With the Steelers on a bye this week, I wanted to take a minute to break down the highs and lows of this roster. Expectations were high coming into the season following a strong offseason and preseason showing, but the results haven’t been as good. While this team is 3-2 on the year, their team has lacked a lot of elite play.
We are assessing the hills and valleys of this team in this post, as I want to compile both the five best and worst-playing Steelers through the first five games. While it was easier to find some poor players for this list, some names are deserving of being celebrated. Here are the five best and worst players on the Steelers roster through the bye week.
Steelers fifth best-performing player: Calvin Austin
Finding a fifth-best player was hard for this team, as there have been a lot of disappointing names. While a few rookies have been able to stand out for their solid play, most haven’t seen consistent playing time. Considering I had my concerns about Calvin Austin as he entered his second season, he has certainly surprised.
While he hasn’t been a complete receiver, Austin has done everything that this team needed him to do. From making big plays down the field to getting some yards after the catch, he has provided this team with a different element on offense than what has been there. Add in his solid work as a punt returner and Austin has proven to be a valuable member of this roster so far.
Steelers fifth worst performing player: Chandon Sullivan
The Steelers infatuation with Chandon Sullivan is weird. Signing him after the draft, the team needed another slot-capable body in the cornerback room. While many toyed with the idea of Patrick Peterson being the passing defense slot cornerback, Sullivan was further insurance in case Peterson was needed elsewhere.
Elijah Riley seemingly played better than he did in the preseason, and this team added veteran slot cornerback Desmond King after cutdowns. On paper, it seemed like Sullivan was at risk of being cut or at least being inactive on gamedays, but that hasn’t been the case so far.
Instead, Sullivan has seen the most slot work on defense so far, netting 33 percent of the defensive snaps while the other two aforementioned names have barely seen the field. It isn’t like the results have been good either. Sullivan is one of the worst-ranked corners on this team and his film against the Ravens was hard to watch.
With the bye week here, the hope should be that King has had enough time to get acclimated to this defense and can play in the slot moving forward. Sullivan certainly isn’t the issue, and while he hasn’t seen the field often, he has proven to be a liability anytime an opposing offense targets him in the passing game.
Steelers fourth best-performing player: Jaylen Warren
Jaylen Warren has been one of the better success stories for this team in recent years. Undrafted out of Oklahoma State, Warren wasn’t even viewed as the top undrafted back on this team at first. He took advantage of his opportunities though and quickly ascended into a role as the primary backup for this team.
Entering year two, the expectation was for him to continue in that role as a compliment to Najee Harris. Not only has he done that, but has arguably played better. While Harris is still the conventional starter, Warren has become a key component of this offense during any given week.
To be fair, neither running back has been incredible on the ground. Defenses are preparing to stop the run any given week as the Steelers weakness lies in relying on its passing game. Harris has failed to produce like the top back many expected him to and Warren has been average on the ground as well.
The reason I gave the nod to Warren though is due to his ability to make a big play. While not a speed threat on the ground, Warren hits the hole hard and takes what he is given. As a receiver, he uses his bowling ball stature to punish secondary members and pick up extra yards. When he is on the field, the offense is more dynamic.
That isn’t to say that Harris has been bad, he hasn’t, but he also hasn’t lived up to the expectations that many had for him this season. Warren gives this team more options and chunk plays which is greatly needed considering how poor the offense has been. The running backs haven’t been as dominant as many hoped they would be, but Warren continues to prove his worth for this offense.
Steelers fourth-worst performing player: Gunner Olszewski
Gunner Olszewski has played 13 snaps this season. No, that isn’t just on offense, that is total. He has five snaps on offense and eight on defense. Total. You would think in such a limited role, Olszewski couldn’t possibly be a huge issue for this team. Think again.
These issues aren’t unique to this season either. He was brought in a year ago to be the returner and slot receiver. He proved to be ineffective at both. He lost his return job after numerous fumble issues. Even when he held onto the ball, he failed to generate any big returns. His offensive role was lacking as well.
I was surprised to see him remain with the team through the offseason, as I figured he would be an easy-cut candidate. He re-earned the trust of the team though, and it appeared as though he would be inactive this season, a break glass in case of emergency returner and receiver.
That glass had to be broken, and the results have been as bad as they were a season ago. Against Cleveland, he fielded a kick that was set to bounce out of bounds at the ten, immediately going out of bounds in the process. Had he not fielded that kick, the Steelers would have gotten the ball at the 40 instead of inside the ten.
Not only did he goof up that situation, he also fumbled on a reception, again setting the team back. Against the Ravens, he also fumbled a punt when this team was trying to mount a comeback. Again, in only 13 snaps, Olszewski has proven to be a horrible fit for this team. The only reason he isn’t higher is because he has barely played.
Steelers third best-performing player: Kwon Alexander
Another quietly productive group is the off-ball linebackers. Completely overhauled this offseason, the group was lacking an elite name to help rebuild this group into a solid force. Cole Holcomb was the proverbial prize while Elandon Roberts was brought in to stop the run. Both have played well, but neither has stood out as a great player.
Instead, this defense has found a surprising leader in Kwon Alexander. While he was added late to the roster and has only played roughly 50 percent of the defensive snaps, he seems like the most capable player on the team. While Roberts is a tad better against the run and Holcomb is slightly better against the pass, Alexander has been the best overall player.
He seems to pop up all over the field on defense, from filling gaps against the run to making key plays in coverage. The group as a whole is leaps and bounds better than it has been over the past two seasons, and Alexander seems like one of the more underrated additions that this defense made this season.
Considering how big of a liability linebacker had been for the past few seasons, having a stable trio of starters is welcome. Of the three, Alexander seems to be the most complete and impactful name on the team. He has helped the rebound of this positional group this season, and I am excited to see his strong play continue this season.
Steelers third-worst performing player: the offensive tackles
The Steelers once again tried to revamp their offensive line this offseason with the addition of a new starting guard and a first-round pick invested in tackle Broderick Jones. Despite that investment, there was an open competition between incumbent Dan Moore and Jones for the starting left tackle job. It was a battle that Moore won in training camp.
The hope was to see some development out of Moore entering his third season, but that hasn’t been the case. While I do believe he has played better than PFF has graded him, he was still a liability at left tackle. Jones became the starter due to injury, and the results were significantly better against the Ravens.
While Moore has been poor, Chukwuma Okorafor hasn’t been much better. Despite being one of the highest-paid players on this line, he is inconsistent and below-average as a blocker. I think he and Moore have been extremely close in terms of quality of play, and neither has been particularly strong as starters.
While Jones will ideally lock down the left side of the line, Moore wasn’t the only issue on the line. Both tackles were below the standard you need in a starter, and they were core reasons this offense was as limited as it was. Left tackle will hopefully improve, but both tackles have been a mess so far this season.
Steelers second best-performing player: George Pickens
While George Pickens was fantastic as a rookie, reeling in highlight catch after highlight catch, there were still a lot of questions surrounding his ability to take his game to the next level. His route tree was poor as a rookie, and while the impressive catches were fun to watch, he needed to become a more complete receiver.
So far this season, he has done just that. In fact, he hasn’t had the same impressive contested catches this season. That isn’t his fault either, as this passing game has been poor for most of the season and when he is set up for a contested catch, the ball placement has also been bad. That said, Pickens has still taken the next steps for this offense.
His route tree is far more diverse than it was a year ago, and it has allowed him to be a more complete target for this team. He has also seen his yards after the catch blossom, proving that he is more than just a jump ball specialist. His best trait as a rookie has arguably been taken away in his contested catches, but Pickens still looks like an ascending star.
Frankly, the sky is the limit for him, and the only thing holding him back is who is lackluster offense. With Diontae Johnson set to return to the field soon, some pressure will likely come off Pickens in the passing game. This could yield big results, as he has proven to be a threat when matched up one-on-one with a defensive back. He has been the brightest spot on an otherwise lackluster offense.
Steelers second worst-performing player: Levi Wallace
It looked like Levi Wallace was a savvy signing when the Steelers announced the deal in the 2022 offseason. Wallace had been a capable backup and second option for the Bills, and while he wasn’t geared to lock down a top receiver on his own, he was a more quality second-second option for any defense.
He proved that in year one, having the usual ups and downs but overall proving to be a quality addition to this defense. The expectation was for that play to continue this year in a crowded secondary, but that hasn’t been the case.
Not only has he failed to be a great cornerback option, his play has seemingly regressed. More often than not, Wallace is getting burnt by opposing receivers. Not being a great athlete doesn’t help him either, as once he is beat he lacks the speed to recover.
While he was able to get in on some turnovers in week three, his overall play has been bad most weeks. Neither of the starting cornerbacks have earned their keep, but Wallace stands out as the worst of the two. He gets beaten deep as well as giving up big yards after the catch on short routes. I’m not sure what happened, but Wallace’s regression has been a thorn in the Steelers side this season.
Steelers best-performing players: the edge rushers
Despite this team underperforming through the first five weeks, the edge rushers have shown up every week and have played at an elite level. This group was pegged as a deep one heading into the season, but they have proven to be even more talented than anyone could have imagined.
T.J. Watt has been his usual self, wracking up an impressive eight sacks through the early portion of the season. While his pace will likely slow, he has still rebounded from his injury-riddled season a year ago. He is one of the defensive MVP front runners and has been impossible to stop off the edge so far.
While not as statistically impressive, Alex Highsmith has also had a strong season off the edge. Stat trackers are quick to scoff at his two sacks, but he is constantly winning off the edge and applying pressure. The stats will come if he keeps this up, and his play has taken a step forward as a run defender.
The backups aren’t missing out either. Markus Golden has been as advertised. His veteran presence allows the starters to rest when needed and for the play to not drop much. He also has two sacks to his name. Rookie Nick Herbig hasn’t had a lot of chances, but even he has looked good so far when on the field.
This group won the week two game against the Browns and their constant barrage of pressure has aided the team every week. There isn’t a weak player on this unit right now, and you have to be happy with the production this team has gotten off the edge. While not a singular player, this group has easily been the best-performing unit this year even considering their high expectations.
Steelers worst-performing player: Kenny Pickett
I have struggled to get on the Kenny Pickett bandwagon since he was drafted. I’m not a fan of taking high-floor, low-ceiling quarterbacks, as it will likely limit your team in the long run. These feelings continued as Pickett flashed a lot of mediocre play as a rookie.
That said, I did start to drink the Kool-Aid a little bit this preseason. Pickett looked like he was on a different planet, making sharp reads, throwing accurate passes, and seemingly setting himself up for the sophomore leap. While I knew he wouldn’t be perfect, I expected Pickett to at least improve upon his play as a rookie.
And then week one happened, and Pickett regressed back into the frantic, mistake-prone quarterback that he was as a rookie. While some of the team has gotten better since week one, Pickett hasn’t. Suddenly, he is staring down his reads once again and struggling to hit open receivers.
While there are other issues at play, Pickett is one of the biggest problems with this team. He isn’t a threat to defenses, so they can instead focus on stopping the run knowing that Pickett will rarely burn them. He looked like a player on the rise, but his poor play made him the worst player for the Steelers through the bye week.
The Steelers have had a tough start to the season, but despite their struggles, they have clawed their way to a 3-2 record. The wins are in thanks to these star players, while we can mount a lot of the blame on these five struggling players.