bradley Locker (@Bradley_Locker) March 3, 2023

Top Reasons to Buy In:

• Explosive
• Ability to create space
• Confident hands

Top Reasons For Concern:

• Size
• Catch radius
• Likely slot-only

Jalen Wayne, South Alabama WR

South Alabama WR Jalen Wayne says he has had the most interaction with the Packers, Giants, Raiders, and Steelers, but said he felt confident with about 20 teams overall. pic.twitter.com/cEd3jR0hWj

— Andrew Wilbar (@Andrew_Wilbar) March 3, 2023

Reasons To Buy In:

• Third-level route running
• Physical traits
• Versatility

Reasons For Concern:

• RAC ability
• Short-to-intermediate route-running
• Twitch and agility

Zay Flowers, Boston College WR

Boston College WR Zay Flowers says he had an informal meeting with the #Steelers. pic.twitter.com/s7QWtamG9b

— Andrew Wilbar (@Andrew_Wilbar) March 3, 2023

Top Reasons to Buy In:

• An electric player in space
• Three-level receiving threat
• Dynamic run-after-catch option

Top Reasons For Concern:

• Lack of mass and height
• Inconsistent hands (catching)
• Functional strength as a run blocker

Jason Brownlee, Southern Mississippi WR

WR Jason Brownlee says he has met with the Steelers receiver coach Frisman Jackson. pic.twitter.com/QJvv3OGMd3

— Andrew Wilbar (@Andrew_Wilbar) March 3, 2023

Positives: Tall, physical receiver who consistently wins out for contested throws. Offers the quarterback an imposing target, uses his frame to shield away opponents, and works hard to come away with difficult receptions. Runs disciplined routes, tracks the pass in the air, gets vertical, and contorts to grab errant throws. Extends his hands and snatches the ball away from his frame. Keeps the play in bounds after the catch. Knows where he is on the field, displays a terrific sense of timing, and wins out for jump balls.

Negatives: Neither quick nor fast. Plays to one speed. Cannot run to deep throws.

Bryce Ford-Wheaton, West Virginia WR

West Virginia WR Bryce Ford-Wheaton says he has spent the most time with the #Commanders, #Vikings, #Jets, and #Chargers. Also said he met with the #Steelers receiver coach. pic.twitter.com/JOIdI70YDy

— Andrew Wilbar (@Andrew_Wilbar) March 3, 2023

Top Reasons to Buy In:

• Blend of size and ball skills is an exciting mix
• Nose for the end zone and explosive plays
• Difficult to press with physicality at the line
• Developmental upside

Top Reasons For Concern:

• Struggles with separation
• Inconsistent hands yield too many drops
• Currently a one-dimensional player whose college offense leaves a lot of growth
• Developmental curve will take time and patience to work through

Aidan O’Connell, Purdue QB

#Steelers have met informally with Purdue QB Aidan O'Connell. pic.twitter.com/g1njsjRlYO

— Andrew Wilbar (@Andrew_Wilbar) March 3, 2023

Top Reasons to Buy In:

• Toughness
• Competitiveness
• Poise

Top Reasons For Concern:

• Arm Strength
• Mobility
• Turnovers

Sam LaPorta, Iowa TE

Iowa TE Sam LaPorta said he had his first formal interview yesterday, and it was with the #Steelers.

— Andrew Wilbar (@Andrew_Wilbar) March 3, 2023

Top Reasons to Buy In:

• Hands and route-running
• Ability to work all areas of the field
• Good athlete that can win after the catch
• Competitive blocker

Top Reasons For Concern:

• Sustaining blocks
• Hasn’t proven to be a dominant player at the catch point when contested

Brenton Strange, Penn State TE

Penn State TE Brenton Strange says he has met with Steelers TE coach Alfredo Roberts. pic.twitter.com/QRaCfsD50Y

— Andrew Wilbar (@Andrew_Wilbar) March 3, 2023

Top Reasons to Buy In:

• Impressive run-after-catch ability for the TE position
• Strong hands at the catch point
• NFL build to play the in-line position as a traditional tight end

Top Reasons For Concern:

• In-line blocking ability stands to improve
• Separation against man coverage is a lingering question
• Route-running in general will need continued development

Michael Mayer, Notre Dame TE

Notre Dame TE Michael Mayer has met with the #Steelers

— Joe Clark (@jclark1233) March 3, 2023

Top Reasons to Buy In:

• Easily translatable skill set to the NFL game
• In-line blocking skills will allow for impact in both the run and pass game
• Tremendous ball skills and contested-catch ability
• Mismatch target in the middle of the field

Top Reasons For Concern:

• Traditional positional value will scorn his draft range as a tight end
• Not the most dynamic player in the passing game; more of a possession player
• Tight ends typically require extended runway upon NFL transition to maximize potential

Kyle Patterson, Air Force TE

Air Force TE Kyle Patterson says he had a great meeting with the Steelers at the NFLPA Bowl. pic.twitter.com/KQZ5cVavyl

— Andrew Wilbar (@Andrew_Wilbar) March 3, 2023

STRENGTHS

• Works hard on and off the field. Good strength throughout, fluid body control, and natural movement kills.
• Looks and runs like a lanky receiver. High-cut, long and lean frame. Deceptive speed and enough quickness to separate.
• Good vision to set up blocks and while Patterson isn’t quick enough to elude in tight quarters, and take advantage of a defender leaning to spring for additional yardage.
• Has extremely good, soft, natural hands. Consistently makes the clean catch.
• Soft, reliable hands center the big target for quarterbacks. Shields the defense and will let the ball into his pads to protect it when about to absorb a big hit over the middle.
• Patterson is a natural playmaker, at his best with the ball in his hands.

WEAKNESSES

• Is a bit high-hipped and slow to get rolling. Frame limits upside as a blocker.
• Patterson also lacks suddenness as a route runner, and that is a potential issue at the next level.
• Patterson seems comfortable in traffic to the point where Patterson doesn’t make the effort to create separation.

Keep tabs on BTSC as we add to the list of players who have met with the Steelers during the Combine, as well as all the news and notes surrounding the black and gold as they press on throughout the NFL offseason.

Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images

It is a strong class of free-agent tight ends, and these three could be fits for the Steelers.

NFL free agency is right around the corner, and teams are beginning to make decisions on players whose contracts are set to expire. The Steelers have quite the list of pending free agents themselves, and the next few weeks will be telling as to how the team plans to approach free agency. With that in mind, it is time to begin looking at outside free agents the Steelers could potentially sign this offseason.

Between now and the beginning of the NFL free agency period, we will be going position-by-position, breaking down which players fit the best for what the Steelers need. Currently, the Steelers are in dire need of cornerback(s), left tackle, nose tackle, and guard. They are also in danger of losing multiple linebackers and safeties in free agency, which could make their list of immediate needs longer. Depth concerns at wide receiver, tight end, and EDGE rusher will also need to be addressed by one means or another.

This year’s class of free agents is not as good as the past few, but there are still quality veterans at each position who can come in and make an immediate impact for an NFL franchise. Let us not forget, new names will be added to the free agency pool when teams attempt to create additional cap space by cutting some of their own vets. We will update you on those as they happen.

If you have any thoughts on the players mentioned below, be sure to share it in the comment section below, but without further adieu, it is time to take a closer look at three tight ends the Steelers should consider signing this offseason.

Foster Moreau

Moreau was a draft crush of mine back in 2019, and still believe he is a starter-quality tight end. Although his role did increase as time went on with the Raiders, he could very well get a full-time starting gig elsewhere. If this is the case, the Steelers will probably not be able to afford him. Nonetheless, he is my top free agent target at the position. Adding Moreau would give the Steelers two plus athletes at tight end, as well as another strong run blocker. He may not be the flashiest signing in the eyes of the media, but he would be arguably the best number two tight end in the NFL in Pittsburgh.

Brock Wright

After the T.J. Hockenson trade, Wright earned a prominent role in the Lions offense, and he emerged as a true receiving threat down the stretch of last season. Another one of my draft crushes, Wright went undrafted in 2021 after recording only seven receptions in three seasons at Notre Dame. Above-average athleticism combined with physicality as a blocker was why I jumped on board, and it is the reason I am going to remain on board. He has taken full advantage of every opportunity he has gotten, and he is only going to get better. If you want a cheap alternative to Moreau, Wright is your guy.

O.J. Howard

In my 2022 free agency series, I said this about Howard:

Howard has never been given a chance to be a number one tight end. Jameis Winston developed a better chemistry with Cameron Brate, and when Tom Brady came to town, Rob Gronkowski came with, forcing him to accept a backup role once again. He was primarily used as a blocker early on in his career, but his athleticism is what turned him into a first-round pick back in 2017. He has not reached his full ceiling as a prospect, and I can not help but think of what the damage he could do to defenses in 2-tight-end sets with Pat Freiermuth.

Despite having only 10 receptions in 2022, I do not believe the thought process should change with Howard, as he was part of a horrendous offense who failed to give him any opportunities to make plays. He would have value to Pittsburgh as a TE2.

Which free agents would you like to see the Steelers consider at tight end? Be sure to light up the comment section below with your thoughts on this and all things Pittsburgh Steelers!

Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Jeremy Betz gives you the biggest highlights from the prospect workouts in Indianapolis.

Indianapolis is a-buzz once again for the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine. Over the next few days, 300+ college prospects will give their all to prove their athletic prowess on the field.

The so-called “Underwear Olympics” are these players’ best opportunity to impress all 32 NFL teams in person before the Draft. Day 1 features two position groups the Steelers will be keeping close tabs on in 2023, Defensive Line and Linebacker. This grouping also includes EDGE rushers.

Each day, I’ll compile my notes and observations of the on-field workouts into a recap of the day’s activities. I’ll break it down by workout and highlight the most intriguing performances of the day. Let’s dive in!

NOTE: The following observations are from the live coverage of the Combine on the NFL Network. Any results posted outside of that coverage are not included in this piece.

40-YARD DASH

DT Calijah Kancey (Pitt) is an enigma at 6’1”, 281lbs, but there shouldn’t be any questions about his athleticism after a quick 4.67 sec. dash. Even more impressive was his 10-yd split of 1.64 sec. Elite get-off.

EDGE Adetomiwa Adebawore (Northwestern) was moving on his 4.49 sec. 40 at 6’2” and 282lbs. Insanity. Projected Day 2 prospect.

EDGE Robert Beal Jr. (UGA) put up a 4.48 sec. 40 and looked fast doing so. Another rare athlete out of Georgia.

EDGE YaYa Diaby (Louisville) absolutely rocketed out of his stance. Solid 4.51 sec. time and an absurd 1.56 sec. 10-yd split.

Georgia keeps churning out defensive studs. EDGE Nolan Smith looks like a 1st Round pick with a 4.39 sec. 40. Silky smooth runner.

Tennessee’s EDGE Byron Young flew with a 4.43 sec. 40 at 250lbs. Built like a tank, but as athletic as they come.

Alabama EDGE Will Anderson’s 4.60 sec. 40 isn’t terrible, but you see some stiffness that might hurt him a little at the next level.

ILB Owen Pappoe (Auburn) is all speed, matching Nolan Smith’s 4.39 sec. 40. Smaller off-ball LB at only 6’0”, 225lbs but a an absolute baller.

ILB Trenton Simpson (Clemson) looks the part with a 4.43 sec. 40. Dude can motor, and he’s well-built.

ILB Dorian Williams (Tulane) showed that sideline to sideline speed with a 4.49 sec. 40. Coverage LB at the next level.

VERTICAL JUMP

More Adetomiwa Adebawore with a 37.5” vert. Had a huge day.

Nolan Smith blew away the competition with a Day 1 best 41.5” vertical. Explosion.

Byron Young cleared 38” at 250 lbs. Big time lower body power.

EDGE Will McDonald IV (Iowa St.) got up with a 36” vert. Big time athlete.

ILB Anfernee Orji (Vanderbilt) led all off-ball LBs with a 38.5” vert. 6’2”, 230lbs. Strong ILB.

The big boy from Iowa, ILB Jack Campbell jumped out of the gym with his 37.5” leap at 6’5”, 249lbs.

BROAD JUMP

DT Jalen Redmond (Okla.) and DT Zacch Pickens (S. Carolina) had huge jumps for 300+ lb DTs at 9’8” broad jumps. Pickens specifically showing out. Should sneak into Round 3, but if a team loves him, maybe late Round 2.

Moro Ojomo is an impressive athlete at DT. Big-time broad jump at 9’4”.

Byron Young is killing the Combine, adding an 11’0” broad jump to his alien numbers on the day.

Will McDonald matches Young’s 11’0” broad jump. May be too athletic to pass up on the Edge despite being somewhat undersized.

Surprise, Nolan Smith is an athlete. 10’8” broad jump. Best Combine of the day for anyone.

How about Jack Campell continuing to show elite explosiveness with a 10’8” broad jump?

Louiville’s EDGE Yasir Abdullah showed out with a 10’9” broad jump at 237lbs.

POSITIONAL DRILLS

The prospects participate in a viarety of skill drills to test bend, flexibility, agility, quickness, and hand usage. Here’s a breakdown of each drill:

Wave Drill - tests COD and quick-react ability in the open field
Four-Bag Agility Drill - tests lateral agility, foot quickness, turn and run ability
Run-&-Club Drill - tests agility, bend, hand usage, and finish
Pass Rush Drill - tests bend, agility, and hand usage
Run the Hoop Drill - tests agility, bend, and quickness
Body Control Drill - tests quick-react ability and agility
Backpedal & React Drill - tests COD, backpedal ability, quick-react ability
Short Zone Breaks - COD, quick-react ability

Here are the players who stood out in the positional drills:

DL - Gervon Dexter, Cameron Young, Moro Ojomo, Keeanu Benton, Zacch Pickens

EDGE - YaYa Diaby, Will McDonald IV, Keion White, Will Anderson Jr., Byron Young, Robert Beal Jr., Brenton Cox Jr., Ochaun Mathis

LB - Drew Sanders, Trenton Simpson, Owen Pappoe, Jack Campbell

Did anybody stand out to you when watching the NFL Combine coverage on Thursday? Let us know in the comments. For a complete list of 2023 NFL Scouting Combine workouts and results, visit nfl.com/combine/tracker/live-results.

Raise a glass if you had one of these collectables.

There was a time when living within Steelers Nation came with some perks. For instance, our McDonald’s didn’t only have happy meal toys for kids. Over the years, Micky Dees has given Steelers fans enough collective glassware to fill anyone’s cupboard. So let’s raise a glass!

1979: Super Bowl XIII

Super Bowl XIII glasses

Glass 1: John Stallworth, Joe Greene, Mike Wagner

Glass 2: Sam Davis, Jack Lambert, John Banaszak

Glass 3: Mike Webster, Terry Bradshaw, LC Greenwood

Glass 4: Donnie Shell, Rocky Bleier, Jack Ham

These glasses also included a scene from the game, like Greene and Lambert rushing the passer. (no franco?). You can find these on eBay for between $30-$40.

1980: Super Bowl XIV

Super Bowl XIV glasses

Glass 1: Jon Kolb, Jack Lambert, Mel Blount

Glass 2: Rocky Bleier, John Stallworth, Dirt Winston

Glass 3: Sidney Thornton, Joe Greene, Matt Bahr

Glass 4: Sam Davis, Terry Bradshaw, Jack Ham

It’s pretty wild to once again see Franco absent. Sidney Thornton is included, who averaged 5 yards per carry that season. He also had 816 total yards, more than Rocky’s 711. Dennis “Dirt” Winston also gets a glass. He started for an injured Jack Ham in that Super Bowl. Matt Bahr was the rookie kicker that season from Penn State. I found a set for sale on eBay for under $50.

1982: 50th Anniversary All-Time Greatest Team

1982 50th Anniversary Team Glasses

Glass 1: Gerry Mullins, Larry Brown, Jack Lambert, Franco Harris, Pat Brady, Dwight White

Glass 2: Joe Greene, Elbie Nickel, Jon Kolb, Rocky Bleier, Donnie Shell, Jack Ham

Glass 3: Roy Gerela, Sam Davis, Mike Wagner, LC Greenwood, Mike Webster, Lynn Swann

Glass 4: Mel Blount, Ernie Stautner, Terry Bradshaw, Andy Russell, John Stallworth, Jack Butler

It’s a little harder to find a complete set of these online. Here’s one set for $55. I was able to more easily find individual glasses for about $10 on eBay.

1990: Hall of Fame Inductees

1990 Hall of Fame Glasses

Glass 1: Jack Lambert, Arthur J Rooney, Ernie Stautner

Glass 2: Johnny “Blood” McNally, Franco Harris, Joe Greene

Glass 3: John Henry Johnson, Terry Bradshaw, Bill Dudley

Glass 4: Jack Ham, Bobby Layne, Mel Blount

These are probably the most commonly found for sale online. Sets go for around $30 on eBay.

By 1992, McDonalds had moved on to plastic collectors cups with the Olympic Dream Team. Eat’N Park would introduce a glass set that featured Jerome Bettis, Carnell Lake, Bill Cowher and Greg Lloyd. They’d also release their own Hall of Fame series that included Joe Greene, Jack Lambert, Franco Harris and Terry Bradshaw. However, Arby’s was actually first to enter the collector glassware game. In 1976, they released a set that included Rocky Bleier, Glen Edwards, Andy Russel, Jack Ham and Dwight White.

Kyle Chrise is the host of the SCN podcast “What Yinz Talkin’ Bout.” New episodes are released every Thursday. Check out the latest episode in the player below:

Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images

The NFL has a salary cap and a current champion that hails from Kansas City. MLB does not and has a team from Kansas City that theoretically competes for a championship every couple of decades or so. I’ll take the NFL.

The Pittsburgh Pirates, my Pittsburgh Pirates, a Major League Baseball franchise, are currently honing their skills for the upcoming 2023 campaign at spring training in Bradenton, Florida.

Any mention of the Pirates, those Battlin’ Buccos, almost always brings out the cynics and/or jokesters.

“They suck!” they say.

“Bob Nutting should sell (or sale!) the team!” others insist.

Then, there are those who twist themselves into knots trying to dispute the real problem with the Pittsburgh Pirates and why they haven’t won a postseason series since disco was still in fashion: The lack of a salary cap in MLB.

This kind of knot-twisting usually starts arguments between the pro-cap and anti-cap factions (usually small-market vs. big-market fans).

And it’s not that the anti-cap people are necessarily against salary control for evil reasons. They just don’t think it is necessary for baseball, despite the fact that teams in the bigger markets have an inherent advantage over the franchises in the smaller markets.

No, a big television contract doesn't guarantee anything—the Angels, Mets and Cubs (at least until recently) are great examples of why—but it sure is nice to have those kinds of resources once you do get your act together.

These so-called experts (I call them Yankee apologists) try to hit pro-cap people with all of these numbers and data that claim to debunk the need for salary control.

Again, there are exceptions. For example, the St. Louis Cardinals always seem to do okay for themselves despite having a local television contract that’s dwarfed by the likes of the Dodgers and Yankees, but that doesn’t mean the system isn’t flawed.

All I know is this: MLB is the only major professional sports league in America without a salary cap. The other three sports leagues—the NFL, NHL and NBA—decided a long time ago that a cap was the best way to do business.

I also know this: The Pittsburgh Penguins have won five Stanley Cups since 1991, and they’ve had arguably the best player in the sport—Mario Lemieux, Jamir Jagr and Sidney Crosby—on their roster for the vast majority of years dating back to 1984.

The Pirates haven’t even been to the World Series since I was 7.

This is also a dose of reality for the high and mighty Pens fans: The Penguins would be where the Pirates are—or possibly Canada—if not for the NHL’s decision to adopt a salary cap nearly 20 years ago.

Other examples:

The Milwaukee Bucks are recent NBA champions, while the Green Bay Packers signed quarterback Aaron Rodgers to a three-year, $150,000,000 contract prior to the 2022 campaign.

Meanwhile, the Milwaukee Brewers have only been to the World Series once, and that was way back in 1982.

I could cite more examples involving teams from Cincinnati and Kansas City, but I will do that later.

The Steelers are struggling to get back to relevancy right now, but their issues have nothing to do with the economics of the NFL. Why? Because the powers that were in the Before Time—including the owners and Pete Rozelle, the transformative commissioner—knew that slicing the television pie into equal amounts was the best way to go.

Would the Steelers be the Steelers without that kind of financial structure in place today? It’s doubtful.

And it’s a good thing the NFL took things a step further in the 1990s.

Just like the Pirates, things could have quickly gone downhill for the Steelers in the early-’90s if the NFL owners decided to cave into the players’ demands for unrestricted free agency (rightfully so, I might add) but without also adding a salary cap to keep teams in check.

Every team in the NFL is equipped with the same tools. How they use them determines their success. The Bengals went 30 years without a playoff win, but they earned it. They weren’t the product of a financial system that forced them to operate under a different set of rules than teams like the Giants, Patriots and Cowboys.

Pirates fans and cynics think that ridding themselves of Nutting as the team’s owner is the solution. Unfortunately, the Buccos have been through four ownership groups since I was 12, and they’ve all operated the same way: Frugally.

That’s not a coincidence.

It’s also not a coincidence that the Reds, A’s, Orioles, Twins and Royals—like the Pirates, they spent decades as consistent winners and made it to multiple World Series in the '70s, '80s and early-'90s--all stopped being elite organizations around the same time.

The Royals, a true juggernaut in the 1970s and half of the 1980s, regressed into one of baseball’s worst teams for close to 30 years. Sure, they beat the odds and made it to back-to-back World Series and actually won it all in 2015, but those odds were LONG, and it wasn’t long before they were once again in the cellar.

That’s where the Royals remain today.

Is there hope for small-market teams like the Royals and Pirates? Sure, if they do everything right.

But it still might not be enough.

Just take a look at the Tampa Rays. They’ve had a nice run since their inception in the early-2000s. They’ve been to the World Series twice and have found a way to keep their minor league system ripe with talent while competing in the same division as the almighty Yankees and Red Sox.

But the Rays have never won a World Series. Will they ever? Even if they do, what happens when their famous farm system inevitably dries up?

No, a salary cap guarantees a team nothing, and neither does spending the most money.

But it sure would be nice if every team in Major League Baseball was given the same tools to work with.

And what about the consumers? What about baseball fans? Why can’t many of them see the big picture? Why can’t they see they’re being duped?

Sure, Nutting is an easy target, but someone was bound to be the Pittsburgh Dad of small-market owners (“Don’t you dare buy batteries at the drug store—they’re too damn expensive!”), it just happens to be the owner from Pittsburgh.

You can criticize Nutting until he does sell the Pirates, but it’s not going to fix things long-term for the team, other small-market franchises and their fans.

MLB has convinced small-market fans that it's okay for their teams to be the equivalent of a Group of Five school in college football.

Imagine if McDonald’s decided to stop selling Happy Meals and Big Macs in cities the size of Pittsburgh and Cincinnati. Would you be okay with that? Absolutely not. Yet, we as fans of small-market teams are constantly being told that we must buy and consume a product that is inferior to what folks in New York, Los Angeles and Boston have access to.

I don’t know about you, but I think that’s BS.

And that is why I’m so thankful to be a fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers AND the NFL. You can say what you want about the league and its true motives—obviously if screwing over small-market fans was the best way for ALL NFL owners to make money, that’s what they’d do (MLB’s financial system actually encourages small-market owners to keep payrolls low in order to turn a profit)—but at least those motives ultimately benefit every fan of every team.

I’d much rather support a sports league that caters to its fans in Pittsburgh as much as it does its fans in Los Angeles.

Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images

The 2023 NFL combine is back for fans to watch all the testing on Friday.

The 2023 NFL offseason is rolling on and the NFL Combine is upon us as they will have their various testing events televised for the enjoyment of the viewing audience. The coverage opened up it’s first day of coverage on Thursday and is rolling on into Friday. After no Combine in 2021, and 2022 being in prime time, some may be expecting coverage to begin much later and go into the night. If you fall into that category, or have not been able to find a schedule for the event, BTSC is here to help!

All participants will perform six on-field drills regardless of position as well as the bench press. With the exception of special team players, position groups will also have additional drills specific to their designated position. In all, 319 players were invited to the combine to showcase their talents. Some players may chose to skip some or all the drills either due to injury or their desire to perform them at their individual school’s pro day.

With a change to some of the position-specific drills in 2020, a full list was provided three years ago. Any adjustments to the position drills for 2023 have not been announced. For this reason, the position-specific drills from recent years will be listed as they may be the same drills again in 2023.

Listed below is the schedule for this year’s NFL combine, which position groups are scheduled for each day, and the specific drills for each position.

2023 NFL Combine Schedule TV: NFL Network
Online: NFL+, NFL Network App, NFL.com or click HERE to create a Fubo Account and stream the entire combine

Drills for all participants:

40-yard Dash
Vertical Jump
Broad Jump
Three-cone Drill
20-yard Shuttle
60-yard Shuttle
Bench Press (performed the following day)

Friday March 3, 2023

3 PM to 8 PM: On-field workouts for Place Kickers, Special Team Players, Cornerbacks, and Safeties

Position specific drills from past years:
— DB: Line drill, Teryl Austin drill, Box drill, Gauntlet drill

Saturday March 4, 2023

1 PM to 8 PM: On-field workouts for Tight Ends, Quarterbacks, and Wide Receivers

Position specific drills from past years:
— TE: End zone fade route
— QB: Timed smoke/now route, End zone fade route
— WR: End zone fade route

Sunday March 5, 2023

1 PM to 7 PM: On-field workouts for Offensive Linemen and Running Backs

Position specific drills from past years:
— OL: New mirror drill, New screen drill
— RB: Duce Staley drill, Inside routes with change of direction

Get the latest Steel Curtain Network podcast content in the ‘Podcast Roundup’.

We here at BTSC, and our podcast platform Steel Curtain Network, are here with you every step of the way as the Steelers set the stage for 2023. With so much going on, make sure you check out our ‘Podcast Roundup’ article to keep up with the latest podcasts that cover everything Steelers for your black-and-gold knowledge, curiosity and enjoyment.

With that being said and typed, have fun with the shows below with a brief description of each podcast.

What Yinz Talkin’ Bout: March Mocks in Like a Lion

What Yinz Talkin’ Bout is the conversation about the Steelers social media conversation, exposing the week’s hottest and most toxic takes on the internet. This week, it’s all eyes on Omar Khan, and not everyone is liking what he’s saying. Plus, where Keith Butler ranks among Pittsburgh’s defensive coordinators, the former QB who has little faith in Kenny, and our first look at Mock Draft season. Join hosts Kyle Chrise & Greg Benevent for the most irrelevant and irreverent Steelers podcast.

Rundown of the show:

• Toxic Takes
• The Omar Khan Plan
• Kevin Butler’s Legacy
• Not Everybody Loves Kenny
• Mock Draft Season
• Much, Much More

Take a deep dive into the world of Steelers social media from a yinzer perspective as Steel Curtain Network proudly presents a very unique show that highlights “What Yinz Talkin’ Bout”.

The Steelers Preview: How much stock should be put into the NFL Combine?

The NFL Combine is here. How much does it define when it comes to the decision making of GMs? This is just one of the subjects that will be discussed and speculated on in the latest edition in the flagship show of the Steel Curtain Network’s family of podcasts with Jeff Hartman, Dave Schofield, and Bryan Anthony Davis.

Check out the rundown of the show:

• News of the Week
• The importance of the NFL Cobine to the Steelers
• Trivia
• Final Thoughts

Let’s Ride, Friday: The Steelers’ roster isn’t as bad as many make it out to be

There’s been tons of dismay due to the omnipresent narrative that the Steelers’ roster is not too good. But is this a mere misconception? Steel Curtain Network’s Jeff Hartman outlines it all on the latest episode of “Let’s Ride”.

Check out the rundown of the show:

• News and Notes
• Is the black-and-gold roster better than some think?
• A visit from Jeremy Betz in the All Betz Are Off segment
• Hart to Heart
• and MUCH MORE!

Jeff Hartman of SCN walks you through everything you need to know regarding the black-and-gold.

Be sure to check out this and all episodes on the following platforms:

Apple Users: CLICK HERE

Spotify: CLICK HERE

Google Play: CLICK HERE

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Join fellow Steelers fans to watch the workouts of the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine.

The NFL offseason is in full swing, and one of the biggest events of the offseason is the NFL Scouting Combine. The NFL has descended on Indianapolis for the first combine once again, and fans are excited to see prospects back in action.

As for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Thursday’s workout is going to be worth watching considering today’s workouts are for the defensive linemen and linebackers. Here is more information on how you can watch the event:

2023 NFL Combine Schedule TV: NFL Network
Online: NFL+, NFL Network App, NFL.com or click HERE to create a Fubo Account and stream the entire combine

Drills for all participants:

40-yard Dash
Vertical Jump
Broad Jump
Three-cone Drill
20-yard Shuttle
60-yard Shuttle

Bench Press (performed the following day)

Thursday March 2, 2023

3 PM to 8 PM: On-field workouts for Defensive Linemen and Linebackers

Position specific drills from past years:
— DL: Run and club drill, Run the hoop drill
— LB: Shuffle, sprint, change of direction drill, Short zone breaks drill

Use this open thread/comment section to enjoy and evaluate prospects with fellow Steelers fans below. Be sure to keep it respectful, and have fun with it!

Be sure to stay tuned to BTSC for the latest news and notes surrounding the black and gold as they prepare for the start of the new league year and the 2023 NFL Draft.

Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

As the new front office prepares for their first NFL draft, let’s look at some of the Steelers worst picks by round by GM Kevin Colbert.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are heading into a new chapter of the front office as Omar Khan and company prepare for their first NFL draft. With former Steelers GM Kevin Colbert moving into retirement following the 2022 draft, this will mark the first time the new regime has total control over their selections. How will this shape out for the Steelers moving forward? That’s what many fans are both excited and nervous to see.

Since we have already looked at the best draft picks by round, let’s take a look at the worst draft picks of the Pittsburgh Steelers in each round in the Kevin Colbert era. For those who may not be certain of the dates, these will be the drafts from 2000 through 2022.

For this exercise, we will be looking at players drafted specifically by the Steelers since the year 2000. In determining how well each player performed, we will only look at their time with the Pittsburgh Steelers and not any time spent with a different team. The rankings will come according to the total AV (Approximate Value) for each player determined by Pro Football Reference (PFR) during their time with the Steelers. Exactly how PFR determines AV can be seen HERE. For players with the same AV, other considerations such as games played may be taken into account. Obviously, players who have a longer career with the Steelers have the chance of a higher score. But isn’t lack of longevity a key factor in determining whether it was a bad draft pick?

The first step as we count our way down will be players selected by the Steelers in the 7th round of the NFL draft.

Note: For round 7, there are too many picks to narrow them down to five as there would be a 16-way tie for the top spot. Instead, I will highlight the multiple players who have a career AV of 0 and put them into various categories. As the rounds decrease in coming articles, narrowing to 5 players will eventually become possible.

0 AV, No NFL Career Games Played

This category is for any player who did not appear in any NFL games for any team and are no longer in the NFL. Some players were either on the Steelers practice squad or that of another franchise while others were not.

Chris Taylor, WR, Texas A&M, 2001
J.T. Wall, RB, Georgia, 2003
Shaun Nua, DE, BYU, 2005
Cedric Humes, RB, Virginia Tech, 2006
Rob Blanchflower, TE, UMass, 2014
Gerod Holliman, S, Louisville, 2015
Keion Adams, OLB Western Michigan, 2017
Joshua Frazier, DT, Alabama, 2018

Notes: As I’ve often felt that seventh-round draft picks are basically undrafted free agents who the team does not want to fight over, having the seventh-round draft pick not make the roster is not unheard of. Well the occasional gem would be great to find, and the fact the Steelers had 30 seventh-round picks since 2000 it’s not unreasonable for eight of them to have never appeared in an NFL game.

0 AV, No NFL Games Played Yet

This category is much like the one before but it’s specifically for players who are still in the NFL and have the opportunity to still appear in games.

Chris Oladokun, QB, North Dakota St., 2022

Notes: With it being only one player, it’s easy to talk about quarterback Chris Oladokun. With the Steelers needing to have a fourth player to position for training camp, the fact none of the other quarterbacks missed a single practice to the injury men Oladokun mainly stood on the sidelines before being released. Spending the year on the Kansas City Chiefs practice squad, Oladokun now has a Super Bowl ring although he does not have an NFL game played.

0 AV, No NFL Career Games Played for the Steelers

This category is for players who appeared in NFL games for other franchises but did not contribute enough to raise their AV score above zero.

LaVar Glover, DB, Cincinnati, 2002: 2 games (CIN)
Eric Taylor, DT, Memphis, 2004: 1 game (MIN)
Doug Worthington, DT, Ohio St., 2010: 8 games (WAS, STL)
Toney Clemons, WR, Colorado, 2012: 4 games (JAX)

Notes: Of all these players, Doug Worthington saw the most action as he appeared over two seasons with two different franchises. Wide receiver Tony Clemons does have career NFL stats as he had three receptions and 11 targets for 41 yards.

0 AV

This category is for players who appeared in NFL games for the Steelers but did not contribute enough to raise their AV score above zero.

Dallas Baker, WR, Florida, 2007: 8 games
Demarcus Ayers, WR, Houston, 2015: 2 games (plus 2 in playoffs)
Derwin Gray, OT, Maryland, 2019: 5 games

Notes: Despite appearing in eight games for the Steelers, Dallas Baker only had one reception on two targets for 6 yards in his second season following being drafted. But by appearing in eight games in 2008, he is a Super Bowl champion. Derwin Gray appeared in five games for the Steelers before being claimed off waivers as they attempted to get him back to the practice squad. But being claimed, Gray never made it onto the field. Demarcus Ayers is very interesting that his AV remained at zero because he had a regular season start in his two games where he had six receptions on 13 targets for 53 yards and a touchdown in Week 17 of the 2016 season. Ayers also appeared in two playoff games for the Steelers that season where we had three receptions on three targets for 27 yards and had another start. The next season, Ayers opted for the Patriots practice squad over the Steelers but it did not pay off as he did not appear in another NFL game.

So there are the worst draft picks of the Kevin Colbert era coming from the seventh round. Make sure you check back on Tuesday for the next article of the worst draft picks of the sixth round in the Kevin Colbert era.

In case you missed the previous articles on the top draft picks, they can be seen below:

Barbara J. Perenic/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Pittsburgh Steelers continue the meeting process at the NFL Scouting Combine.

The 2023 NFL Scouting Combine is well underway, and the meetings between prospects and NFL teams have begun. Many compare Combine meetings between organizations and prospects like speed dating. Not a lot of time to get to know players, and you are trying to meet with as many prospects as possible.

It is at this time when players make their meetings with teams official during their time in front of the media. In this case, players who have met with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

It should be known there are a myriad of meetings which go unreported, and also less significance in these quick, rapid-fire meetings during the chaos that has become the NFL Combine.

With all that said, Thursday was when defensive backs took the stage for media availability, and plenty of players said they had meetings with the Steelers during their time at the podium. Below you’ll see a list of players who were open about their meetings, where they went to school, some bullet points on the prospects, and more.

(Note: All “breakdowns” below are courtesy of The Draft Network)

If you’re wondering if some players weren’t listed below, it’s likely for this reason...

The Steelers have met formally with a stupid amount of CBs

— Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) March 2, 2023

Let’s get into it!

Joey Porter Jr., Penn State CB

Joey Porter Jr. on potentially being selected by the Steelers:

“I think it would mean a lot to my family. Been in the Pittsburgh area a while, staying home would mean a lot.” pic.twitter.com/EEczQWeNoL

— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) March 2, 2023

Joey Porter Jr. has about 75 members of the media at his podium. He said as a high school player at North Allegheny he’d go 1 on 1 versus Antonio Brown at the Steelers facility. “I know he wasn’t going 100 percent.” pic.twitter.com/Rgx5huEjvz

— Ray Fittipaldo (@rayfitt1) March 2, 2023

Top Reasons to Buy In:

• Prototypical length and then some to play press-man on the perimeter
• Excellent ball skills at the catch point
• Significant growth in press technique and footwork in 2022
• Height/weight/speed athlete at a premier position

Top Reasons For Concern:

• High-hipped frame can lead to some tightness in transition
• Perimeter block deconstruction in run support can improve
• Scheme-specific talent

Clark Phillips, Utah CB

Utah CB Clark Phillips said he formally met with the Steelers and called one it of his "funner" interviews.

"I'm excited to show everybody what I can do," he added.

Said he distinguishes himself with "the process" and called himself "ferocious and nasty." pic.twitter.com/9bn0bqBeQ1

— Bradley Locker (@Bradley_Locker) March 2, 2023

Top Reasons to Buy In:

• Quick feet and fluid hips
• Ball skills
• Competitive toughness
• Coverage instincts

Top Reasons For Concern:

• Size
• Tackling consistency (not due to passive tendencies)
• Playing off contact

Brian Branch, Alabama DB

Alabama DB Brian Branch is often compared to Minkah Fitzpatrick. He said it would be a “dream come true” to play alongside him. pic.twitter.com/K0SpZJwrbI

— Ray Fittipaldo (@rayfitt1) March 2, 2023

Top Reasons to Buy In:

• Versatile defender
• High-level run defender
• High football IQ

Top Reasons For Concern:

• Ball production
• Man coverage

Julius Brents, Kansas State CB

Kansas State CB Julius Brents said he had a "good meeting" with the Steelers and that he talked to Grady Brown in Indy and Mobile.

On tackling: "It's a mentality, for sure. You just gotta fall back on your technique."

Mentioned he's been playing football since he's 6. pic.twitter.com/1jmV2Yoy8S

— Bradley Locker (@Bradley_Locker) March 2, 2023

CB Julius Brents just confirmed he’s met with the #Steelers at the #NFLCombine. pic.twitter.com/5Uiw4kfQ3D

— Christopher Carter (@CarterCritiques) March 2, 2023

Top Reasons to Buy In:

• Size and length
• Physical tackler
• Positional versatility

Top Reasons For Concern:

• Top-end speed
• Questionable in man coverage
• Scheme dependent

Ji’Ayir Brown, Penn State DB

The Steelers and Mike Tomlin formally met with Penn State DB Ji’Ayir Brown at the NFL Combine.

Brown says he’s all pure ‘willpower’ who can play multiple spots and takes a pride in forcing turnovers and making big plays defensively.

— Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) March 2, 2023

Top Reasons to Buy In:

• Straight-line explosiveness
• Play temperament
• Production
• Toughness

Top Reasons For Concern:

• Instincts
• Fluidity
• Tackling

Christian Gonzalez, Oregon CB

Mike Tomlin is winning the combine. Superstar CB Christian Gonzalez is yet another DB to say his favorite coach to talk to here has been the #Steelers head man. He called Tomlin “real” and “relatable” - and said he called his dad to say he’s even cooler than they thought.

— Aditi Kinkhabwala (@AKinkhabwala) March 2, 2023

Top Reasons to Buy In:

• Length
• Athleticism
• Instincts

Top Reasons For Concern:

• Play strength

LB Noah Sewell, Oregon
DL Bryan Bresee, Clemson
DL Lukas Van Ness, Iowa

Here are some key players the Steelers had formal meetings with:

LB Drew Sanders
LB Noah Sewell
DL Bryan Bresee
DL Lukas Van Ness
IDL Gervon Dexter

— Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) March 1, 2023

These meetings were from yesterday...

Keep tabs on BTSC as we add to the list of players who have met with the Steelers during the Combine, as well as all the news and notes surrounding the black and gold as they press on throughout the NFL offseason.

Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

The Steelers passing attack had plenty of issues in 2022, but who or what was the biggest problem?

The Pittsburgh Steelers passing game didn't cut the mustard in 2022, finishing towards the bottom of the league. It was inadequate by any and all metrics, and it definitely didn't pass the eye test, as it was often hard to watch.

In this article we will try to decipher the reasons why, who was the biggest culprit, and what can be done to remedy the problem.

First, let me clarify, there's plenty of blame to go around. Play design and usage, quarterback play, offensive line performance, and wide receiver fundamentals were the most glaring inadequacies, in my opinion, but maybe not in that particular order. Regardless of level of blame, all this issues need addressed to adequately fix what ails the offense, enough to consistently put points on the scoreboard.

The easiest issue to identify over the past few seasons has been the offensive line, but that started to change in 2022. In the previous few seasons, the Steelers sub-par offensive line resulted in the Steelers inability to run the football anywhere near an acceptable level. This equated in an inordinate amount of unfavorable down and distances, allowing the opposition's pass rush to tee off on the struggling pass protection. Steelers quarterbacks regularly had under two seconds to get the ball out of their hand, so a repetitive and easy-to-defend passing game was the predictable outcome.

That started to change towards the end of the 2022 season. Thanks to free agent acquisitions Mason Cole and James Daniels, plus offensive line coach Pat Meyer, the Steelers developed into a slightly above average unit, both in run blocking and pass protection. They are definitely trending in the right direction, which bring us to our next discussion topic: Quarterback.

Even with the improved offensive line performance over the course of the season, the Steelers quarterback play was often found lacking. Both Mitch Trubisky and Kenny Pickett were new to the team, therefore inexperienced with their teammates and offensive scheme. Early season struggles were expected and inevitable, but issues lingered even after the offensive line started to gel.

The Steelers quarterbacks fluctuated between being ultra aggressive or painfully conservative, especially during the murders row first half of the season. Trubisky never did find a peaceful median, but Pickett finally did during the much more manageable second half of the season.

Pickett settled in as a conservative game manager during the Steelers’ back half of 2022, as he gained comfort in the system, with some flashes of late game heroics thrown in for good measure. He relied on the Steelers improving offensive line, and surging rushing attack, to carry the majority of the load. Pickett focused on ball security, and reliably stepping up when an accurate throw was needed to move the chains. Pickett's steady improvement bodes well for his future.

However, Pickett must take the next step in his development in 2023, and there are still plenty of questions to be answered. Can Pickett find a middle ground between ball security and a more aggressive mindset, especially in the red-zone? Can he learn to trust in his pass protection, enough to not miss out on late developing scripted opportunities, which happened regularly last season? I believe he can, as his talents and work ethic suggests so, but only time will tell.

That brings us to our third obvious issue; wide receiver fundamentals. The Steelers wide receiver depth chart hasn't lacked talent over the past couple seasons, but they have not been very efficient or effective, partly due to a lack of fundamentals. Diontae Johnson lacked the requisite size and strength to offer contested catch and/or run after the catch ability. George Pickens lacked the footwork and consistent effort to develop chemistry with his quarterbacks during his rookie campaign. Add former Steelers pass catcher Chase Claypool into the equation during the first half of last season, and you had a Big 3 who struggled with consistency, both in effort and focus. However, that wasn't their biggest shortcoming.

The Steelers receivers have been bystanders far to frequently in recent seasons. Casual observers if you will. Steelers receivers will run their scripted route, come to a complete stop, and just stand there taking in the action. A receiver should be in continuous motion, constantly trying to work back to the quarterback, especially if he is forced out of the pocket and off script. The Steelers receivers have done a poor job at this fundamental necessity in recent seasons. I remember Ben Roethlisberger yelling at Claypool for that infraction last season. Sadly, the Steelers receivers continued to struggle with fundamentals in 2022, especially early in the season.

All of the aforementioned issues negatively impacted the Steelers passing attack last season, but they weren't the most influential problem in my opinion. That distinction falls between the parameters of play design and usage, meaning the responsibility for the Steelers anemic aerial attack falls at the feet of OC Matt Canada.

We have discussed Canada's play calling shortcomings ad nauseam over the past few months, so I will try to be brief. Every play matters and has value, whether it is successful or not. The information gained from a first half play can facilitate a game changing counter later in the contest. Every formation and personnel package reveals defensive tendencies for coordinators present enough to pay attention. Variety is the spice of life. Play action, misdirection routes, and an adequate screen game have been missing in action under Canada. See Andy Reid and the Super Bowl champion Chiefs for the most recent example.

The Steelers decision makers are rolling the dice this offseason. They are betting on continued growth and improvement in the areas we have highlighted in this article. That the offensive line will continue to gel with more experience working together in the trenches. That Kenny Pickett's confidence will grow in unison with his comfort level within the offense, while maintaining his excellent ball security habits. That the second half of the season improvement from the receivers was an addition by subtraction situation.

I saved the biggest gamble of them all for last. The Steelers are counting on Matt Canada's ability to show drastic improvement as a passing game coordinator. I like the odds of the first three happening far more than the last scenario. Needless to say, just another reason I am not a gambler.

Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images

Whether or not the Steelers tight end is brought back with a second contract comes down to the value he brings versus a replacement.

The Pittsburgh Steelers 2023 offseason is underway. As the team looks at it’s potentially departing players due to impending free agency, some players may be returning while others will test the market. To get a better idea as to how the Steelers might be looking, we’re going to dive into several of the free agents starting with ones who played the most in 2022. Next up will be Zach Gentry. This is the subject for this week’s Steelers Vertex.

Let’s get a quick reminder of where this nerdiness is coming from.

Vertex- a single point where two or more lines cross.

Sometimes to make a great point, it takes two different systems of analysis to come together and build off each other in order to drawl a proper conclusion. In this case, the two methods are statistical analysis and film breakdown. Enter Dave Schofield (the stat geek) and Geoffrey Benedict (the film guru) to come together to prove a single point based on our two lines of thinking.

Here comes the breakdown from two different lines of analysis.

The Stats Line:

When it comes to the four seasons Zach Gentry has spent with the Pittsburgh Steelers, there is a definite split between the first two years and the the last two. In 2019, Zach Gentry only appeared in four games as a rookie where he played 49 offensive snaps and two on special teams where he was targeted one time with one reception for 4 yards. In his second season, Gentry only appeared in two games with one start and was eventually placed on IR with a knee injury.

Gentry‘s next two seasons for the Steelers were a completely different story. Appearing in all 17 games each of the last two seasons, Gentry started 12 games in 2021 and 13 in 2022. His snaps played were 473 on offense and 139 on special teams in 2021 with 577 offensive snaps with 72 on special teams this past season.

The production and usage as a receiver was much different for Gentry the last two seasons as well. Catching 19 passes during the regular season in both 2021 and 2022, Gentry had 25 targets where he had 167 yards receiving with an 8.8 yards per reception average in 2021. In 2022, Gentry caught 19 of 23 targets for 132 yards with a 6.9 yards per reception average but an 82.6% completion percentage. In 2021, Gentry also caught four passes on four targets for 33 yards during the Steelers single playoff game. Additionally, Gentry is the player who caught Ben Roethlisberger‘s final pass of his NFL career.

Beyond being a receiving option, Zach Gentry is primarily used as the Steelers blocking tight end. To get a better idea of how he is used there, as well as as a receiver, we will need to check the film.

The Film Line:

Zach Gentry doesn’t offer a whole lot as a receiver. He had a few longer gains in 2021 and a couple in 2022, but they tended to look like this:

Steelers @ Bengals, 2nd quarter, 11:47

Zach Gentry (#81) is the tight end to the top of the screen.

Gentry is in a blocking look on a play action pass. The Bengals have the linebacker responsible for Gentry dropping into zone as soon as he sees that Jaylen Warren isn’t running and Gentry is blocking. That lets Gentry step away from his block and be wide open with time for blockers to get downfield, and this 32-yard gain is the longest of Zach Gentry’s career.

His blocking can set up other pass opportunities as well.

Steelers @ Bengals, 3rd quarter, 1:00

Zach Gentry (#81) is the tight end to the top of the screen.

I love that “chip” to start the play, and it’s a nice little route to run off of it too. Just ignore the down and distance, because that turns what is a really fun play into a disappointment.

But it is also a reality that can’t be avoided with Zach Gentry. Targeted six times on third down in 2022, Gentry caught all six passes, gaining one first down. On the other five 3rd down catches he fell short by an average of 8 yards. In fact, 22% of Gentry’s receiving yards came from 3rd and long dump offs that fell well short of the sticks.

Gentry’s production was mostly manufactured opportunities and garbage yards. He’s not even a decent receiving tight end.

Steelers vs. Colts, 4th quarter, 13:07

Zach Gentry (#81) is the tight end to the bottom of the screen.

That little slip screen stopped working in the middle of the season too. Teams got used to it and would watch for it and blow it up.

Steelers vs. Bengals, 3rd quarter, 1:00

Zach Gentry (#81) is the tight end to the top of the screen.

Gentry doesn’t offer much on the more clever parts of Canada’s offense. Here the timing and spacing are just a little bit off. Instead of Gentry following Kevin Dotson through a small gap in the line, it’s a loss on the play.

Steelers vs. Browns, 2nd quarter, 6:27

Zach Gentry (#81) is the tight end to the top of the screen.

He is pretty good when the opposing team completely forgets to cover him.

Connor Heyward increased his snaps after the bye week and outperformed Zach Gentry producing double the yards on one more target than Gentry received. But while he took some of Gentry’s focus in the passing game, he wasn’t stealing snaps from Gentry. The Steelers just used more tight ends. Zach Gentry actually played more snaps in the second half of the season, per game, than he did in the first half. And to show why, we’re going to look at the first three plays of the Steelers Week 17 win over the Baltimore Ravens.

Steelers @ Ravens, 1st quarter, 15:00

Zach Gentry (#81) is the tight end to the right side of the screen.

The Steelers start the game with a run right at Zach Gentry. Gentry controls Jason Pierre-Paul, and is able to turn and seal Paul out of the play as the Steelers gain three yards on the ground.

Steelers @ Ravens, 1st quarter, 14:26

Zach Gentry (#81) is the tight end to the left side of the screen.

Second down and the Steelers run a quick sprint out pass for six yards. Zach Gentry is up to the task of blocking Jason Pierre-Paul on this play as well.

Steelers @ Ravens, 1st quarter, 13:52

Zach Gentry (#81) is the tight end to the right side of the screen.

Third and one on the opening drive and the Steelers run Derek Watt on the H-Back counter. Zach Gentry and Chukwuma Okorafor are double teaming the Ravens 5-Tech defensive end, and when Okorafor gets the end squared up on his first step, Gentry puts his hands on Okorafor’s back and helps drive the line forward.

It’s a thing of beauty watching a runner head right into his line for three yards when he needed one. The Steelers started their game in the Ravens stadium with a 15-play field goal drive that took 7 minutes off the clock. Zach Gentry played the most snaps of any tight end on that drive.

The Point:

In Week 17 when the Steelers came out looking to dominate the NFL’s 3rd ranked run defense in their stadium, they leaned on Zach Gentry, and the first drive set the tone for the entire game. Zach Gentry is a solid blocking tight end, and his in-line blocking would be the most important part of his game to replace if he isn’t re-signed. The Steelers could look to bring the same tight end group back, or they could look to add an in-line tight end that offers high-end blocking and more receiving threat than Gentry does. But when it comes to what the Steelers would lose with Gentry should he decide to move on to somewhere else, it really is all about the blocking.

Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

What kind of interest will the Steelers’ big-name Free Agents garner in 2023?

It’s Scouting Combine week, and the NFL world is focused on the 300+ athletes headed to Indianapolis to make their biggest statement for the 2023 NFL Draft. But let’s not forget that for most NFL teams, the start of Free Agency is just as big a deal when it comes to aspirations for 2023 and beyond.

After the Combine concludes, all eyes and ears will be tuned in for March 13, which opens the legal tampering period for teams and players to strike deals in principle. It’s a chance for a big paycheck for some and a fresh start for others. For many of the Steelers 2023 Free Agents, a return to the black and gold for another season may not work out, and these players will be looking for employment elsewhere.

Let’s take a look at four of the Steelers’ higher-profile Free Agents to get a feel for their potential market come mid-March. We’ll talk potential asking price, interested teams, and even what it would take to get these guys back in house. Let’s dive in!

CB Cameron Sutton

Spotrac estimated Market Value: $7.6M Avg. Annual Salary (3 yrs, $22.9M contract)

If we’re honest with ourselves, Cam Sutton will likely rake in almost double Spotrac’s estimate of per year salary as one of the more coveted FA cornerbacks on the market. Teams courting Sutton would likely need to offer a $11M+ per year deal over 3-4 years to land the former 3rd Round pick’s services for 2023. The Arizona Cardinals and Atlanta Falcons are projected to have good cap room and make a lot of sense for Sutton, who could step in and be either team’s top CB right away. Could division rival Cincinnati make a play for another former Steelers corner? They need help in the secondary as well. I think Sutton would take a couple mil less to stay in Pittsburgh based on talks, but that probably still looks like a 3 yr, $33.0M deal with good guarantees. I think the Steelers make a strong push to bring him back, but he’ll be a hot commodity come March 13, so don’t be surprised if he rakes in a bigger contract than Pittsburgh can match in good conscience.

DL Larry Ogunjobi

Spotrac estimated Market Value: $3.4M Avg. Annual Salary (2 yrs, $6.9M contract)

I think Spotrac is shooting low on Ogunjobi’s estimated contract valuation here as well. Larry O is coming off another solid season in his 1-year prove-it deal with Pittsburgh, and he’ll likely garner a similar per year number that he received in 2022 (approx. $8M/yr). Team’s looking for a good all-round player on the interior DL will look Ogunjobi’s way in the 2nd wave of Free Agency. Every team needs DL depth, but if you sign Larry, you’re likely signing him as a low end starter. I actually think Pittsburgh has a really good shot a retaining Ogunjobi, and he may want to stay put somewhere for a few years after playing AFC North Journeyman for the majority of his career.

SS Terrell Edmunds

Spotrac estimated Market Value: $5.4M Avg. Annual Salary (2 yrs, $5.4M contract)

Edmunds should be a guy the Steelers try to lock down quickly because his market should be much more lively in 2023 than it was last year. The in-state rival Eagles will be looking for cheaper solutions to revamp their soon-to-be-ravaged post-Super Bowl roster and they’ll have a need at safety. Other teams that could show interest are the Bears, Chiefs, and Bills. Chicago has cap space for days and will be looking for upgrades across the board, while the Bills and Chiefs are looking to reload title contenders with plus starters that won’t break the bank. I still think the Steelers have the inside track for Edmunds as well. If they him walk, though, you’d have to believe it’s because they feel they can retain fellow Free Agent SS Damontae Kazee or bring in an outside free agent at a more cost-effective number.

LB Devin Bush

Spotrac estimated Market Value: $3.0M Avg. Annual Salary (1 yrs, $3.06M contract)

If Devin Bush is a Steeler in 2023, it might be wise to ask for a weather report from you-know-where, because the two sides seem destined for a split after the team chose to forgo Bush’s 5th-year option and he was seemingly passed over down the stretch of 2022 by Robert Spillane (also a FA). For Bush’s market, you’re looking at two kinds of potentially intersted parties. One, teams who hope a change of scenery and new role can return the former top 10 pick to pre-knee-injury form. Two, teams who just need a rotational ILB to travel with TEs and bring starter experience to a locker room. How ironic would it be for Bush to sign with Denver, a LB-needy team that the Steelers originally swapped picks with to move up for Bush in 2019. The Raiders also need LB help and the LA Rams could be in play for a cheap alternative at the position after moving on from Bobby Wagner for cap reasons. Bush will likely land the type of cheap, 1-year prove-it-deal that teams are often happy to give out to high-pedigree athletes who haven’t reached their potential with the team that drafted them. Bush fits that bill.

The Steelers’ group of Free Agents should find plenty of interested parties on the open market in 2023, and I will be keeping a close eye on how the cards play out for these four players specifically. Feel free to hit me up in the comments with your thoughts, and, as always, go Steelers!

Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

The Pittsburgh Steelers are a proud franchise, but they can’t be happy with the recent NFLPA team report card grades.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are an organization which prides itself on being a place free agents would choose over other teams. A team where players might take less money to go and compete with an historic franchise.

For several seasons players have been polled on which coach they would like to play for, and Mike Tomlin is always at, or near, the top of this list. However, when the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) recently released Team Report Cards, the results were interesting.

Before getting to the Steelers’ grades, here is how the NFLPA collected the data:

One of our core jobs as a union is to improve the overall working conditions for our players, which includes the daily experience of players at the team facilities away from the lights and cameras.

1,300 of our players provided information to share with one another about their current club, to not only help them make important career decisions, but also help raise standards across the league.

Our goals were to highlight positive clubs, identify areas that could use improvement, and highlight best practices and standards. To learn more about the background of this initiative, read a note from President JC Tretter here.

When you look at the process, it is now time to talk about what grades the Steelers received from those who were surveyed. Let’s just say some of these grades were less than kind, as it reflects how players feel about the team/organization.

Treatment of Facilities: D-

Nutrition: B+

Weight Room: C

Strength Room: A-

Training Room: D-

Training Staff: B+

Locker Room: D+

Travel: B

If you are like me, when you read the above grades, you asked the purpose of these grades? And what was the underlying reason why they would make them public just under two weeks before the start of free agency?

Well, the NFLPA tried to explain their reasoning:

DURING THE LAST TWO YEARS, THE BOARD OF REPRESENTATIVES HAS DISCUSSED WAYS TO IMPROVE THE INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO FREE AGENTS MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT THEIR PROSPECTIVE CLUBS AND DECIDED TO PURSUE THE DEVELOPMENT OF “CLUB REPORT CARDS” THAT, WHILE NOT A SCIENTIFIC SURVEY, WOULD REPORT THE QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE OPINIONS OF NFL PLAYERS ABOUT THEIR RESPECTIVE CLUBS.

IN CONNECTION WITH THAT GOAL, QUESTIONS WERE SENT TO EVERY PLAYER ON THE 2022 TEAM ROSTERS ASKING THEM THEIR OPINIONS ABOUT THEIR CLUB’S FACILITIES, CERTAIN CLUB PERSONNEL/COACHES, AND OTHER WORK-RELATED CATEGORIES, SUCH AS CLUB’S TREATMENT OF FAMILIES AND TEAM TRAVEL (PLAYERS WERE NOT ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT ANY CLUB OTHER THAN THEIR 2022 EMPLOYER). AS A RESULT OF THE CONFIDENTIAL QUESTIONNAIRE, 1,300 PLAYERS RESPONDED. THERE THEN WAS A QUALITATIVE FOLLOW UP BY THE UNION, WHICH RESULTED IN THE FOLLOWING “REPORT CARD.”

THE QUESTIONS CALLED FOR BOTH QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE ANSWERS; FOR EXAMPLE: “GRADE YOUR WEIGHT ROOM WITH 1 REFLECTING BEST RATING, 5 REFLECTING LOWEST RATING” AND “WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE ABOUT YOUR WEIGHT ROOM?” THE NUMERICAL RATINGS FOR EACH SUB-CATEGORY OF QUESTIONS WERE TALLIED AND AVERAGED. THE QUESTIONNAIRE ALSO SOUGHT TO ELICIT THE OPINION OF PLAYERS ON SOME ISSUES THAT HAVE A DIRECT IMPACT ON THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR NFL PLAYERS. THESE QUALITATIVE RESPONSES, WHICH ARE INHERENTLY SUBJECTIVE, WERE REVIEWED AND EVALUATED BY THE UNION AND THEN FACTORED INTO PROVIDING AN OVERALL RATING THAT WAS INTENDED TO REFLECT PLAYER OPINIONS.

BASED UPON ALL OF THIS INFORMATION, THE RANKINGS FROM CLUB TO CLUB WERE DETERMINED BY COMPARING HOW EACH CLUB GRADED IN EACH CATEGORY.

For Art Rooney II and the other minority owners, this news can’t sit well with them. Throw in the fact the Steelers share a facility with the University of Pittsburgh and it throws a definite wrench in the aspect of team facilities.

Nonetheless, the Steelers will look to improve upon these grades in the near future. But in the meantime, be sure to stay tuned to BTSC for the latest news and notes surrounding the Steelers as they prepare for the rest of the NFL offseason.