2023 32 Teams/32 Days: Pittsburgh Steelers--Replacement Refs Style

Pittsburgh Steelers

Division: AFC North
Record: 9-8 (3-3 Division), 3rd place AFC North
Playoffs: Never rely on Joe Flacco to get you in.

First, thanks to u/ehhhhhhhhhhmacarena for letting me sub in on this for the 2nd time in three years. Maybe next year we'll get it right the first time. 😘 LINK TO HUB

General Season Review

The 2022 Steelers season was seen largely as a rebuilding year. No Ben. TJ missing a lot of time. OL not really a work of art. Offensively there are only 3 starters on their 2nd contracts, so the team is very young there. The Front seven on defense was/is severely lacking depth behind TJ, Cam, and Highsmith. The DBs outside of Minkah and Edmunds were largely unknowns, gambles, or value signings. Nothing about this team screamed “playoff chances until the last second of the season”. But that’s exactly how it went. They were alive until the clock struck zero on Jets-Dolphins in Week 18.

Mitchell Trubisky won the starting QB job out of camp, and as the veteran with the most starting experience on the roster, that makes sense. He was the safe choice. The staff has seen what they get with Mason. KP was a rook and you don’t want to shellshock him too soon. But you know what you get with a QB like Mitch. An uninspired offense that doesn’t move the ball quickly at all. Once KP arrived at half in Week 4 vs the Jets, the team was his. Sure the box score doesn’t look all that different. But if you have a choice between a vet who doesn’t do much, and a rookie who at least looks the same and improving? Take the upside.

KP improved every week and limited his mistakes. He ended up taking more control of the offense and had 4 fourth quarter comebacks/game winning drives, in weeks 9, 11, 15, and 16. Talk about improvement.

But the team still started 2-6. Finished 7-3 to go 9-8. Missed the playoffs. Nobody is “happy” with missing the playoffs or a barely .500 season, but given the situation, it wasn’t a bad season. Lots to love about this year. Some nice role players stuck out, the stars did what they do, and the franchise’s future showed lots of good things.

Draft, Free Agency, and Trades:

Draft: (I get into most of these guys in the roster breakdown later on)

• Round 1, Pick 20 overall: Kenneth Shane Pickett, QB, Pitt: AKA “Kenny Fucking Pickett” AKA “THE PICKLER” AKA “BIG KEN” AKA “DADDY”.

• Round 2, Pick 52 overall: George Pickens, WR, Georgia: “He’s a quality young man.” – Mike Tomlin

• Round 3, Pick 84 overall: DeMarvin Leal, DL, Texas A&M

• Round 4, Pick 138 overall: Calvin Austin III, being fast, Memphis

• Round 6, Pick 208 overall: Connor Heyward, TE, Mich. St.

• Round 6, Pick 198: Mark Robinson, ILB, Ole Miss

• Round 7, Pick 232: Chris Oladokun, QB, South Dakota St.

Free Agency:

• James Daniels, RG, Bears: $26.5mm/3 yrs, $8.75mm gtd

• Myles Jack, LB, Jags: $16mm/2 yrs, $6.5mm gtd

• Gunner Olszewski, RS, Patriots: $4.2mm/2 yrs, $1.6mm gtd

• Levi Wallace, CB, Bills: $8mm/2 yrs, $2.97mm gtd

• Mason Cole, C, Vikes: $15.75mm/3 yrs, $4.57mm gtd

• Mitchell Trubisky, QB, Bills: $14.29mm/2 yrs, $5.25mm gtd (up to $27m total w/ incentives)

Midseason Trade:

• August 30, 2022: Traded a conditional 2025 pick (7th round) to Vikings for OT, Jesse Davis

• August 30, 2022: Traded a 2023 6th round pick to Broncos for OLB, Malik Reed and a 2023 7th round pick

• November 1, 2022: Traded Chase Claypool to Bears for a 2023 2nd round pick (32nd overall, thanks Stephen Ross). 🚨YINZER DANCE PARTY🚨

• November 1, 2022: Traded a conditional 2025 pick (6th round) to Commanders for William Jackson III and a conditional 2025 pick (7th round).

* no conditions satisfied with WJ3 hitting IR like 2 weeks after arriving, Washington basically flew him to the Steelers.

Stats: per pfr and football outsiders

Offensive Stats:

Stat	Value	Per Game	Lg. Rank
Total Yds	5484	322.58	26th
1st Downs	345	20.29	15th
Total Passing Yds	3411	200.64	24th
Total Rush Yds	2073	121.94	16th
Pts Scored	308	18.12 (ouch)	26th
TDs Scored (Pass)	28 (12)	1.64 (.71)	29th 🥲
Turnovers (INTs)	19 (14)	1.11 (.82)	4th (17th)
DVOA	-0.3%	n/a	18th
DVOA after BYE	6.6%	n/a	10th

Defensive Stats:

Stat	Value	Per Game	Lg. Rank
Yds Allowed	5617	330.41	13th
1st Downs	314	18.47	5th
Total Passing Yds	3779	222.29	19th
Total Rush Yds	1838	108.12	9th
Pts Scored	346	20.35	10th
Turnovers (INTs)	23 (20)	1.35 (1.18)	14th (1st)
DVOA	-3.5%	n/a	12th
DVOA after BYE	-14.6%	n/a	4th

Weekly Game Review:

Week 1, @ Bengos: WHAT A WIN. WHAT A WIN. Okay, so I was at this game (6-0 all time baybayyyy) and felt gross after. An injured long snapper being the difference maker is crazy. Oh and Minkah going completely fucking super saiyan on the kitties from Eastern Kentucky Ohio. 14 tackles. 10 solo. 1 INT/TD. AND A BLOCKED XP TO SEND IT TO OVERTIME. Boy went crazy. Mike T started the game by stuffing everyones lockers with blacked out Air Force 1s, and Minkah brought that energy. Ja’Marr Chase felt it too when he gave Mink the bird and got 15 yards for it hahahahahahahahahaha.

Mitch Trubisky sucks at football.

Side note: Cincy fans, your city is known for its god awful chili/meat sauce/who cares what it's called. But PBS serves the fucking Walmart brand of it in stadium?? What up w that??

Week 2, vs. Patriots: First week of seven without TJ 🥲. Bill Belichick activated sleeper agent Gunner O to fumble that punt in the third quarter and then the Patriots scored.

Mitch Trubisky sucks at football.

Week 3, @ Brownies: Jacoby “Brisket” Brissett sliced and diced the defense to hand the Steelers this L. Best Browns QB on the roster, hands down.

Mitch Trubisky sucks at football.

Week 4, vs. Jets: Distractions from WRs who weren’t getting the ball and QBs fucking moms should distract the Jets and allow the Steelers defense to take over and win this one pretty handily right? Nope. Wanna know why?

Because:

Mitch Trubisky sucks at football.

Subbed at half. ITS TIME FOR THE PICKLER TO SHINE. No? Maybe next week in Buffalo.

Week 5, @ Bills: Ron Howard: “He did not shine in Buffalo the next week.”

Week 6, vs. Bucs: Kenny got slapped in the head and left the game in the 3rd. But guess what?? MITCH TRUBISKY DOESN’T SUCK AT FOOTBALL AND HE BEAT TOM BRADY AND THE BUCS.

Week 7, @ Fins: This SNF game was honestly not bad despite the box score. Despite the L there was a lot of positive to take from Kenny and his growth, which is what mattered most this year.

Week 8, @ Eagles: I don’t wanna talk about it.

Week 9, @ UPMC Rooney Sports Complex: This is around the time the reports that KP8 had an “office” at the team facility to grind extra tape. Turns out it’s just a desk in the team room. Sorry Russ haters, not today.

LIVE IMAGE OF KENNY WORKING IN HIS OFFICE

Week 10, vs. Saints: Ho hum. Steelers beating Andy Dalton. What’s new? TJ back after missing weeks 2-8 and healthy-ish. Najee finally gets kickin and the offense with it. Not a world beater, but better all around.

Week 11, vs. Bengals: 🚨🚨 30 POINT OFFENSIVE EFFORT ALERT 🚨🚨 Buuuuuuuut the Bengos transformed to the Dark Bengos over their bye and Dark Bengo must have his sacrifice. Top 5 Uni matchup on the year too hands down. Maybebe ever.

White^inbred Bengo vs Blacked Out Block Letters. Chefs Kiss.

Week 12, @ Colts: Steelers love beating the Colts. I don’t know what it is about them, but there’s blood in the water. My logic is Indiana is next to Ohio. Steelers hate and historically own Ohio teams. Indy by nature of being near Ohio is basically Ohio. So, the team just treats them like they do any other Ohio team.

Week 13, @ Falcons: The coolest part of this game was the similarities of Connor Heywards first NFL touchdown and his father’s first NFL receiving TD.

Week 14, vs. Ravens: KP got hurt on like the 8th play of the game bc he came down with whatever disability Tua has that doesn’t allow them to properly go down when being tackled. I don’t know if it’s the body weight sack rules, QBs not knowing how to fall, or the spinning twist tackles, something’s gotta change.

Mitch Trubisky sucks at football.

Week 15, @ Panthers: This was a win but it certainly wasn’t because Mitch Trubisky is *good* at football. The Panthers had 21 rushing yards. Even for pass heavy teams that’s bad. So when The Darnold is your QB, you’re gonna suffer.

I mean uhhh the RIGGED NFL STOLE this game from the GEQBUS.

Week 16, vs. Raiders: A lot of us Steelers fans were nervous for this game. The Raiders have been a thorn in Coach Ts side for years. He was 2-5 entering this game against them. But we weren’t gonna let that ruin the Immaculate Reception 50th anniversary game, especially after Franco passed. And in 1972 football fashion, the Steelers won a 13-10 barn burner on a TD pass from KP to GP with :46 on the clock. And then Cam Sutton made that diving INT to seal the deal. Merry Christmas Yinz.

Week 17, @ Ravens: Naj delivers his first 100 yard performance of the year. TJ Watt says this is the first time all year he’s been injury free. Mitch Trubisky is not allowed to suck at football. Life is good.

Week 18, vs. Browns: All the team had to do is win against a division opponent, and pray to god the Bills don’t phone it in against the Patriots. Oh and rely on Joe Flacco to beat the Fins. Never rely on flacco for anything.

Overall Record: 9-8

High Points:

• Week One was a great surprise after the Bengals trounced the Steelers for all of 2021.

• Kenny’s weekly improvements, especially after the bye.

• George Pickens.

• Every time Minkah did something batshit insane on the field.

• The Immaculate Reception game was a great Christmas gift.

Low Points

• Every snap of Mitchell Trubisky playing football minus the Buccaneers game.

• Losing to the Zach Wilson led Jets.

• ILB play all season was a nothing burger.

• Chris Boswell’s Groin 2: Electric Boogaloo (sequel to the 2018 original).

Low Points for Yinzers

• Every day that Mike Tomlin and Matt Canada aren’t fired by the Stillers.

• Any time they think about drafting Najee and Friermuth over Creed Humphrey and Landon Dickerson.

• Every day before November 1, 2023.

• Any time they think about the Jags loss in the divisional round in 2017.

• Any time Jaylen Warren didn’t get 20 carries if Najee was having a bad game.

High Points for Yinzers

• November 1, 2023.

Overall Roster Review:

All-Pros:

• Minkah Fitzpatrick, S, (1st Team): I don’t think I need to say anything here. Dudes a fucking baller. We love him here.

• Cam Heyward was snubbed of 2nd team All-Pro. Even Cam himself doesnt understand the criteria.

Pro Bowl Selections:

• TJ (lol) and Minkah

Position Group Reviews:

QB: This is why everyone is here. To read about Mitchell Trubisky. Who sucks at football. He is the definition of a “he can change for me” signing. Uninspiring, not the reason those Bears teams won, and definitely the reason some of these games were lost this year.

But the real real reason we all are here. Kenny Fucking Pickett. The box score is not favorable here. But look a little deeper. 2nd best deep ball passer this year!! Crazy. Watch the games. Watch him progress each game. Not making the same mistake twice. 11 turnovers in his first 5 games. 2 in his last 8 games, which came after the bye. Boy was IN THE LAB. Three 4th quarter comebacks and 4 game winning drives. He may not be on the same trajectory of that young class of elite game changing QBs like Mahomes, Burrow, or Allen. But he good. Oh he goooood. And that flow?? Nothing can stop THE PICKLER.

RB: Naj started the year slow and never really kicked off in a major way. He had a Lisfranc injury from camp that had him wearing a metal plate in his foot until Week 6. But he was still solid on a relatively mediocre offense.

The real story of this group is Jaylen Warren. UDFA from Ok. St. Had to compete with 3 other RBs in camp who all had been on the roster the previous year. Coach T likes to say “2 dogs, 1 bone.” Well Jaylen is the dog with that bone in his mou--- actually not gonna finish that one.

WR: Yinzers will focus on the fact that Diontae Johnson had 86 catches and no TDs. Which is objectively bad. But let’s not throw the baby out with the bathwater on DJ. Pretty much every route he ran was a sideline route, comeback, curl, or something else that yields little to no YAC. He yet again had a great year separating from DBs better than anyone in the NFL. He also continues to show that he never really earned the name Diontae Dropson with his 4.8% drop rate which ranks 75th highest among pass catchers in the nfl.

Pickens just made highlight after highlight this year. He’s a freak. But he suffered from a somewhat limited route tree this year same as Diontae.

Steven Sims was a nice surprise out of camp this year too. Reliable returner mostly, solid in the slot. Carved out a nice role in the offense for himself.

Everyone else here was a body (Boykin, Cody White, Gunner) or injured (Calvin Austin III).

TE: Muth is about as reliable as it gets. Best YAC on the team at the moment. Fights for yards. Had a solid year and looks to continue his growth in year 3.

Zach Gentry was just a body in his first two years in Pittsburgh. Albeit he’s just a 6’8” 270 lb body. But the last two years he’s been a reliable and improved blocker, as well as a solid 15-20 catch type of target. Not gonna light it up, but definitely worth a roster spot.

Connor Heyward was not drafted because he’s Cam’s brother! He’s a solid H-Back type that was used in a lot of different ways this year. Really big fan. He may never be a top end player, but has long time beloved role player written all over him.

OT: Chuks Okorafor continues to be underrated. He plays the less glorified OT spot and isn’t a top 5 in the league, so he must be trash right? Nope. Dude is solid. Worth the extension last spring/summer.

Dan Moore Jr. (DMJ) in year two was about the same as year 1. A big bodied, athletic, raw, and not great LT. He’s gonna get a third year to start, maybe with a camp competition body. Yinzers are sick of him and want a high profile turnstile like Orlando Brown Jr. to replace him. I say wait for year 3.

The Orlando Brown joke was written before the Bengos signed him and I think that it's even funnier now hahaha

iOL: James Daniels was the big signing of the year for the Steelers, and despite a rough start he was really solid. Definitely the best OL of the year for the team, but nobody was exceptional.

Mason Cole's signing inspired none but he played a little better than expected. Tomlin really seems to like him and his communication skills. I think the value he brings may just be stuff us fans don’t see or know since we don’t know the calls.

Kevin Dotson, a fan favorite in the past, lost a lot of fans this year. The left side of the OL was pretty bad overall but there are some who think DMJ may improve with a better running mate at LG. KDot had a good to great rookie year. Oft injured in year 2 and down year 3. He’s probably on his last legs here if something doesn’t change in 2023.

DL: Cam is great and aging like a fine wine, I don’t need to really expand on that.

The rest of the group was interesting to watch. Ogunjobi was nice, especially as a late June add to the roster. I hope he can re-sign in Pittsburgh.

DeMarvin Leal was a tweener coming out of the draft and it showed in his usage. Only ticked up after TJs injury and shuffling of the DL. He was IR’ed for a bit and never really topped 25% snaps in a game but once maybe. He’ll be an interesting developmental piece to watch in 2023.

The rest of the guys did their jobs. Alualu was benched in favor of Montravius Adams. Chris Wormley has been a good rotational guy. Isaiahh Loudermilk made little to no noise this year after a decent rookie year in 2021.

OLB: Everyone likely wants to hear about TJ, but Alex Highsmith gets the first mention here. TJ being out for like half the season called for Highsmith to step up. And he did. 14.5 sacks. A true breakout year and silencing the yinzers who say “just plug anyone opposite TJ and they’ll eat”. He’s in a contract year in 2023 and deserves to be paid. Alex Highsmith was an absolute baller in 2022 and deserves his respect.

TJ was banged up and made didn’t make too much noise this year.

God dammit they need a third EDGE guy to spell TJ/Alex. It’s a bunch of JAGs in that room behind them.

ILB: Speaking of JAGs. Nobody here impressed. People will tell you Mark Robinson made a splash in the Ravens game, to which I respond that he played 26 snaps that game. The ILB group was so mediocre this year I’m not going to expand on any individual past that bit above. Big draft/FA need. Maybe 2x.

CB: Cam Sutton 🥲 was given the outside CB job full time this year basically. And he thriiiived. After being a role player for most of his career thus far, he bet on himself, and is now paid in Detroit. He got to watch Joe Haden play outside for a few seasons and I really think that Steelers era Joe is a good comp for Sutton. Smart, tackles well, versatile. Enjoy him Lions fans.

The rest of the group did well enough I guess. Levi was a solid inside outside guy and took the bulk of the CB2 snaps. A bargain at $4m/year. Thanks Commies for really screwing up Buffalo’s plans there. Ahkello Witherspoon greatly cooled down from his 3 INTs in the last 5 games of 2021. He got some time outside and wasn’t great. Not the worst CB in Tomlin’s tenure, definitely not the best.

I also want to take a side note on Arthur Maulet. He’s not a great NCB. But he brings a lot of energy and fire to this team. He apparently got in some peoples faces in the locker room after a 2022 loss that I refuse to talk about. He really seems to value that accountability and brings a level of leadership that is good on an otherwise young team. He’dnever get a mention otherwise, but I think he deserves some love for what he brings.

S: Minkah Fitzpatrick.

Terrell Edmunds continues to show he is Mr. Consistent. He wears a lot of hats for the defense, is always available, and largely a mistake free player. Yinzers still hate him because he’s a first rounder that isn’t an all-pro, but if every first rounder was at least an available, consistent, career starter, most teams would be fucking loaded.

Damontae Kazee is that third safety Mike Tomlin has been searching for the last few years. Tre Norwood looked like he may be it last year, but Kazee beat him out for the job. He’s a human missile. A violent player. And a full, healthy season ahead should do him well amongst the fans.

2023 Draft Picks:

• Round 1, Pick 17 overall

• Round 2, Pick 32 overall (From CHI)

• Round 2, Pick 49 overall

• Round 3, Pick 80 overall

• Round 4, Pick 120 overall

• Round 7, Pick 236 overall

• Round 7, Pick 243 overall (From DEN)

• 2023 Cap Space: **$13,952,485 as of posting date*** ^per otc

Free Agency/Draft Needs:

• Front Seven needs depth and starters outside of like 3 or 4 guys. So, starting ILB, EDGE3 to spell TJ/Highsmith, and DL/DT since the DL is old with no standout youngsters on the roster.

• One starting caliber CB, probably/maybe 2.

• OL depth, potential starters. Mostly LG, maybe C. Yinzers will tell you the OTs are dogshit but they’re more mid than they are bad.

• WR. Always.

Key Free Agents:

Preface: I’m not making predictions on contracts because that’s a useless practice. I know fuck all about what’s going on behind closed doors of NFL offices, so who cares about contract predictions.

Offense:

Oddly, None? I guess Mason Rudolph but HE GONE.

Defense:

• Cameron Sutton, CB: As of writing this, he’s already gone. Thanks Detroit. But I wanted to include his name, because I think highly of him and don’t want to minimize his importance. A good player, maybe never an All-Pro, but a long time starter at the position. We watched him grow from a wee little 3rd rounder just growin’ and learnin’.

• Larry Ogunjobi, DL: A must sign in my opinion. Good depth, Cam is not any younger. Add another DE in the draft and the DL is gonna be nice in ’23. HE STAY

• Devin Bush, ILB: He gone.

• Terrell Edmunds, S: Another must sign. He does too much for this defense to let him walk. 🥲

• Chris Wormley, DL: Solid depth. Came from an inter-division trade. Tomlin told him “that shows what they think of you” and he’s been a pretty damn good depth/rotational piece ever since. Would like to have him back, especially with Alualu likely being toast.

• Damontae Kazee, S: I think he just needs to come back and play a full season in that 3rd safety role. A full season of expanding on what we saw the last few weeks of the year would be cool and add some wrinkles to this defense. HE STAY

Potential Cap Casualties, Retirements

Offense:

• Mitchell Trubisky, QB: Dude sucks at football. But if he’s cut there’s Kenny and a bunch of dudes who know nothing about this offense. Yes it would save like $8mm but Kenny and a bunch of bodies behind him isn’t ideal. Unlikely.

• Gunner Olszewski, RS: Saves only $2mm, but Sims replaced him as a RS. Calvin Austin III should slide into that slot role once healthy. Seems like a mid-summer dump if they draft another WR, which they always do.

Defense:

• William Jackson III, CB: Been cut. Saved $12mm. Maybe he’ll be back after testing the waters. Who knows, but he’s such an unknown at this point it doesn’t make a difference.

• Myles Jack, ILB: Saves $8mm but leaves Mark Robinson, a rawwww 2ndyear, and Robert Spillane, professional JAG. I think an extension is more likely than a cut. Jack did lead the team in tackles. But nothing exceptional beyond that.

• Ahkello Witherspoon, CB: Saves $4mm. He’s a CB3 at best, not really in consideration for the starting spot. Probably survives any cuts til the draft just to be safe.

• Tyson Alualu, DT: Probably retiring right? Reneged on a deal with the Jags to stay in Pittsburgh. Hurt. Benched. Free Agent. I just don’t see him signing another contract.

Coaching Staff/Front Office review

• Kevin Colbert, GM: KC finished out DRAFT SZN with a bang. Drafted the QB. Got ANOTHER addition to Kevin Colbert’s School of Wide Receivers Who Wide Receive Good. Started a family reunion with the Heywards. A classic Kevin Colbert Draft Special. God Bless that man and all he did for 22 great years of Steelers football.

• Omar Khan, GM: Dude got to WORK right away. Active during free agency? Never heard of her. Signed Levi Wallace. Got the DJ deal done. Minkah deal done. Snagged Larry O after he “failed his physical” whatever that means just take the L Bears haha. James Daniels at RG. Boy slinging that money around like it’s not his and it’s on fire. I think all of Steelers fans (Yinzers included) are excited to see what he and Weidl’s approach to FA and the draft is going to be like. More of the same? Same same but different? Who knows, who cares. Let's have fun with it while it’s new.

• Mike Tomlin, HC: “Hey Coach T. You’re gonna lose your HOF QB. And your HOF pace OLB is gonna miss 7 games. And you’ll trade away your WR2 by Halloween. Your OL is gonna be shit the first 6 weeks of the season. Your WR1 won’t score a TD all year. Your RB1 is gonna have an injury that kills careers in camp. Don’t do too much winning okay?”

\ * Tomlin *: “Haha fuck it we ball.”

• Matt Canada, OC: There are not many kind things to say about his offense. Route concepts are bad. Play diversity is bad. Playcall sequencing seems bad. But a top 10 DVOA offense the last 9 weeks of the season? He at least earned a chance to play out his contract.

• Teryl Austin, DC: His first year as DC but 4th overall with the team. The defense clearly suffered without TJ for 7 weeks, but overall they were a good unit on the year. Sutton played well and earned his Detroit contract. Minkah is a baller. Levi Wallace is great value. The DBs overall really are just so much better than they’ve been since like 2011-2017 and Teryl Austin deserves a nod for that alone.

Final Thoughts

Draft and free agency are looming. It’s exciting. New GM/AGM, new QB. Tomlin does what he does. There’s a lot of things to be excited about as a Steeler’s fan for the foreseeable future.

Kenny is the focus of the team now. Everything done should be done in furtherance of his development as the Pittsburgh Steelers franchise QB. Better Defense to support him on his bad days. Better OL to keep him upright. Better skill guys to make his life easier. It’s all for him. As it should be. If he’s right, the teams right.

HERE WE GO STEELERS