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.
Tyson Alualu is playing over younger options
One has to commend the job that Tyson Alualu has done for the Steelers since he signed here. Originally a rotational defensive end, he made the move to nose tackle and looked dominant despite his increasing age. An injury last year and a slow start to this season have caused him to become more of a backup again, but he has still been a key reserve this season.
While Alualu is a fine player to come off the bench when winning games is a must, he is currently taking snaps from some of the younger players on the depth chart. This is most likely his final season in the NFL, and even if he decides to stick around, Pittsburgh won’t be his home next year, thus his snaps are being wasted on him
Names like DeMarvin Leal and Isaiahh Loudermilk need more snaps to see what we have in them as they will both be around for the immediate future. If this team needed every win they could get to sneak into the playoffs, utilizing the veteran more makes sense. That is no longer the case, and Alualu is preventing the development of some of the younger defensive linemen.
Gunner Olszewski has been a non-factor for the Steelers
Gunner Olszewski may go down as the worst free agent signing of the Steelers this offseason. Brought in to be a special teams player and returner with the occasional offensive snap, he hasn’t really lived up to any of that so far in his career. Steven Sims has taken over as return man, which was Olszewski’s primary job, and the rest of his play has been mediocre.
For some reason, the Steelers seem to feel inclined that Olszewski should be an active participant on offense. He is averaging anywhere from 25-50 percent of the snaps there any given week. He isn’t a great receiver though and he hasn’t done much as a runner either. He serves very little purpose on offense right now.
This scenario is a little bit trickier, as the Steelers are lacking capable receivers right now. That said, Sims is a better threat on the ground and I would argue that Miles Boykin is the better receiver. There is no good reason to keep trying and use him on offense. He has been a bust signing, and now should be the time to move forward in a different direction.
Robert Spillane is holding back a rookie
I give Robert Spillane a lot of credit as a player. Undersized and unathletic, Spillane had all of the makings of a very unnoticeable undrafted player that would quickly fizzle out in the NFL. He showed enough special teams ability to stick and continued to work to get better. Eventually, he got the nod as a starter and top backup, and he has held his own on defense.
While I have little issue with Spillane as a backup and special teams player, I do believe he has seen the defensive field too often this season. He’s played nearly half of the defensive snaps so far, which is far too much for a player of his caliber. Add in his expiring contract after this season and Spillane shouldn’t be a primary defender when his upside is so little.
Meanwhile, rookie Mark Robinson has been mostly inactive this season following an impressive training camp. While I would have no qualms with Robinson sitting out his rookie year in a normal season, with the playoffs out of the question, he needs snaps. There will be plenty of lumps, but you want to see what you have in the rookie now as opposed to questioning it next off-season. Spillane is a logical player to sub for the promising rookie.
If the Steelers were still in the thick of a playoff push, doing whatever it takes to win is the only logical choice. That isn’t the scenario anymore though as Pittsburgh has essentially eliminated themselves, and now the focus has to be on the future. These four players don’t have a future with the Steelers, and they need to be benched in favor of some other options.