Steelers midseason mailbag: Is a WR trade coming? Is Broderick Jones a bust?

The Pittsburgh Steelers went into their bye week on a high note, riding a three-game winning streak and all alone atop the AFC North.

Russell Wilson has provided a spark on offense and the defense, at times, has looked dominant.

Its going to be a fascinating second half of the season.

But first, its time for your questions.

In this mailbag, we discuss Broderick Jones inconsistencies, the wide receiver trade market and the future of a pair of former Alabama athletes.

Lets dive right in.

Note: Questions have been lightly edited for clarity.

Advertisement Why were the Steelers not willing to give up a fourth-round pick for DeAndre Hopkins ? Do you think they will trade for any WR or keep the draft capital and hope they still have a QB next year? Kyle N.

Honestly, I was asking myself the same question.

Hopkins is a big-bodied receiver who could have helped in the run game and the passing game.

I would have made the trade that the Chiefs did with the Titans in a second, given the price.

The problem with the WR corps is the Steelers threw a lot of options at the dartboard and were hoping that one of them would stick.

And the issue right now, in my opinion, is a lot of the potential trade targets who would be obvious upgrades are gone.

Im concerned that acquiring one of the available options might not move the needle much and could just add another middle-of-the-road receiver to a room full of them.

Id still like to see the Steelers make a trade, especially when so many other AFC contenders like the Chiefs, Bills and Ravens bolstered their WR rooms, but I think we might all have to temper our expectations for how significant that move will be.

GO DEEPER Russinis what Im hearing about NFL trade deadline: 13 players, 18 teams to watch closely Is Broderick Jones a first-round bust, is he out of position, or does he need to be coached up? Cubbycarley Coincidentally, we asked offensive line coach Pat Meyer about Jones last week.

I think hes just got to focus each and every play, Meyer said.

He plays a lot of good plays.

You watch him and youre like, Wow, he does some really good things.

Hes just young.

He hasnt played a whole NFL season.

Hes 23 years old.

Hes gotta grow.

I pretty much agree with the coachs assessment.

There are still plenty of times when Jones flashes the potential that made him a first-round pick, especially when hes playing with a mean streak in the run game or using his athleticism to get to the second level.

The problem is hes not nearly consistent enough.

Advertisement The Steelers knew when they drafted Jones that he was going to be raw after starting just 19 games at Georgia (all at left tackle).

He has all the physical traits to be a great pro and, eventually, transition to become the left tackle of the future.

Where Jones career goes from here will be a direct reflection of how well and how hard hes coached.

The offense seems more aggressive with Russell Wilson at QB.

Has that been dictated by the coaches, or is it because the QB is more aggressive and confident, or both? Matthew B.

Calvin Austin III had an interesting comment after the win over the Giants , saying that Wilson hunts the big play.

Youre seeing that in a variety of ways.

Hes definitely more willing to sling it deep and give George Pickens a chance to come down with a 50-50 ball.

GO DEEPER The origin of Russell Wilson's moonball and how it could ignite the Steelers' offense But more than that, what Ive really liked is that when opponents adjust and send extra attention Pickens way, Wilson is still aggressive and uses that as an opportunity to give another WR a shot deep.

That was especially true on the touchdown pass to Austin on Monday.

The Jets were in man coverage with the safety shading toward Pickens.

It might have even been pure Cover 0 with a double on Pickens.

Wilson identified the blitz, motioned Pat Freiermuth into the formation to handle the extra rusher and then found Austin deep against man coverage.

Russell Wilson drops it in a for Calvin Austin III's second TD of the night! : #NYGvsPIT on ESPN/ABC/ESPN2 : Stream on #NFLPlus and ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/KWAglgI9WV NFL (@NFL) October 29, 2024 Id expect more of this as Wilson becomes more comfortable in the system and develops chemistry with his receivers.

With Najee Harris vastly improved running this year, will the Steelers re-sign him? Miles V.

When the Steelers declined Harris fifth-year option, it felt like his days in Pittsburgh were numbered.

Harris is one of the players who takes losing most personally.

He was often extremely frustrated by the product on offense, and you can tell hes heard the criticism from fans and media.

Advertisement But now hes in a great situation with an offensive line thats only going to get better and an offensive coordinator who knows what hes doing to execute an effective rushing attack.

Its tough to call right now, but I would definitely engage in contract talks this offseason if Im general manager Omar Khan.

I wonder if the franchise tag might be in play if his production continues along the current trajectory.

Its been 19 games since Minkah Fitzpatrick was credited with a sack, forced fumble, fumble recovery or interception Hes been credited with five passes defended during that time.

Is this the sign that teams are truly avoiding him entirely, or is it fair to question his $21 million cap hit for so few splash plays? Dan W.

Fitzpatrick is playing a lot better than the raw turnover numbers would suggest.

Hes a reliable tackler and a deterrent when hes in the middle of the field, which I think is part of the reason why the rest of the DBs have so many PBUs and INTs.

So by no means is he playing poorly.

But I dont think hes playing up to his hefty salary-cap hit, even after defensive coordinator Teryl Austin made a concerted effort to put Fitzpatrick in the middle of the field more often to be a ballhawk.

If Im the Steelers, I take a hard look at this position group in the offseason.

Many teams pinch pennies at safety, feeling that theyre often interchangeable.

Look at how much value DeShon Elliott has provided for a fraction of the investment.

Fitzpatrick still has a strong reputation around the league.

If he isnt producing much splash, its really not the craziest idea to see how much another team would offer in a trade and whether the Steelers could fill this role with a more cost-conscious solution.

That kind of move might even be necessary for the Steelers to give Pickens a contract extension, sign a quality QB and have a legitimate No.

2 wideout on the roster next year.

Mike Tomlins challenge on Pickens near-TD against the Giants was just idiotic.

Those plays are automatically reviewed, so a timeout was wasted.

I like Tomlin for a lot of things, but challenges arent one of them.

Why dont the Steelers get an ex-ref or somebody to monitor challenges and make those decisions? Because Tomlin is HORRIBLE! Jason S.

In a past life, I covered the Penguins for three seasons.

Im pretty sure they got 100 percent of their challenges right during that span, and thats not because Mike Sullivan is a good gambler.

They had a bulletproof process with a coach specifically assigned to video reviews.

The time has come for the Steelers to re-think their strategy.

A small investment in this area could be a major game-changer.

Any updates on Cole Holcomb s recovery and return to the active roster? John B.

Holcomb had to fight his way into college football as a walk-on and wasnt even invited to the NFL Scouting Combine.

A player who had to scratch and claw for his opportunity isnt going to give it up without another fight.

Even though his knee injury was serious, the guy is relentless with his rehab, and it feels like he has a chip on his shoulder to prove people wrong who believe this injury will end his career or even his season.

Im not going to be the one to say he cant do it, and we know from last season how inside linebacker depth can be tested in a hurry in the physical AFC North.

Advertisement Can you tell us a bit more about special teams coordinator Danny Smith? The guy is clearly a bit of a legend around the locker room and would love to know a bit more about him.

Greg H.

Danny is an absolute character.

Im reporting a story now that I think youll enjoy.

Stay tuned in the second half of the season.

Whos your team MVP and your unsung hero so far? Terry C.

T.J.

Watt is my MVP.

Hes the most talented player and often shows his value in the most critical moments.

The unsung hero is left tackle Dan Moore Jr.

The Steelers have basically tried to draft his replacement in the first round in back-to-back years, yet Moore has been steady enough to remain the starter.

Hes far from the weak link and continues to improve with time.

Whats your favorite road city to visit? Least favorite? Underrated? Overrated? Lucas O.

Im still relatively new on the beat, so I might not be the best person to ask.

But I did spend three years traveling to all the NHL cities, many of which overlap.

I do very much enjoy all that Las Vegas has to offer, especially if Im feeling lucky at the blackjack table.

The atmosphere was also electric with Steelers fans taking over Allegiant Stadium.

I havent been to Nashville for the NFL but have been there for the Music City Bowl and Penguins games, and its an unbelievably fun place to visit.

Detroit is my least favorite city in America.

I feel like its always raining mud and gray all the time ...

which might be a bit hypocritical for someone who grew up in Western Pennsylvania to say.

(Photo of Broderick Jones: Brett Davis / Imagn Images) Free, daily NFL updates direct to your inbox.

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