The Pittsburgh Steelers are one of the most successful teams in NFL history, but they have struggled mightily in the past five years. It's been a challenge for the team to even reach a .500 record and when they do make the postseason, they're typically eliminated early in a game that is non-competitive.
Mike Tomlin’s squad is ready to change that narrative, but they'll need several young players to step up and assume key roles. The early returns on last year's draft class are decent, and Pittsburgh has high hopes for this year's class as well. With that being said, though, the Steelers first-round pick has shown glimpses of talent but has also demonstrated concerning flaws.
Two buy-low candidates the team brought in this offseason have also had inconsistent performances. Let's take a closer look.
Justin Fields is having the same issues he had with Bears
Fields is an interesting player to evaluate. On one hand, he has all the physical tools not only to succeed, but to dominate in the NFL. Yet, he also has a couple of glaring flaws that could prevent his career from ever truly taking off. The hope was that Fields would have time to develop in Pittsburgh without the pressure of producing immediately and leading the team.
However, once he got to the Steel City, the former Ohio State star had an unexpected opportunity. After former Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks star Russell Wilson was sidelined with a minor injury, Fields had a chance to show what he was capable of.
He’s showcased flashes of his tantalizing talent. However, there were still moments where he showed the same deficiencies that led to the Chicago Bears replacing him with former USC superstar Caleb Williams.
During the team's first preseason game against the Houston Texans, Fields struggled to push the ball down the field. He completed five of his six passes, but most were thrown within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage. He took a couple of frustrating sacks. Perhaps worst of all, Fields struggled to handle the snaps and had two fumbles.
While the blame can’t be placed solely on the quarterback for these fumbles, it’s not a good look and speaks to concerns about the synergy between Fields and his center. The relationship between a quarterback and center is one of the most important relationships on a football team, and Fields needs to show that he can get the basic things done right.
Quez Watkins might find himself out of the NFL
At first, it appeared as if Watkins couldn’t be in a better situation for his career. The Steelers are desperately thin at the wide receiver position, with limited depth behind George Pickens and no sure thing that the team can count on. There is no surefire WR2 or WR3 who can make an impact.
Theoretically, all Watkins has to do is prove he is somewhat competent. If the former Philadelphia Eagles receiver can do this, he should make the roster and also see significant playing time and targets in meaningful situations.
The team will need a second receiver to step up and take pressure off of Pickens. They also need to prevent defenses from committing multiple defenders to slowing down the former Georgia star. Yet, Watkins appears to have been passed over in the team’s hierarchy.
Speedy wide receiver Calvin Austin has seen more and more playing time, and the former Memphis standout shined in the first preseason game. There wasn’t a lot of good news for the Steelers against the Texans, but Austin gave the team’s brass and fans in the Steel City at least something to smile about.
He flashed his breathtaking speed and ability to separate from the defense as well as his talent to create chunk plays instantaneously. If Austin indeed secures the number two receiver role in Pittsburgh, Watkins’ future with the team, and as an NFL player, becomes increasingly murky.
Steelers' Troy Fautanu has a steep learning curve
Troy Fautanu was the Steelers’ first-round selection in the 2024 NFL draft. He was expected to pair with second-year offensive tackle Broderick Jones to form a dynamic duo that could bookend the Steelers’ offensive line for the next half-decade. This duo is incredibly important to the team’s long-term success, but there were some doubts around Fautanu leading up to the draft.
One of the primary criticisms of Fautanu during the predraft process was that he didn’t have the high-end athleticism needed to excel at the highest level. In the first preseason game, the rookie was beaten on a rep by Danielle Hunter. That’s not an embarrassment in any way, as Hunter is one of the best pass rushers in the entire league.
What it is, though, is a welcome to the NFL moment for the rookie. This isn’t like the college game, and nearly every player that Fautanu faces for the rest of his career would be the best player he ever faced in college.
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