Steelers' "Old School Offensive Approach" Is A Huge Red Flag

The Pittsburgh Steelers franchise has been very busy this offseason overhauling the offense and shoring up weak areas. That included hiring new Offensive Coordinator, Arthur Smith, and acquiring two new veteran quarterbacks, Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. 

Smith's hiring has many wondering precisely what the new offense will look like. When he was with the Tennessee Titans, Smith engineered a run-heavy scheme that helped propel running back Derrick Henry to win the NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award. His improved Titans offense was among the top 10 in scoring in 2019 and 2020 and second in total yardage in 2020. 

His performance in Tennessee earned him the head coaching job with the Atlanta Falcons. Unfortunately, the Falcons offenses were not as successful as the Titans. During those three seasons, they went 21-30 overall. There were positive aspects to his head coaching tenure, however. The Falcons had the fewest penalties in 2022, and they finished third in rushing yards per game and third-down conversion rate in 2022.     

Most analysts believe that Smith was a better coordinator than head coach and expect him to develop a system in Pittsburgh similar to the one in Tennessee, but with better overall talent. With running backs Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren and a bolstered offensive line, the Black and Gold should return to their old smashmouth football ways. While many fans are excited about that, CBS Sports' Cody Benjamin recently named it Pittsburgh's biggest red flag. 

"Steelers: The old-school offensive approach," Benjamin listed as their biggest red flag. "Russell Wilson and Justin Fields has given them must-see appeal at quarterback. George Pickens is talented out wide. And yet, with Arthur Smith at the helm of the offense, are they going to be conservative and run heavy? The lack of proven top-tier running mates for Pickens may well demand it."

Many think that Smith will be able to get the best out of Harris. With Smith at the helm, Harris will once again benefit from a more skilled play-caller and a quarterback who can better read the field. The former Alabama standout pulled off three 1,000-yard seasons to start his NFL career, despite the weak offensive line and other inconsistencies. He could wrangle a fourth one and will likely have his best season as a pro. 

The missing puzzle piece most often mentioned is a second wide receiver. Some do not think George Pickens can manage to be a number one. This concern had Pittsburgh linked to elite receivers such as Brandon Aiyuk and Courtland Sutton. However, no deal has been worked out as of now. This begs the question of how the Steelers plan to enter the season? Will they just heavily utilize tight end Pat Freiermuth, or are they really happy with the group they have now? There is also the possibility that they will pick someone up during camp. Regardless, it will be exciting to see the metamorphosis of this offensive group. 

Do The Steelers Still Have A Real Shot At Brandon Aiyuk?

Recently, news emerged that the San Francisco 49ers met with a "disgruntled" Aiyuk to see what they could work out. Analysts have said several teams other than Pittsburgh are eager to work out a deal for 2023's second-best rated receiver. The question is whether the deal will satisfy Aiyuk and the 49ers and still feel like a fair value to the new team. 

49ers General Manager John Lynch and Head Coach Kyle Shanahan met with Aiyuk. Also in attendance was Aiyuk's friend and college teammate, Washington Commanders quarterback, Jayden Daniels. The meeting details however, have not been released. The Steelers could still have a shot at Aiyuk before the season starts. According to Steelers General Manager Omar Khan, they cleared up some cap space to be ready in case a deal presents itself. 

What do you think the Steelers' biggest "red flag" for 2024 is? Click to comment below. 

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