Rounding Up the Latest Pittsburgh Steelers Offseason Buzz
The Pittsburgh Steelers' 10 OTA practices are over. Now, only mandatory minicamp remains before a one-month break and the onset of training camp in July. Though it's a slow time of year, that doesn't mean there aren't major stories circling the Steelers.
Here are five major Steelers storylines worth paying attention to as the offseason continues. Could rookies start in the secondary? Will anyone get a new contract? Read on to find out.
Linebackers Working Separately
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For years, the Steelers' inside and outside linebackers worked together in one group coached by current defensive coordinator Keith Butler. But this year, the two groups have their own positional coaches and are working separately on the field and in meeting rooms.
Jerry Olsavsky is the team's inside linebackers coach and Joey Porter, the outside linebackers coach. And inside linebacker Lawrence Timmons isn't opposed to the change, saying to Chris Adamski of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, "Last year, we were all together, so that's definitely a change now. But I think it's for the better. Everybody gets more one-on-one time, so we should grow from that."
Both Porter and Olsavsky are veterans of the Steelers' linebacking corps, and the pair are enjoying working apart. Porter said, per Adamski:
"We get a lot more done, because I don't have to stop and talk about the inside linebackers during my meeting. When the [inside] and outside 'backers are together, you can only cover so much. When I just have my guys, we just talk about their responsibilities and what they have to do. I only need to grade two guys at a time, as opposed to four.
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Olsavsky added, "If I was in the room like [Butler] last year and I had to take half the time for the outside guys and half the time for the inside guys, well, that's cheating somebody. So I think this new set-up is great."
Though the inside and outside linebackers will practice and meet together on occasion, this new division of labor can only be a good thing for the Steelers' linebackers. Now, with more attention from their coaches, they can focus on more of the details in practice and perform at a higher level.
Steelers Boast Top-5 Offensive Backfield
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NFL.com's Marc Sessler ranked the NFL's running back units team by team this week, and he considers the Steelers' backfield the fifth-best in the league. He has them there for one specific reason: Le'Veon Bell.
Last year, Bell was the NFL's second-leading rusher, totaling 1,361 yards and eight touchdowns on his 290 carries. He also had 83 receptions for 854 yards and three more scores, giving him the second-most yards from scrimmage of any player on the year, with 2,215.
Sessler said, "Without [Bell], this backfield wouldn't crack the top half of this list," adding that veteran DeAngelo Williams "is no threat to steal snaps in this backfield," aside from the three-game suspension Bell will be serving to start the season.
There's no question that Bell is a talented player, and he was crucial to the Steelers' offensive success last season. But it's a sign of rare talent when one running back alone can elevate an entire position group from mediocre to top five in the NFL.
Time to Focus on the Red Zone
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The Steelers offense ranked second in yards and seventh in points in 2014, but one area—the red zone—was still a source of struggle. According to TeamRankings.com, the Steelers ranked 19th in red-zone touchdown scoring percentage, coming away with a touchdown on just 51.72 percent of their attempts last year.
Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley has made improving the team's red-zone production his mission for 2015. Haley spoke with ESPN's Jeremy Fowler last week and estimated that the team failed to score on at least 10 red-zone trips last year, costing them somewhere between 30 and 70 points.
Haley said, "If we don't end up with at least three, then we've hurt ourselves. Too many times last year [zero points] occurred for different reasons, whether it was a turnover or sack. Those add up surprisingly quick."
Haley added that, while the Steelers were efficient at scoring points from further back on the field, "when we get down in there tight, where football gets tough, we have to get the ball in the end zone, whether it’s running or throwing it."
As such, the Steelers have emphasized red-zone drills in OTAs and run a number of plays from the 2-yard line. Hopefully the added focus on red-zone production this summer will pay off in the regular season.
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A Contract for Cam Heyward?
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The Pittsburgh Steelers want to get more production out of their pass rush this year. While the focus will mostly be on the outside linebackers, defensive end Cam Heyward is also looking forward to doing a better job of getting to opposing quarterbacks. Last year, Heyward totaled 7.5 sacks. This year, according to Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, his goal is to reach "double digits" in his sack total.
Heyward is in a contract year and is set to make $6.969 million in 2015. Re-signing him is a high priority for the Steelers, and Bouchette believes Heyward will get a new deal before training camp begins in July. Left tackle Kelvin Beachum is also a candidate for a new contract this offseason, but Bouchette doesn't see that as very likely, given the Steelers' cap situation.
But Heyward could prove affordable enough to sign. Heyward isn't letting the situation distract him, though, saying, "I try to stay out of the process and just focus on what I can control. I'd love to get a contract, but I have to just continue to keep my eyes on the prize. I would love for it to happen. I think they want it to happen."
Rookies Could Step Up in the Secondary
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Steelers defensive backs coach Carnell Lake isn't opposed to any of the team's rookie cornerbacks or safeties starting this year, granted they have proven capable of doing so. Though the Steelers aren't commonly a team that puts rookie defensive players—particularly cornerbacks and safeties—on the firing line immediately, Lake finds there is a benefit to it.
Speaking with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Ray Fittipaldo on Monday, Lake said, "That's basically how I was raised in the NFL. From day one, I was thrown in the fire. You make a lot of mistakes. If you can correct those quickly, and make some plays while you're doing it, you can stay around a while."
The Steelers took two cornerbacks in the 2015 draft, Senquez Golson in Round 2 and Doran Grant in Round 4. They also selected a safety, Gerod Holliman in Round 7. Of the rookies, Lake said:
"I've got my eyes on a couple of guys who can help us. Based on our history, one of the younger guys has had to step in. I like their demeanor. They're very professional. They're diligent and want to get better, and they're showing they do have some playmaking ability. It's just a matter of bringing them along.
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Fittipaldo expects William Gay and an improved Cortez Allen to be the Steelers' starters on the outside, with Grant and Golson pushing Antwon Blake for playing time in the slot. But if Allen falters as he did last year, it appears that Lake is more than comfortable with allowing a rookie to take his place this year.
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