Biggest Surprises of Pittsburgh Steelers' Offseason So Far

As a team that prides itself in stability, the Pittsburgh Steelers do not like surprises.

No matter their record, the front office takes a steady approach to every offseason. Whether it is maintaining stability on the coaching staff, limited moves in free agency or getting its man in the draft—without trading, of course.

However, even the most stable franchises will experience a surprise every now and then. Whether it is changes to the roster or coaching staff or the rapid development of a young player, the Steelers had their share of noteworthy items this offseason.

As we enter a down period on the NFL schedule, here is a review of the five biggest surprises of the Steelers’ offseason, ranked from least to most impactful on the team this season.

5. Mike Tomlin Not Impressed with Rookies

Keith Srakocic/Associated Press

The expression “hope springs eternal” is one that resonates with baseball fans when spring training comes around. It is a time when there is hope and optimism surrounding every team in the league. For the NFL, that time is during organized team activities and minicamp.

When is the last time that you heard a coach say something negative about a player coming out of OTAs? Thought so.

This is the time of year that we hear about a player’s potential or how a young player is “progressing” or “adjusting” to the team. However, Tomlin did not take this approach when he met with the media after the second day of minicamp.

When asked if the rookies impressed him, Tomlin’s answer was straight to the point (h/t Bob Labriola of Steelers.com): “No.”

Tomlin is not one to offer false praise, but to have no impressions on his rookie class is mildly puzzling.  That does not mean that other members of the coaching staff and teammates have not been impressed.

Outside linebackers coach Joey Porter commented on Bud Dupree’s intelligence, per Jacob Klinger of PennLive.com, while Antonio Brown liked what he has seen from Senquez Golson, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com:

“Really like 27,” Brown said of Golson. “Smooth guy, doesn’t really say too much. Seems like he’s focusing on his business. I’m liking what I’m seeing from him.”

With all of the positive comments, Tomlin is likely trying to keep the team focused and the environment competitive. Moreover, it is just football in shorts at this time of year. The head coach will be impressed once the pads come on and the hitting starts.

4. No Contract Talks for Kelvin Beachum

Don Wright/Associated Press

As a part of their efforts to rebuild the offensive line, the Steelers invested numerous high choices to bring in the best players possible. When the dust finally settled, there were two first-round and two second-round selections.

However, one of their top linemen wasn’t one of the Steelers’ premium choices, but rather their final pick of the 2012 NFL draft. Since then, Kelvin Beachum went from a developmental prospect at every position along the line to one of the best left tackles in the league.

According to Khaled Elsayed of Pro Football Focus, Beachum was the fifth overall left tackle last season, and at just 26 years old, he has plenty of room to improve.

Even though he is young and is one of the top players at one of the premium positions, there is no guarantee that Beachum will receive a contract extension this offseason. Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette believes that Cam Heyward will be the only player to sign a new deal this summer.

Bouchette commented that the Steelers will make an effort to sign Beachum, but cost will be a concern—especially if he continues to rank as a top left tackle. As of this week, the front office still has not approached the young tackle with a new deal.

“I don’t know when that call is gonna come,” Beachum said in an interview with Alex Marvez and Zig Fracassi on SiriusXM NFL Radio (h/t Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk). “It’s not the priority right now. My priority is my daughter and my wife. I know when they’re ready to talk business, we’ll talk business. Up until then, I’ll keep working hard and bettering my craft.”

Cole Schultz of Pro Football Focus believes that it would be wise for the Steelers and Beachum to talk business before he becomes a free agent:

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Going into the final year of his rookie deal, Beachum has without question outplayed his draft selection and become one of the best young tackles in the league.

The Steelers were fortunate enough to find this diamond in the rough and though they’ve been up against the cap in recent seasons, extending Beachum either this offseason or next should be a top priority.

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Rarely do the Steelers let their young talent walk away, and that should be the case with Beachum. With David DeCastro and Ramon Foster hitting free agency next year as well, the front office has some tough decisions, but re-signing Beachum should not be one of them.

3. Development of Martavis Bryant

Keith Srakocic/Associated Press

The idea that Martavis Bryant would one day develop into a top threat in the NFL is not a surprise. The rapid pace of his development is.

As a raw, lanky wide receiver who entered the NFL draft after his junior year, Bryant had a lot to learn before he could compete for a feature role in the offense. Apparently, one year was enough.

Bryant flashed his potential during his rookie season as he averaged 21.1 yards on 26 receptions and added eight touchdowns. His 94-yard touchdown against the Cincinnati Bengals was the longest by any NFL player last year.

Despite his ability in the deep passing game, Bryant wasn’t a complete receiver. His route tree was limited, and he was unable to consistently high-point the ball when matched against defensive backs. However, Bryant looked to rectify both of those issues as he enters his second season.

Tomlin commented that Bryant is a “big person with little-person skills,” according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. The young receiver credits his offseason workouts to his development.

"Running routes in the sand," Bryant said, per Fowler. "The beach, the sand pit, wherever."

In addition to his progress as a route-runner, Bryant added some significant bulk to his lean frame while training with other NFL players at Jay Glazer’s Unbreakable Performance Center in California. He added 10 pounds from his playing weight last season and now weighs 225 pounds.

“Everyone gets bigger and better every year,” said Bryant, per Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “I wanted to make sure I got better. I didn’t want to slack off or become complacent. I had some things I wanted to get done in the offseason, so I went to work.”

Most importantly, Bryant has a better understanding of the playbook, and this only means good things for his rapport with Ben Roethlisberger, according to his teammate Darrius Heyward-Bey.

“He's grown so much,” said Heyward-Bey, per Chris Adamski of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “I know he had a great year last year, but just knowing what to do and having Ben trust him has taken it to a different level.

The sky is the limit for Bryant, and it appears he will begin to reach his potential sooner rather than later. As long as he continues to progress, he appears to be in position to earn the No. 2 spot on the depth chart out of training camp.

2. Jason Worilds Retires

Alex Trautwig/Getty Images

Jason Worilds was in a great position this offseason. He accumulated 15.5 sacks over the past two seasons and was set for a big payday as one of the top pass-rushers in free agency. However, he shocked the NFL world when he announced his retirement.

Although his retirement was a surprise, it was not an issue for the team, according to general manager Kevin Colbert (via Scott Brown of ESPN.com); Colbert said at the NFL owners meetings:

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His decision to retire really didn’t affect us one way or another, because he really wasn’t in our plans. I am surprised that Jason [retired] at this point, but I respect his wishes to move on with his life. He had a good career with us. He helped us win a lot of games. We wish him nothing but the best.

"

Although Colbert said he wasn’t in the Steelers’ plans, there was always a chance that he could have returned if the market dictated a team-friendly price tag.

Without their sack leader, the Steelers re-signed James Harrison to a two-year deal as well as Arthur Moats to a three-year contract. They also brought in Shawn Lemon from the Canadian Football League for additional depth.

The early retirement and lack of moves in free agency may have forced the Steelers’ hand in the draft as well. Although he represented tremendous value at pick No. 22, the selection of outside linebacker Bud Dupree also meant that the team once again passed on a cornerback in the first round.

Worilds may have been on his way out regardless, but his prompt retirement was unexpected and eliminated any chance that the Steelers had at re-signing him.

1. Dick LeBeau Out as Defensive Coordinator

Jared Wickerham/Getty Images

There was talk about making a change on the defense after a sharp decline in performance over the past few seasons. However, did anyone really expect Dick LeBeau not to retire as a member of the Steelers’ coaching staff?

That was not the case as LeBeau resigned from the team in early January. On the surface, the move wasn’t a huge surprise as Tomlin made no promises concerning LeBeau’s future with the team. Bouchette shared Tomlin's response to LeBeau's status with the team back in January:

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Tomlin declines to say whether Dick LeBeau will return as DC. Says he has not discussed it with him yet

— Ed Bouchette (@EdBouchette) January 6, 2015"

However, there were other reports that indicate some in the organization were not expecting this move reported Marc Sessler of NFL Media, per Ian Rapoport's insider information:

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NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported on NFL GameDay Morning that LeBeau's resignation caught the Steelers by surprise, per sources involved in the situation.

While some in the organization were clear that LeBeau could stay as long as he wanted, the longtime coach thought it was time to go, Rapoport was told. It's believed that LeBeau, 77, wanted to depart alongside veterans such as cornerback Ike Taylor and safety Troy Polamalu, who are unlikely to be back with Pittsburgh in 2015.

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Though LeBeau is a loss, his heir apparent was more than ready for his chance to run Pittsburgh’s defense.

Keith Butler passed up offers elsewhere to stay on as the linebackers coach and defensive coordinator-in-waiting. He was hired just a few days after LeBeau resigned and began to make adjustments to the defensive scheme.

The foundation of the defense will remain the same under Butler, but he will certainly make changes to help improve the pass rush and generate turnovers. Defensive end Cameron Heyward elaborated on this in an interview with Robert Klemko of the MMQB.com:

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I would think our defense will be pretty similar. But there may be some conceptual changes, some more blitzes he wants to add. I think he wants to generate more turnovers and get more one-on-ones up front where we’re maximizing everyone’s talents and making sure everyone has a chance to get after the quarterback or get a turnover.

"

Rather than utilize the defensive linemen to occupy blockers for the linebackers, expect them to be more active in getting after the quarterback. Beyond this, we will have to wait until the regular-season opener to find out the intricacies of Butler’s scheme.

The Steelers will have a different feel without LeBeau on the sidelines, but sometimes teams need a fresh approach, and that is exactly what Butler will bring.

Note: Unless otherwise noted, all stats are courtesy of ESPN.com, and roster information is courtesy of Steelers.com.  

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