The Steelers season is winding down, and now is the time to move forward with some different options instead of these players.
The Steelers season hasn’t been the one that many people wanted it to be. While I was relatively down on the team, the struggles that have consistently plagued this team have been surprising. Having a losing season is expected after the amount of turnover that this team suffered through, but to consistently field a poor offense and defense with little change can be hard to watch.
While the team has still been “in the hunt” for a playoff spot, their odds of making it, let alone winning in the postseason, are slim to none. This team needs to be focused on the next wave of players that could make impacts next year. Even if it comes at the cost of a win or two this season, there are some players who won’t be here long-term that need to stop taking snaps away from younger options.
Arthur Maulet offers very little for the Steelers
There was a really weird period when the Steelers wanted to play Arthur Maulet as their primary slot cornerback. The results were as expected; Maulet looked fine against the run but was picked on in the passing game. His role has rightfully shrunk since then, but for a player with a really low ceiling and considering his time with the Steelers is likely coming to a close, the team needs to look elsewhere in the slot.
Let me be clear, as a run-focused slot cornerback, you could do far worse than Maulet on defense. That said, it seems unlikely he sticks heading into next season, and I would like to see what some of the younger secondary members can do. James Pierre has seen a rightful boost in play since Maulet’s time was limited, and Tre Norwood is also a name that should garner more snaps. Maulet is what he is, and at this point, the team needs to look elsewhere to see what they have.