PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – He’s the guy who calls the plays. So much discussion about the role Jaylen Warren will have on Sunday. What Steelers Offensive Coordinator Matt Canada said Thursday when asked if he will have a bigger role.
“When we are talking about who is trending, Jaylen has been explosive,” Canada said. “You look at the plays, what he’s done when he’s on the field-blocking, running the ball, catching the ball. He is writing his own script in my opinion from coming in where he’s started to where he is now. He’s elevated and does a great job. We will continue to use him.”
Canada said no matter his role, the undrafted Warren always plays really hard and makes things happen. Again, does that mean he will get more opportunities?
“We got to get the ball to the guys making plays,” Canada said vaguely. “As always when we talk about him, he’s done a great job.”
Pickett evaluation
The second-year offensive coordinator said he spent most of the bye week studying what they’ve done right and wrong.
They had a hard look and honest conversations about what needs to change. What about his thought on the performance of rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett?
“It’s about taking mistakes off the table,” Canada said. “He’s going to make mistakes. He’s a rookie quarterback in the NFL. You guys have all covered it. You know how it works. All rookies do that, those things occur at that position.”
“We are not justifying it, we are looking for him to not make the same mistakes again.”
While not excusing him for it, Canada said some of the greatest quarterbacks in the history of the game struggled early in their careers. Many didn’t have great first-year stat lines and yet went on to the Hall of Fame. He’s not concerned about that big-picture view right now, it’s about getting Pickett to lead a victory against New Orleans.
“We got to win,” Canada said. “He knows that. He’s an unbelievably competitive guy, he’s not happy with that.
We’re not happy with that.”
“I think Kenny will have a tremendous second half of the season and a tremendous career.”
Slot Results
Canada praised Chase Claypool for the productive plays he had in the first eight games. As for filling in for that production, Canada said they will disperse them around the field, specifically who?
George (Pickens), we want to get George more balls,” Canada said. “We want to get Tae (Diontae Johnson) more balls. We want to get Pat (Freiermuth) more balls. Everybody wants more.”
“So, you’ll see those things dispersed around, and I always say that every game is a little bit different.
It kind of depends on matchups and where we’re at. But those things will happen.”
Center leadership
Mike Tomlin praised center Mason Cole for the leadership role he’s taken this year. That was echoed on Thursday.
“He’s been a guy from day one that’s come in. He’s certainly a student of the game, a real positive person, works really hard. He’s here at 6:30 every morning working on what he can do and what he’s going to see. He certainly leads the guys up front as far as with the calls and those things, as a lot of centers do. Big fan of his, and he does all he can to do his job first and then try to help everybody else with theirs by making sure they’re all on the same page.