The impact of Matt Canada’s offense on the Steelers, Part Two: Players

That is Half Two of our examination of how Matt Canada’s offense will affect most of the selections the Steelers’ make this low season. In Part One we looked at what Canada’s past tells us about the schemes he’s seemingly to make use of in Pittsburgh. Right here, we’ll take a look at the personnel required to execute them.

Common supervisor Kevin Colbert made an attention-grabbing assertion final week when he declared that the rollout of Canada’s system could be a gradual course of:

The half that caught my consideration was the place Colbert indicated it might be inconceivable to leap into Canada’s offense with the Steelers’ present personnel. As I discussed in Half One, Canada’s system stresses a number of teams and formations, a wide range of shifts and motions, assorted tempos, an emphasis on pocket motion and a play-action passing recreation. It’s a sharp divergence from the scheme former coordinator Randy Ficthner employed. Fichtner’s scheme was largely static, working predominantly from 11 personnel, limiting formations and motions and counting on Ben Roethlisberger to diagnose defenses and make selections. It’s no surprise Colbert sees the rollout as a gradual course of. It’s a big paradigm shift.

To make that shift, the Steelers should alter their personnel throughout the board. Right here’s a take a look at the ability place teams and the way the expertise available, in free company and within the draft may match Canada’s scheme.

Quarterback

Ben Roethlisberger’s agent introduced lately that his shopper will return subsequent season (there was no formal announcement from the staff). As he approaches age 39, Roethlisberger can nonetheless play soccer. He’s the most effective quarterback on the Steelers’ roster with out query. Nonetheless, at this level in his profession, his ability set may be very particular. When protected effectively, he can stand within the pocket and choose aside a protection. Past that, he’s restricted. He can not transfer round anymore, doesn’t like pre-snap motion or play-action, isn’t educated in RPOs and can’t throw the ball down the sphere constantly. In a distinct offense, with a greater run recreation and a greater line, his fashion can nonetheless work. In Pittsburgh in 2021, there are causes for concern.

Few of the weather of the brand new offense play to Roethlisberger’s strengths. Why hamstring Canada, then, by forcing him to work round Roethlisberger’s limitations? That is the proper time to respectfully bid him adieu and consider Mason Rudolph. Rudolph is probably not the best alternative however he’s higher suited to run Canada’s system. Moreover, a Roethlisberger return places Rudolph on the bench for the ultimate season of his rookie contract. The Steelers would then have to increase him or minimize him unfastened with out getting an sincere take a look at how he works with Canada. That makes little sense. The sensible transfer is to let Rudolph run the present for a yr, with both Dwayne Haskins or a low-priced veteran as his backup. If Rudolph exhibits promise, the Steelers can prolong him. If not, they’ll pursue their potential-franchise QB the next low season, when they are going to have the cap area and (seemingly) higher draft place to take action.

Roethlisberger’s return will imply Canada should tailor the offense to his strengths. It received’t be the offense he needs to run however Canada is a inventive coach and might discover frequent floor. Hopefully, Roethlisberger will meet him there.

Working Again

Ideally, the Steelers desire a versatile again for Canada’s system who can run energy schemes, get to the sting and catch the soccer. They will break up these duties amongst a number of backs however a single participant who can do all three would create better flexibility within the offense.

The Steelers present secure of backs lacks that participant. James Conner is essentially the most versatile and has the advantage of having performed for Canada at Pitt. However Conner will seemingly depart as a free agent. Jaylen Samuels and Anthony McFarland performed for Canada in school, too, however neither are suited to a function function. Benny Snell Jr. isn’t quick sufficient for Canada’s outdoors zone scheme and is finest as a complimentary participant.

This places Pittsburgh out there for a operating again. There isn’t a lot cash to signal free brokers, however that hasn’t stopped hypothesis they might pursue Inexperienced Bay’s Aaron Jones. Jones is the most effective again in the marketplace, nonetheless, and is prone to command round $14 million a season on his new deal. It appears unlikely the Steelers can afford him.

A less expensive different could be Arizona’s Kenyan Drake, who amassed 955 speeding yards and caught 25 passes final season. Drake isn’t fairly as explosive as Jones however possesses related capabilities as a runner and receiver. He’s 27 years previous and has carried the ball greater than 200 occasions in a season solely as soon as in his profession, that means his legs are nonetheless recent.

Cheaper nonetheless is Indianapolis’s Marlon Mack, who’s simply 24 and rushed for over 2,000 mixed yards in 2018-2019. Mack is on par with Jones when wholesome. Therein lies the rub. Mack missed all however one recreation in 2020 after tearing his ACL. That may drive down his worth in free company however will make him a dangerous funding, too.

Ought to the cash-strapped Steelers flip to the draft to fill their want, Alabama’s Najee Harris and Clemson’s Travis Etienne have each been talked about as potential targets. Harris can run the facility schemes Canada loves and might get to the sting on outdoors zone performs. He improved every year at Alabama as a receiver and is sufficient in cross safety. He could be extra of the every-down again the Steelers have historically favored.

Etienne isn’t an inside runner on Harris’s degree however is the extra explosive participant. He would seemingly be paired with Snell in a operating again rotation and may be utilized in a hybrid slot receiver/operating again function. Etienne’s pace (4.38 within the 40) would make him a fantastic candidate for jet sweeps, outdoors zone runs, fast screens and reverses. He could be a jack-of-all-trades within the Canada system.

The Steelers must use their first choose at 1/24 to seize Harris and maybe Etienne as effectively. Whether or not they would use that choose on a operating again is a moot topic ought to they signal one of many free brokers. My choice is Mack, who I imagine is well worth the danger and who, after taking part in in Indy’s system, which employs most of the extensive zone and play-action ideas Canada favors, could be well-acclimated to the offense. Signing Mack would give the Steelers the versatile again Canada craves whereas assuaging the necessity to spend a first-round choose on the place. If the Steelers signal one free agent this low season, Mack could be a fantastic alternative.

Tight Finish

With Vance McDonald retiring, Eric Ebron will nearly definitely return for a second marketing campaign. Ebron had some points with drops in 2020 however turned in an honest season regardless of not being utilized correctly. His best worth appeared to be as a field-stretching tight finish whose capability to get down the seam would open up the center. As an alternative, he was relegated to easy flat, stick and crossing routes because the vertical passing recreation disappeared.

Canada’s penchant for play-action restores Ebron’s worth. His dimension and mobility make him ultimate to slide behind linebackers who soar at ball-fakes or to focus on on late-releases off of bootlegs. Ebron isn’t a better blocker, although, so including a decent finish with blocking credentials is critical.

The participant the Steelers ought to goal on this sense is Tennessee free agent MyCole Pruitt. Pruitt is a banger at 6’2-250 who helped the Titans forge among the finest speeding assaults within the league the previous few seasons. He caught simply 20 passes in three years in Tennessee however did file 4 touchdowns and might be helpful as a purple zone goal. He shouldn’t be notably costly in a free agent market that features sexier tight ends like Hunter Henry, Jared Prepare dinner and Jonnu Smith. Pruitt could be a pleasant plug-and-play praise to Ebron and would give the Steelers their most bodily blocking tight finish since Heath Miller.

Broad Receiver

Juju Smith-Schuster’s return is uncertain. Nonetheless, the Steelers have a trio of receivers in Chase Claypool, Diontae Johnson and James Washington who type a strong nucleus.

Canada’s emphasis on the vertical passing recreation bodes effectively for Claypool and Washington, every of whom are good deep-ball receivers on the surface. Johnson predominantly performs outdoors too however might even see extra time within the slot if Smith-Schuster departs. Johnson’s quickness and exact route-running makes him the logical candidate to maneuver inside when Canada needs his three finest receivers on the sphere collectively.

Canada will most likely foyer for a real slot within the combine as effectively. He likes a flexible participant in that spot who can run and catch. At Pitt, he used receiver Quadree Henderson as a de facto operating again from the slot place. Henderson had 60 carries and averaged 10.5 yards per rush in 2016 on an array of reverses, jet sweeps and devices.

The Steelers might keep in-house for that function by re-signing Ray Ray McCloud, who’s a restricted free agent and prone to come low-cost. Henderson and McCloud are related in pace, stature and skill. They might additionally fill this function by means of the draft. They’re unlikely to take a receiver early and can most likely search for one within the center rounds. They reportedly met with Auburn speedster Anthony Schwartz, a projected mid-round choose, whose pace and flexibility make him engaging within the Henderson function. Different intriguing choices embrace South Carolina’s Shi Smith, who’s a shifty slot participant; Demetric Felton of UCLA, a hybrid operating again/receiver who may very well be a poor man’s Etienne; and D’Wayne Eskridge, one other slot candidate from Western Michigan.

Eskridge is a reputation to keep watch over. He performed outdoors at WMU however, as a 5’10-190 pound former 100-meter sprint champion, is healthier suited to the slot within the NFL. He’s a transformed defensive again and nonetheless a bit uncooked however is fast off the ball and possesses breakaway pace. The Steelers might very effectively have their eye on Eskridge given their want within the slot and their affinity for gamers from the MAC.

Abstract

Canada’s system begins with the quarterback. If it’s Rudolph, we are going to see a sooner rollout. If it’s Roethlisberger, we might get one thing extra like Canada Lite. I’ve stated my piece and can root for the most effective it doesn’t matter what the staff decides.

Past the QB, the Steelers want a flexible again to switch Conner, a bodily tight finish to go with Ebron and a dynamic slot participant to be a Swiss Military knife. Given their fiscal constraints, they don’t seem to be prone to purchase the best gamers instantly. However with sensible drafting and cap administration, they’ll discover viable items to debut the brand new offense.

The larger rebuild is prone to happen up entrance, the place the Steelers struggled mightily final season. Within the remaining installment of this collection, we’ll take a look at how the offensive line may be restructured to accommodate Canada’s system.