PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – How about a different approach in reacting to comments from Art Rooney and the Steelers problems. Maybe it’s not as much about Mike Tomlin’s game day or philosophical failures, rather it’s a lack of player development.
Former Bills general manager Doug Whaley said during his weekly segment on the Fan Morning Show whatever you think of Tomlin, who have the Steelers developed since the 2017 NFL Draft? (It’s more the belief of Whaley that those issues are more organizational than head coaching problems)
Whaley points to TWO players they’ve developed in the last seven years, tight end Pat Freiermuth and outside linebacker Alex Highsmith, both recently signed to long-term contracts. He said there are two other possible players they have improved-outside linebacker Nick Herbig and linebacker Payton Wilson. He said offensive lineman Troy Fautanu is an incomplete missing the entire season, same could be said of three others from the 2024 draft class who missed the entire season due to injury.
Let’s look at those drafts
2018
· No one from that draft is still in the organization and only Mason Rudolph is still in football. You could argue they did develop tackle Chukwuma Okorafor from a 20-year-old from Western Michigan to a starting NFL tackle, but he was a third-round pick and given up on by the team.
2019
· No one from that draft is still in the organization with Devin Bush a first round bust, after you traded up to get him. Steelers should get some credit to Diontae Johnson’s success, but they also had to ship him out. Third-round pick, corner Justin Layne never started a game and has been out of football a couple of years
2020
· Only Highsmith remains on the roster with receiver Chase Claypool also having to be shipped for more than physical reasons. The best player from that class was given up on, guard Kevin Dotson is an All Pro with the Rams. Fourth-round pick, running back Anthony McFarland played 17 games.
2021
· Steelers declined the fifth-year option with RB Najee Harris, Freiermuth in the second round, offensive lineman Kendrick Green was a reach. They should get some credit for tackle Dan Moore starting 66 games as a fourth-round pick, but he will leave too. They even drafted a punter, Pressley Harvin was a failure.
2022
· QB Kenny Pickett lasted two seasons, WR George Pickens has been crazy productive but also emotionally unpredictable. Third-round pick, defensive tackle DeMarvin Leal has battled injuries, but also ineffectiveness. WR Calvin Austin is improving and deserves to be on the improvement list. Seventh round linebacker Mark Robinson is also coming on as a special teamer.
2023
· Offensive tackle Broderick Jones has yet to live up to expectations, Whaley believes corner Joey Porter, Junior regressed. Defensive lineman Keeanu Benton has yet to show consistency, same for TE Darnell Washington. Although corner Cory Trice and offensive lineman Spencer Anderson have made some contributions as seventh-round picks.
2024
· Even with the four injuries, Steelers got a great year from center Zach Frazier. LB Payton Wilson and guard Mason McCormick each played 17 games.
“I don’t think it’s more on the identification, I think it’s more on the lack of player development,” Whaley told Adam Crowley and Dorin Dickerson Wednesday. “That goes into what is the system and support system they have in that building to help develop players. Be it the coaching staff and limited numbers. Be it the resources they put into player development.”
“In the end, you have to be able to see some guys getting better, even if you totally whiffed on guys. If you totally whiff on guys, it’s going to be really evident to where we made a mistake, let’s move on.”
Whaley jumped at the idea of bringing in a Bobby Slowick, the former Texans offensive coordinator or Greenfield native Mike McCarthy, who announced he’s going to wait until next year to try to be a head coach again. Why not bring in someone like that to be a consultant or senior assistant. Especially McCarthy, who has a wealth of overall knowledge having been a head coach at a pair of iconic franchises.
“That’s the only downside of continuity, sometimes you can’t take that fresh approach,” Whaley said on the Fan Morning Show. “That unbiased approach at looking at a situation. When you can get a consultant or a senior advisor that hasn’t been around Mike Tomlin and the Pittsburgh Steelers, they can bring a fresh set of eyes and maybe see or unearth, identify some of the blind spots that have developed because of continuity. It’s not good or bad, it’s what happens.”
“It’s not about being right, it’s about getting it right.”