Welcome to Brian Batko’s Steelers mailbag. You’re more than welcome to email him at bbatko@post-gazette.com, tweet him @BrianBatko or slide into his DMs to inquire about the Steelers, NFL or anything out of bounds.
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Brian in VA: Tomlin left his veterans like Ben in the game yesterday because “they needed the work.” I agree with his point but question why he gives veteran days off to Rothlisberger and others on Wednesday? It is a missed opportunity. The TEAM could be working on details and building chemistry all while preparing BEFORE the game. That way, they would all be assured to get their work in every week AND with a much lower risk of injury than during a game.
Brian: Mike Tomlin’s comment about his team “needing the work” was not literal. At least not how I interpreted it. It was more about not letting guys off the hook, and probably sending a message at the end of that game, perhaps trying to salvage any bit of usefulness from it. I’m not saying I agree — I think it was unwise to leave all those guys in — but hey, he knows his team better than I do, so maybe that was the right button to push in that situation.
That’s also not to say veterans such as Ben Roethlisberger and Cam Heyward need to be punished, so to speak, but they’re tone-setters who’d probably want to be held to the same standard as the other 51 anyway. It certainly didn't sound as if either one of them took offense with playing until the end.
As for the other part of your question, I acknowledge that Roethlisberger’s customary day off on Wednesday ostensibly lessens the significance of practice. It’s also an extension of the preseason debate/discussion — should he play more games, more snaps in the games he does play, etc.? That’s the risk factor every coach has to take into account with their starters, but when it comes to weekly practices in-season, I actually understand the maintenance day thing. He’s a 39-year-old quarterback, one who has taken a lot of hits over his career and, frankly, a guy who’s playing as if he’s in his 18th year.
Tomlin addressed this earlier in the season, when the Steelers were 1-2, and explained why that two-game skid (at the time) wasn’t going to change the practice plan for Roethlisberger: “It rests him, and rightfully so. He's an older guy, and the wear and tear of plays affects him differently than younger guys. … We have many games that lie ahead, and I don't want to be fielding questions late in the year about the quality of his throwing arm, for example.”
In other words, age is catching up to him, but he’s still the best option for the Steelers when healthy, so they’re trying to keep him that way. And it’s not as if Roethlisberger just doesn’t show up to practice on those “off” days. He’s there taking mental reps, meeting with coaches, chatting with receivers, but not putting any additional mileage on his right arm (or legs). Tomlin also likes that Roethlisberger’s lack of reps means a plethora of first-team reps for the backups, especially No. 2 quarterback Mason Rudolph. You never know when he’s going to have to start a game on 24 hours notice, right?
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Shelly in Pleasantville, PA: Was Mason Rudolph better in his final college season than Pitt's current QB?
Brian: I don’t think so. The numbers would say yes, but you can’t look at those in a vacuum. Rudolph was in a pass-happy offense in a defense-optional conference that had tons of high-scoring games.
Yes, that’s not much different than this year’s ACC, but Kenny Pickett has thrown for more than 4,000 yards in a pro-style scheme, not a spread attack like Rudolph operated at Oklahoma State (and operated very well). Early returns from the draft analyst community also have more scouts buzzing about Pickett than they did Rudolph in 2018.
There’s also the dual-threat angle. Pickett won’t make anyone forget about Lamar Jackson, or even Justin Herbert, but he has a lot more mobility than Rudolph, then or now. As the league moves more toward athletic quarterbacks over statuesque pocket passers, that’s a plus for Pickett and what he can do when he has a running lane.
And if you’re getting at whether the Steelers should consider Pickett, I’d say sure, why not? He could be precisely the type of quarterback who can help you win a lot of games on a rookie deal if you have the right pieces around him.
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JP from Quebec: What position do you think the Steelers should try and improve the most in the next draft? In my humble opinion they should start with the O line if they want to allow Najee to be the best he can be. Thanks
Brian: Subject to change, of course, but as we sit here on Dec. 2, my list of 2022 draft needs for the Steelers would go like this …
1. Tackle. Chuks Okorafor will be a free agent, the jury’s out on Zach Banner, and Dan Moore Jr. hasn’t inspired much confidence as a long-term starter. This is also an important position, all things being equal.
2. Quarterback. You could argue that if it’s not your last priority, it should be your first.
3. Strong safety. Terrell Edmunds had his fifth-year option declined, and Tre Norwood is more of a slot corner or rotational player than every-down safety.
4. Cornerback. Joe Haden is another impending free agent, and the nickel position is far from solidified, too.
5. Guard. It’d be nice to find another young starter to go with Kevin Dotson, but generally not where you want to invest a high pick.
6. Wide receiver. A position that has gone from crowded to thin due to injuries, poor play, etc.
7. Inside linebacker. If Joe Schobert and/or Devin Bush loses his job, there’s a fourth-round pick in Buddy Johnson who should get a look next year.
8. Defensive line. As bad as it feels right now, Tyson Alualu returning would help a lot and Isaiahh Loudermilk has been a pleasant surprise as a relative bright spot (in small doses).
9. Running back. Najee Harris doesn’t have a legitimate backup.
10. Outside linebacker. A No. 3 pass-rusher who doesn't expect to have more of a role than that? Sounds like a late-rounder.
Think you have better questions than these? Email bbatko@post-gazette.com or write him on Twitter @BrianBatko.
First Published: December 2, 2021, 1:40 p.m.
Updated: December 2, 2021, 3:08 p.m.
