The current state of the Pittsburgh Steelers isn’t as high as it was in previous weeks. The team had hopes they could squeak into the playoffs by continuing to win the rest of their remaining games, only for those same hopes to be demolished by the Baltimore Ravens. With last week’s loss, the likelihood of a postseason berth in 2022 is becoming slimmer. However, 2023 looks more promising with the amount of young talent currently on the roster.
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Steelers Top Talent Under Age 25
For this list, we’ll be looking at players currently assigned to the practice squad and injury reserve, as well as the active roster who are 25 years old or younger. To kick things off, we’re going to look at some of the main members on the 53-man roster. There’s no better place to start than the most important position for any football team, and that’s the quarterback position.
Kenny Pickett had his first taste of professional football after halftime during the Steelers Week 4 game against the New York Jets.
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Without a moment’s notice, Pickett came in and immediately gave us a glimpse into the future.
He may not have won that game, but Pickett showed us his competitive nature and leadership in the huddle. In the games since then, Pickett has been doing fairly well, especially in recent weeks. Since the bye week, he still hasn’t thrown an interception in over 100 passing attempts. Constantly showing improvement and making strides each week, Pickett is continuing to learn and grow.
A rookie’s first season is the time for developing and adapting to the speed and play style of the NFL and Pickett is no different. The hope in Pittsburgh is that after having his first full off-season as a pro and all the first team reps in 2023 training camp, Pickett’s sophomore season will help accurately determine if he’s the true leader of the franchise moving forward.
To help aid Pickett on offense, he needs some weapons in the passing game. Look no further than wide receiver, George Pickens and tight end, Pat Freiermuth.
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver, George Pickens (14) celebrates with tight end, Pat Freiermuth (88) after scoring a touchdown during the second quarter against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium. Photo Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
Pickens has been a great addition with his amazing athleticism and incredible pass catching capability. Freiermuth has also been solid being the second leading receiver this season with 53 catches for 630 receiving yards. While they’ve both been great so far this year, what can we expect from them in 2023?
In the case of Pickens, he could become the clear-cut number one receiver. It’s something the Steelers have been lacking for a few years. His size and skills will force opposing defenses to game plan for him, meaning he’ll likely be double covered the majority of the time. However, this will not stop Pickens from being an absolute game changer as he grows over the next few years.
As for Freiermuth, I think the best comparison for his future would be similar to the relationship that Ben Roethlisberger had with his tight end, Heath Miller. Miller was a guy that was called upon to deliver clutch plays in the passing game, and I believe Freiermuth will be able to do the same thing with Pickett. Freiermuth’s ability to get open over the middle and convert many third down opportunities means he’ll be a crucial piece to the puzzle moving forward.
The passing game is important, but every great team needs to have the ability to run the ball effectively. This is where Najee Harris comes in.
Kenny Pickett and Najee Harris celebrate the game's first TD in the first quarter Sunday at Acrisure Stadium vs Tampa Bay. Photo - Karl Roser/Pittsburgh Steelers
Fans have been divided on Harris this year due to his inconsistent level of play, particularly early in the season. Harris suffered an injury in training camp which led to him using a steel plate in his cleats for many weeks. In recent weeks, he’s been looking more like his old self. Over his last five games, Harris has been averaging 4.2 yards for a total 343 rushing yards on 79 attempts.
Many people have had high expectations for Harris. Steelers head coach, Mike Tomlin expected him to become a leader in the locker room. I believe that as he continues to get older and wiser, Harris will acquire even more leadership qualities and have a commanding presence with the team.
From a player perspective, the hopes that I’ve had for him ever since the Steelers drafted him in 2021 was that Harris would become more like Tennessee Titans running back, Derrick Henry. An absolute bulldozer who can stiff arm defenders into the ground with ease. There’s still time for him to become that caliber of player, especially since we’ve seen the transformation slowly taking place before our eyes. No matter what, Harris will still be a beast and a major building block for this team for years to come.
Studs Under The Radar
The players listed above were from the 53-man roster, but were also the players with the spotlight shining on them the most. There are a couple of guys on the main roster whose roles could expand in 2023, beginning with DeMarvin Leal.
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Leal is a rookie and is currently a rotational piece along the defensive line. He’s been out of the rotation for a large part of the season due to a knee injury he suffered before the Steelers Week 6 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Leal was reactivated before the Steelers Week 13 win against the Atlanta Falcons.
When he’s healthy, Leal has been great. His versatility of being able to play inside or outside makes him even more valuable. There will be many free agency questions in regards to the defensive line, so it’s possible that if Leal’s potential continues to trend upwards, he could be a starter as early as 2023.
Another player whose value could increase next year would be inside linebacker, Mark Robinson.
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Robinson had some flashes of great potential during the preseason, but has only played a few special teams snaps during the regular season. His main issue is how crowded the inside linebacker room is.
Myles Jack and Devin Bush are the current starters with Robert Spillane getting a good chunk of minutes too. So where does that leave Robinson? It’ll all depend on what the Steelers do with Bush and Spillane as each of them are in the final year of their respective contracts. Even Jack’s contract comes into question as his cap hit will go from $4.75 million this year to $11.25 million in 2023. If Robinson manages to perform well in camp next year, he may be able to break into the rotation.
Another player who looked good during 2022 training camp was cornerback, Carlins Platel.
Steelers' UDFA rookie cornerback Carlins Platel participates in drills in training camp. (Abigail Dean/Pittsburgh Steelers)
The unfortunate situation for him was that he never got a real chance to display his talents as he suffered a lower body injury during the preseason finale against the Detroit Lions. Platel would later have surgery and be on injured reserve.
It’ll be very difficult for Platel to make a huge impact in 2023 due to his injury and lack of playing time during the regular season. However, there’s still a chance he can become a corner in the Steelers nickel package. It would at least be a start to hopefully some larger role to be carved out in the future.
Who excites you the most from this list? Is there someone else you’re excited for that wasn’t mentioned? Let us know in the comments.
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