5 players who could reunite with Arthur Smith on the Steelers in 2024

Steelers could sign Ryan Tannehill

Arguably the hottest free-agent quarterback name for the Steelers since the signing of Smith, could Ryan Tannehill be the future face of the franchise? I think it is a distinct possibility, especially if the money is right.

Tannehill found his career rejuvenated under Smith’s offense. While some fans have been quick to give Smith the credit for said rejuvenation, I find that hard to believe. Tannehill was already an ok quarterback with the Dolphins, but he was constantly forced to be the star of the team and never had an elite running game to fall back on. Smith’s offense featured a prime Derrick Henry, which allowed Tannehill to thrive as an above-average game manager.

It wasn’t like Tannehill suddenly became something different as a quarterback, he just had a scheme that worked perfectly with his skill set. The expectation is that the Steelers will try to run an offense similar to what Smith ran in Tennessee, that being a run-heavy scheme that takes the pressure off the quarterback.

With Mitch Trubisky likely gone and Mason Rudolph far from a lock to return, Tannehill could be brought in as depth/competition for Kenny Pickett. While I’m guessing lighting wouldn’t strike twice, it is also hard to perform worse than Pickett has in two years with the team. Tannehill is looking for one last shot, and a reunion with his former offensive coordinator makes a lot of sense if the price is fair.

The Smith hiring is official, and the focus will now be on building an offense for Smith to succeed with. A reunion with some former players isn’t out of the question, and these five names familiar with Smith as a coach could look to reunite with him in 2024.