3 players the Steelers could wager in offseason trading

Derek Watt, Fullback

To say that the decision to pursue this fullback was a total waste of time and money would be an understatement. But that is nothing personal against Derek Watt. In actuality, what I am saying is that he needs more playing time.

A big talking point in Steelers news following this move was the uniting of brothers TJ and Derek Watt on the Pittsburgh roster. It really did seem as if that was all the Steelers’ social media accounts could reference for a while. However, the way I see it, virtually all he has been given the ability to do is risk injury, as the vast majority of his time on the field has been for special teams purposes. So if he was not going to be utilized to the extent of previous Steelers fullback Roosevelt Nix (the player that Watt himself replaced), whether it was for powering through for first downs on a short conversion attempt, or for being an additional blocking force on a halfback carry, then why did you even sign him Pittsburgh? Why did you even give him the time of day? Nepotism?

And to make matters worse for Derek, he would not be a very hefty piece in a trade deal, assuming that he is even put up for one. The reason for this is because fullbacks are rarely used on a consistent basis, at least to a noticeable degree. And some teams may not even have a fullback in their offensive systems, to begin with. So if Derek were to be dismissed from the Steelers organization and it was not due to a trade, then it is fair to assume that he would not have some other team waiting there to scoop him up as soon as humanly possible.

So for Derek’s sake, I would either give him more time on the offense or trade him to a team that would. I do not doubt in the slightest that Derek likes being on the same team as his brother TJ, but I bet he likes playing football as well. He did not go to the NFL to sit and watch the others. He is nothing more than a fan when doing that.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are clearly capable of using these players at an impactful level. But questions surrounding their importance and treatment cannot be ignored. And as selfish as it sounds, winning is the priority. So if giving up these players can help in that regard, then just that needs to be done. And whoever does actually end up being removed from the Steelers roster will hopefully have their talents showcased wherever they end up next. Maybe they can share the wealth of Pittsburgh’s winning tendencies with the rest of the league as a result.