Steelers news: Zach Frazier plaudits, trading Russell Wilson and Injury management

The sentiment around the Pittsburgh Steelers is that Mike Tomlin’s ship would soon hit an iceberg even the defense couldn’t steer them around. While everything seemed rosy, their 2-0 record came at the expense of a Falcons offense still trying to scheme around a quarterback recovering from a torn Achilles that still affected Kirk Cousins’ ability to drive off his back foot and a Broncos squad devoid of talent.

After two weeks of open-book quizzes, Week 3 against Justin Herbert and the league’s top-scoring defense was their toughest test yet in this young season — they passed with a 20-10 win. In the aftermath, hyperbole surrounding Justin Fields’ improved play, Russell Wilson’s availability in the trade market, the locker room ICU, and a pair of rookie offensive linemen whose seasons are heading in opposite directions are the storylines running amok in Steeler country this week. 

Steelers news: Buy Justin Fields stock or sell Russell Wilson stock at its peak?

After three seasons of thrilling athletic feats that were drowned out by below-starter-grade efficacy as a passer, Justin Fields had become your standard reclamation project.

If you thought that expectations would be tempered after he was traded to Pittsburgh and relegated to understudy for the 2024 season, you thought wrong. Just as the Sam Darnold doomsday cult marches to the belief that this short sample size is proof that he was worth the investment all along, so goes the Fields tribe. 

The chatter surrounding Justin Fields has always been a train moving faster than the speed of hype. It’s approaching fever pitch territory after NFL insider Adam Schefter stirred the pot by speculating that Russell Wilson could be available in a trade. 

It might be prudent to scale back on investing too heavily in the soaring Fields stock bubble. 

Chief among Fields’ evangelists is former head coach Rex Ryan, who has been gushing about his potential, per Sports Illustrated:

"Now he becomes one of the most scariest players in the National Football League. When you talk about that athlete now he’s becoming a better quarterback than athlete — when you’re thinking about it in the past, you’re thinking — I’m not saying he’s Steve Young, but it’s Steve Young. It took time to develop. And when you hit on these guys, you hit with a spectacular player. I always called him the future, because I thought this guy’s future was unbelievable and you know what? It looks like it’s going to be.”

In context, the quote isn’t as hyperbolic as you’d think, but it’s just one of a cacophony of Fields crusaders who are sliding headfirst into Fields’ camp after he finished last among qualified quarterbacks in fourth-quarter interceptions, 36th in completion percentage (56.2 percent) and 33rd in QBR (41.4) among NFL starters.  

In the first three games of 2024, Fields has improved to play more in line with a middle-of-the-road starter who he is and taking advantage of more often to the tune of the 21st-ranked QBR while being graded on a superstar curve.

Steelers news: Can Mike Tomlin do triage?

Prior to Sunday's win, rookie first-round pick Troy Fautanu was placed on injured reserve. During the game, Alex Highsmith pulled a groin muscle for the second time in two months. Jaylen Warren was pulled at halftime, and on Monday, Najee Harris arrived at the practice facility with his arm in a sling. 

Harris’ unique size and strength has been instrumental to the offensive gameplan, but his availability has been vital for Fields. On Sunday, his power running between the tackles sealed their win over the Los Angeles Chargers away. 

Warren has been rehabbing a hamstring ailment since training camp, and per ESPN’s Brooke Pryor, Tomlin pulled Warren in the third frame after noticing that he wasn’t “running smoothly” throughout the first half Sunday.

Tomlin is expected to address the nature of Harris’ injury on Tuesday at noon, but the visual is extremely concerning if Warren’s MRI on his knee finds something detrimental. 

Gadget-back Cordarrelle Patterson received a larger share of the load in the wake of Warren’s exit and his usage could explode further if Harris gets ruled out for any period of time. There aren't many 33-year-old 6-foot-2 feature tailbacks, but that may be where the Steelers are forced to turn unless they sign a vet off the street in time for Sunday Night Football or science discovers how to turn back the clock.

Harris’ injury may turn out to be a nothing-burger, and the fact that he finished Sunday’s win indicates it could be, but the growing list of starters in street clothes(or in slings) is a tough look for the Steelers this early in such a fortuitous season. 

Steelers news: Troy Fautanu and Zach Frazier’s rookie campaigns couldn’t have started more differently

The aforementioned Troy Fautanu’s trip to the IR on Friday may have more unexpected consequences.

On the offensive line, losing Fautanu for a significant portion of the season is a disappointing setback for a promising rookie, it has streamlined things at tackle. Broderick Jones had been cross-training at right and left tackle, enduring ups and downs throughout the preseason and into the regular season. 

It looked momentarily like Jones had lost his starting role after the planned rotation at right tackle in Week 2 turned into a disappointing performance. Jones committed three penalties in six plays and was benched after one series in Denver. He was expecting to have to earn his way into the good graces of the coaching staff at practice and in a rotational role.

But Fautanu went down Friday in practice, giving Jones an early chance to redeem himself as he stepped back into a starting role. He was mostly solid during Sunday’s win over the Chargers. In 35 pass-blocking snaps, he allowed one sack, two pressures and one hurry, according to Pro Football Focus, while committing no penalties. Barring another injury, he’ll now have the opportunity to work through some of his growing pains while focusing mostly on right tackle.

Throwing Fautanu onto the IR this early into his rookie campaign to thrust Jones back into the fire isn’t what Omar Khan and the Steelers had in mind when Fautanu was drafted at the 20th overall pick back in April. On the other hand, rookie second-round Zach Frazier has been sensational and has been lauded over the past three weeks. 

Pro Football Focus isn’t alone in its appreciation of Frazier. Longtime Steelers center of yesteryear Maurkice Pouncey also drooled over the rookie’s game tape.

"I met this kid, and I’ve been watching him play football in West Virginia. I think he’s going to be a solid kid. Man, he’s going to be great. I’ve seen a couple of pancakes,” Pouncey said on Ben Roethlisberger’s podcast, Footbahlin.

Pouncey has seen many quality players come through Pittsburgh during his time with the organization. He knew the footsteps he was following in the pantheon of Steelers centers. Even if the Steelers had a hiccup between Pouncey and Fraizer, it feels like Frazier is the answer to the Steelers’ woes at that position over the last three seasons.

"The game will slow down for him as he grows, but he has all the physical and mental abilities to be a great football player. Omar [Khan] came and had me personally go talk to him, so obviously, the Steelers think highly of him. I’m on board with him, 100%,” Pouncey said.

From Pouncey’s mouth to Pittsburgh fan’s ears, those are some confidence-building words from a man who played the position at such a high level for so long. Unlike Clark’s praise of Fields, which seems rooted in Fields' pedigree as a former top-5 pick rather than his on-field performance, Pouncey’s compliments show how it’s done by being measured in his adoration without invoking Hall of Famers. It may be too early to guarantee Frazier’s long-term future, but if his projections continue to match his PFF evaluations, the Steelers have solved their revolving door at center. Now there’s just the matter of determining who he’ll be snapping to for the remainder of 2024.