PITTSBURGH — Mike Tomlin made it clear that he has never graded rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett, or anybody on the offensive side of the ball, on a curve. Tomlin understood the challenges the Steelers’ offense had this year, but that didn’t stop him from expecting high-level play.
Even though Tomlin refuses to admit to using a sliding scale when it comes to evaluating his team, we aren’t bound to that here.
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We do grade on a curve (somewhat), and that is reflected in this installment of grading the Steelers’ performance during the 2022 season. We choose 15 players on offense to evaluate. Come back for Part 2 on the defense in the coming days.
QB Kenny Pickett
Mark Kaboly: If you strictly go by the numbers, Pickett’s rookie season left a lot to be desired. He finished with more interceptions than touchdowns. The only game where he threw for more than 265 yards was in a blowout loss. Mr. Irrelevant out in San Francisco, Brock Purdy, dwarfed his production in half as many games. So it wasn’t all roses for the No. 20 pick. Saying all of that, Pickett’s ability to get better as the season went on, and his uncanny ability to will the team to win at the end of games is special. It is a tough evaluation when you take into account the limitations and the history of rookie quarterbacks’ performances that first year. Grade: B-
Kaboly: Kenny Pickett’s inconsistency — early struggles, late heroics — based on trust
via @TheAthletic https://t.co/A60dtr7Lkz
— Mark Kaboly (@MarkKaboly) January 5, 2023
Mike DeFabo: The Steelers did Pickett few favors in how they managed him. He began training camp third on the depth chart. By the time he was thrust into action at halftime in Week 4, the rookie had few (if any) first-team reps on offense. The way he improved after the bye week boosts his grade. Over the final eight games, he threw five touchdowns against just one interception, showing more familiarity with Matt Canada’s offense and becoming more familiar with NFL defenses. For a rookie who walked into a tough circumstance, this was a solid foundation upon which to build. Grade: B
QB Mitch Trubisky
Kaboly: I think we have to grade Trubisky in two parts — starting and coming off the bench. He was hesitant and too worried about making throws into coverage early in the season, and we can pretty much figure out why. After getting benched, he came back and looked like the quarterback, for the most part, that we were expecting when they signed him in March. He did, in essence, win three games for them. Grade: C
DeFabo: This season might have been Trubisky’s last chance to prove he can be a starting quarterback in the NFL. After the way it unfolded, I wonder how many teams will be lining up to give him another shot. Was he tentative because the Steelers asked him to be? Or is that just who he is? His best performance came in relief, when he jumped in off the bench to beat Tom Brady and the Bucs. However, the other time he earned a nod following an injury to Pickett, Trubisky’s three-interception performance against the Ravens proved to be one of the many close losses that kept the Steelers out of the playoffs. Good teammate. Dependable backup. Not a starter. Grade: C-
RB Najee Harris
Kaboly: This is a perfect example of grading on a curve. Harris was awful in the first half of the season, but he wasn’t healthy. In the second half, his foot was better, and he was one of the better running backs in the league. We will never truly know how much his injury hindered him in the first half of the season. Harris showed power, speed and quickness over the last nine games, and I tend to evaluate him more on that than what we saw in the first half of the season. Grade: B
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After early-season woes, Najee Harris has his groove back, boding well for 2023 and beyond
DeFabo: It was fair to wonder who the real Najee Harris was at the mid-point in the season, as the 2021 first-round pick struggled to find running room. Was it the play calling? Was it the underwhelming performance from the offensive line? Was it the foot injury that required Harris to wear a steel plate in his shoe for the first several weeks? Was it indecision or a lack of explosiveness? Whatever the issues, Harris responded in a big way over the second half. The Steelers were the NFL’s seventh-best rushing team over the final nine games of the season. Harris, who finished with more than 1,000 rushing yards for the second consecutive year, proved he can be the workhorse of the future. Grade: B
RB Jaylen Warren
Kaboly: Considering he was an undrafted free agent and wasn’t even the most recognized UDFA on the roster in the spring, Warren stunned everybody with his play. The numbers were pedestrian as a whole, but his ability to take some snaps away from Harris and his third-down prowess made him, to me, one of the highest-graded players on the team. Grade: A
DeFabo: In training camp, Harris told Warren not to think of himself as a backup and instead prepare as if he was going to take over the RB1 job … By about Week 6, it was worth wondering if that might actually happen. Warren’s decisive running style was matched with quality blitz pickup. Looking ahead, he has the ideal skill set to be the change-of-pace, third-down back of the future. For the first time in a long time, the Steelers appear to have a dependable one-two punch in the backfield. Fumbling concerns are the only thing you can knock Warren for, but he appeared to show growth in that area, as well. Grade: A
WR Diontae Johnson
Kaboly: Many want to focus on the lack of touchdowns from Johnson, and that’s fair. But a lot goes into that other than the player, and I truly believe that is what happened to Johnson this year. The expectations that came along with signing a huge offseason deal didn’t help, either. The drops weren’t good. But he did approach 90 catches, led the league in pass interferences drawn and was nearly unstoppable against the Panthers down the stretch. Was it great? No. But it wasn’t awful, either. It was a tick above average. Grade: C+
DeFabo: When grading Johnson, it’s important to acknowledge the type of receiver he is. As a smaller, leaner athlete, Johnson’s elite quality is his route running. He’s able to get in and out of breaks to create necessary separation. A polished quarterback like Ben Roethlisberger could fit the ball into these tight windows on target and on time. But as the Steelers’ offense tried to find itself, Trubisky and Pickett might not have had the same familiarity with the offense or Johnson to maximize his skill set. Of course, his nine drops this year (according to Pro Football Focus) were also a concern. Grade: B-
WR George Pickens
Kaboly: Pickens was good, don’t get me wrong. He was very good. However, you have to admit he didn’t quite get to the level that we all were anticipating after what we saw from him consistently in the spring and summer, especially when you consider he played 75 percent of the snaps. I was thinking along the lines of an Anquan Boldin rookie year, but it didn’t reach that point. Just like Johnson, we can assume why. Still, Pickens had a fabulous year with 52 catches and four touchdowns. Grade: B
George Pickens made one of the most insane catches you’ll ever see. pic.twitter.com/4mDGzOwO7W
— NFL (@NFL) January 9, 2023
DeFabo: Pickens’ highlight reel probably paints a better picture than the stat sheet. On nearly a weekly basis, he was using his insane catch radius to make a grab that ignited social media. In many ways, he was what Chase Claypool should have been: A big, physical receiver who leveraged his dominant measurables to consistently win 50-50 balls. As the season unfolded, Pickens’ route tree evolved. He became more than just a deep threat. It was a solid season. If Pickens develops the way the Steelers hope, this year will be an example of him simply scratching the surface of his potential. Grade: B
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WR Steven Sims
Kaboly: Sims fought to be the third receiver after Claypool was traded and did OK. He made a couple of critical catches against the Ravens and had a nice punt return early in the season, but it was mostly a non-descript campaign. Grade: C
DeFabo: Sims’ season followed an interesting trajectory. After toiling on the scout team, he earned a helmet on game day only after Gunner Olszewski bobbled his punt-returning duties. In that way, Sims provided more than expected initially. However, after the Claypool trade handed him a chance to seize the starting role in the slot, he was quieter than I thought he’d be down the stretch. Grade: C-
TE Pat Freiermuth
Kaboly: At the start of the season, Freiermuth wasn’t even considered a top-10 tight end in the league. Despite having to adjust to a new quarterback (twice) and missing a game and parts of two others, he finished in the top six in receptions, targets and yards at the position. His lack of touchdowns hindered him from making a huge jump to be mentioned with Travis Kelce and George Kittle. Thing is, he still has a lot more room for improvement. Grade: A-
DeFabo: Freiermuth began to establish himself as a go-to guy on third downs, over the middle and in the red zone. Of his 63 receptions, 18 of them came on third down. He’s definitely going to continue to be a featured piece of the offense. But if he’s going to truly become that safety blanket for Pickett, he can improve his hands. Grade: B+
TE Zach Gentry
Kaboly: Gentry was good at what he was asked to do — block those big 4-3 defensive ends. Not many did it better than Gentry, but he was a little limited in everything else he did. In the offseason, it looked like he might make a few more plays in the passing game, but it never happened. Grade: C+
DeFabo: Give Gentry credit. There aren’t many former quarterbacks who can make the transition to another position. He played within himself and was a solid run blocker. Nothing spectacular. But solid. Grade: C
TE Connor Heyward
Kaboly: Another player you have to grade on a curve. Heyward barely played early in the season, but the sixth-round pick grew to a point where he played double-digit snaps in seven of nine games after the bye. His big catches against the Falcons and Browns were the highlight of the season for a guy who was still learning the position. His body control and his hands were spectacular. His blocking, not so much. Still, a pleasant surprise. Grade: B+
DeFabo: When the Steelers snagged Heyward in the sixth round, it felt like little more than a feel-good moment late in the draft. Over the course of the year, Heyward proved he can be more than just “Cam’s brother.” Given the way Cameron Heyward dramatically improved, going from a self-described “bust” to a perennial Pro Bowler, it will be interesting to follow the younger Heyward’s progression. Maybe he too can be a late bloomer who carves out a more substantial role in seasons to come. Grade: B-
LT Dan Moore Jr.
Kaboly: Moore was the best run blocker on the offensive line but maybe the worst pass blocker as well. It’s not good to have that reputation while playing left tackle. Moore got beaten too much by pass rushers and was called for too many penalties. I think he would be a good guard, but he’s an average tackle, based on what he showed in 2022. Grade: C-
DeFabo: Mark nailed it. Moore’s pass blocking — 10 QB hits and seven sacks allowed, per PFF, both comfortably most on the team — makes him a candidate to be replaced in the offseason, but his ability to pave the way on the ground could open a door at guard. Grade: C-
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Steelers' offensive line has played nearly every snap together, and it's showing
LG Kevin Dotson
Kaboly: Dotson accomplished his main objective of staying healthy. He played all 1,160 snaps and quieted talk about his two previous injury-prone years. He was the most physical of all the linemen, but his mental mistakes resulted in penalties and getting Pickett concussed. Grade: C+
DeFabo: Dotson is a physical run blocker who plays with an edge. The problem is, he led the Steelers with 11 offensive penalties for 75 yards. Grade: C
C Mason Cole
Kaboly: The only thing you can say about Cole is that he was solid. Not spectacular, and not horrible. He was good, and a pleasant surprise considering he bounced around a couple of places before signing with the Steelers. Grade: B
DeFabo: In addition to what Cole brought on the field, he also became a respected voice in the locker room who developed a good connection with Pickett. Center is a position where intangibles matter. He has the right attitude to be a Steeler. Grade: B+
RG James Daniels
Kaboly: Just like the rest of the unit, it took a while for Daniels to get settled in, but once he did, he was the Cole version at guard for the Steelers — solid but not spectacular. Grade: B
DeFabo: Daniels was flagged just three times all season. And one of those was when he came to Pickett’s defense after a late hit from Damar Hamlin in Week 5. He was a responsible player who got better with time. Grade: B+
RT Chukwuma Okorafor
Kaboly: Okorafor quietly had a really good year after signing that $30 million deal in the offseason. His one criticism is that he isn’t as physical as you would like to see from your right tackle, but he made up for it by being solid in pass pro, shutting down some of the best edge guys in the league. Grade: B-
DeFabo: File this under “for what it’s worth,” but Pro Football Focus ranked Okorafor as the Steelers’ worst overall lineman with a grade of 60.7. As Mark notes, he held up better than those often scrutinized rankings might suggest. Grade: C+
Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett. (Joe Sargent / Getty Images)