Jaylen Warren is the name getting circled in Cleveland this week, and for good reason. Over the last several games, he’s been one of the most productive players in the league, so the Browns’ defense is sure to key on him.
That sets up a very familiar NFL problem: when one team loads up to stop the obvious threat, somebody else has to be ready to carry the load. Warren could still have a big day, but if Cleveland is as locked in on him as expected, the Steelers will need other players willing to step in and make it happen.
One place Pittsburgh found some traction was with a sixth offensive lineman, Spencer Anderson. According to Alan Saunders of SteelersNow.com, the Steelers averaged 6.4 yards per carry in that look, running 12 times for 79 yards.
There are two obvious caveats here: the Saints had a lousy run defense, and the Browns will have studied it and will be prepared. Even so, that package shouldn’t be shelved.
It sounds like something that can be paired with play-action, too, and there’s no reason not to keep it in the mix.
On the other side of the matchup conversation, a former Browns defensive back said yesterday that the Steelers are intimidated by Cleveland. That’s a big claim, and probably an overstatement, even if the Browns’ defense has been strong for a long time. Still, it’s the kind of thing that tends to get attention inside a locker room, and it wouldn’t be surprising if it showed up on a bulletin board in Pittsburgh.
The Steelers’ offensive line remains part of the conversation as well, especially when it comes to Troy Fautanu and Max Iheanachor. Patience matters here.
Iheanachor is a rookie, and Fautanu is handling the left side for the first time in his pro career. There are going to be rough snaps and ugly reps along the way.
If the same issues are still happening next year at this time, then concern makes sense. For now, some of those struggles also have to be viewed in context, because Aaron Rodgers doesn’t always make life easy on his linemen.
There’s also been buzz around the Steelers and a potential wide receiver addition, and if they do go that route, the priority should be clear: find someone who can win against man coverage. That skill matters most, and it should be at the top of the checklist.
A few other items are worth noting around the league. Oregon coach Dan Lanning said QB Dante Moore would likely miss the rest of the season after a concussion in September.
That doesn’t change what Moore might become down the road, but it does mean NFL teams in need of a quarterback will have to be careful. If I’m the Steelers, I’m very hesitant.
Head injuries are a different conversation than a past ACL injury.
In Baltimore, there’s still mystery surrounding Lamar Jackson’s injury, and things are clearly not going smoothly there. Meanwhile, Aaron Rodgers’ claim that the NFL and NFLPA once suggested a weekend of all international games has been proven false, and it’s hard to see why he said it. Elsewhere, people around the NFL are finally catching on to how good Zach Frazier is.
And for those keeping score on the lighter side of things: someone get Pat McAfee a tissue. What a whiny baby.
Also, Jay-Z will handle the halftime entertainment for the Super Bowl in 2027. I miss the days of a marching band.
In Other News...
Kurt Warner Just Framed The Steelers' Biggest Problem At 5-2
The Steelers have given themselves a strong early perch at 5-2, but the conversation around them keeps circling back to the same question: is the offense built to hold up when the games get tougher? Kurt Warner recently put that concern in plain terms, pointing to the gap between Pittsburghs defensive strength and the kind of consistent offensive production usually required to hang with the AFCs best teams.
For a team that has found ways to win enough games to stay in the hunt, the issue is less about the record than how those wins have been constructed. Warners skepticism centered on whether Pittsburgh can keep moving the chains and turn enough possessions into touchdowns, especially when the margin tightens against top-level competition. Until that changes, the Steelers will keep hearing the same warning alongside the praise for their defense. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Face A Trade Deadline Question That Could Define This Push
As the NFL trade deadline draws closer, the Steelers find themselves in the familiar spot of being linked to upgrades that could sharpen a roster already trying to hold pace in a crowded AFC race. The names circulating around the league cover a lot of ground, from offensive line help to secondary and linebacker options, with possible fits such as Malik Washington, Kevin Dotson, Mack Wilson Sr., Alontae Taylor, Pete Werner and Wyatt Teller all surfacing as speculative possibilities.
Pittsburghs interest, at least on paper, speaks to the kind of deadline calculus good teams have to make: whether to stand pat with the group in place or press for a piece that can make the entire push look different. The market could still open up in a few directions, and the Steelers are being sized up as a team that might need only one well-placed move to change the conversation, even if the biggest names in play remain unresolved. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Receiver Search Comes Down To The Wrong Kind Of Target
The Steelers have spent plenty of time looking for help at wide receiver ahead of the NFL trade deadline, and the Los Angeles Chargers have naturally come up in the conversation. When a team is weighing outside additions at that spot, the first name to draw attention is often the flashier one, but fit and price matter just as much as production when the clock is ticking and roster holes still need filling.
Among the Chargers' options, Ladd McConkey would be the more obvious target, but the conversation around Pittsburgh's search has centered on a different kind of receiver. Quentin Johnston is the name that keeps surfacing as the more realistic path, with the sort of lower-cost framework that could make sense for a Steelers front office trying to add speed and size without paying premium draft capital for a deal that may not be there in the end. [Read more 🡒]