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Connor Heyward

Steelers’ Connor Heyward In Line For Increased Offensive Role?

June 27th, 2023 at 1:07pm CST by Adam La Rose

The conversation surrounding the Steelers’ array of skill-position players leaves little room for mention of Connor Heyward. The versatile fullback/tight end could be featured more prominently in the team’s offense this season compared to 2022, however.

The 24-year-old logged an offensive snap share of 15% as a rookie last year, a much lower usage rate than his 65% split on special teams. The same was true of traditional fullback Derek Watt, whose contract expired in March and has yet to find a new deal with Pittsburgh or another team. As a result, Heyward – the brother of Steelers All-Pro defensive tackle Cameron Heyward – could see an uptick in playing time.

The former sixth-rounder recorded 27 yards on two carries in his rookie campaign, adding 12 receptions for 151 yards and one touchdown. He has built off that production with a strong showing in the offseason, per ESPN’s Brooke Pryor. If that continues into training camp and the preseason, Heyward could find himself occupying a full-time fullback role, one the Steelers may elect not to keep moving forward. In that event, he would represent depth in the backfield for a team which could be contemplating a thin RB contingent.

Additionally, Heyward’s skillset could be put to use at the tight end spot. Pittsburgh already has Pat Freiermuth, Zach Gentry and third-round rookie Darnell Washington in place at that position, with the latter in particular being known for his blocking prowess. Heyward could still see himself used as a TE in certain packages though, especially if the team looks for new ways to get him on the field in light of the added chemistry shown between he and quarterback Kenny Pickett during the spring.

Expectations will be raised for the Steelers on offense heading into the 2023 campaign. Pickett being firmly entrenched as the starter, signficant investments made during free agency and the draft along the O-line as well as the addition of Allen Robinson to the team’s WR room should give the unit more upside. Part of its success, however, could be determined by the performance of Heyward while handling a larger workload.

Could Steelers Keep Only Two RBs On Roster?

June 23rd, 2023 at 7:38pm CST by Ely Allen

In 2022, five running backs (including one fullback) recorded carries for the Steelers offense. Starter Najee Harris and then-rookie Jaylen Warren accounted for 91 percent of those carries (349 of 384 total). The next two most-active carriers, Benny Snell and Derek Watt, are currently free agents, while Anthony McFarland is on a reserve/futures contract after spending last season on the team’s practice squad. All signs are pointing to an offense heavily featuring Harris and Warren, but is it possible that Pittsburgh would go so far as to only keep two running backs on their roster going into the 2023 season? Mark Kaboly of The Athletic seems to think so. Let’s break it down.

First of all, the name of the game for NFL running backs these days is “youth.” With a 25-year-old Harris heading into his third NFL season and a 24-year-old Warren heading into his second, the Steelers may be better set up than any team to roll confidently with two backs for a full season. Harris hasn’t missed a game since entering the NFL, and after leading the NFL in touches as a rookie, he shouldered another heavy load last year with the sixth-most touches in the league.

Warren wasn’t asked to do much in his rookie season. He only averaged about five carries per game, but despite playing less than half the number of snaps as Harris, Warren showed he has potential catching out of the backfield. He recorded 15 fewer receiving yards than Harris, but Warren averaged 7.6 yards per catch to Harris’s 5.6. He fits as an ideal relief back for Harris who can slide in on passing downs when needed. He hasn’t shown that he can carry the team if needed, but neither has any other back on their roster. Plus, Harris hasn’t put Pittsburgh in that position yet during his short career.

McFarland is struggling to hold on to a roster spot in Pittsburgh. After appearing in 11 games as a rookie in 2020, McFarland has only appeared in three games in the two seasons since. The team waived him in its final roster cuts before last season, negating his four-year rookie contract, before signing him to the practice squad and, eventually, a futures contract.

Pittsburgh also signed running back Jason Huntley to a futures contract this offseason after he spent the 2022 season on the practice squad. Huntley has 18 career carries for the Eagles over his first two years in the league but didn’t contribute at all to the Steelers offense last year.

Additionally, the team signed three undrafted free agents: small school backs Darius Hagans out of Virginia State and Alfonzo Graham out of Morgan State as well as Iowa fullback Monte Pottebaum. Hagans and Graham put up strong 2022 seasons for the Trojans and Bears, respectively, but neither is really considered a big threat to push Warren for backup or receiving back duties. Pottebaum was a distinguished scholar at Iowa and a strong special teams contributor.

Of all the above-mentioned backs, McFarland and Pottebaum have the strongest cases for making the 53-man roster with Harris and Warren. Special teams coordinator Danny Smith reportedly has a number of holes to fill in his units, but if he can do so without McFarland or Pottebaum, their chances of making the team will plummet.

Pottebaum has the added opportunity of solidifying himself as a true fullback, filling the void left by Watt. Even that’s not a sure thing, though, as tight end Connor Heyward could always revert back to that role, if needed. Before playing his redshirt senior season and his rookie NFL season at tight end, Heyward spent four years at Michigan State as a stout running back. If the Steelers decided to utilize his blocking and receiving abilities in a fullback/H-back type of role, they may continue to carry four tight ends on the roster in lieu of a third running back.

So, there you have it. As insane as it may seem in today’s NFL, the Steelers may be well on their way to carrying only two running backs on their 53-man roster. They fully trust Harris and Warren to carry out the duties of the room between them, and they can always cheat a little by borrowing a bit from the tight end room, if necessary.

Latest On Steelers’ TE Competition

July 1st, 2022 at 10:15am CST by Adam La Rose

The Steelers are set at the top of the depth chart when it comes to the tight end position, but there could be an intriguing competition for backup roles. Training camp and the preseason will dictate the futures of several players on the roster bubble, including Jace Sternbeger. 

The 26-year-old was highly acclaimed coming out of college, after he earned All-American honors in his lone season at Texas A&M. That led to significant expectations when he was drafted in the third round of the 2019 draft by the Packers, but he has yet to live up to them. After a catch-less rookie season, he took only a small step forward in 2020 with 114 yards on 12 receptions.

That limited production, compounded by a two-game suspension to start the 2021 season, led to his release from Green Bay. He spent the remainder of the campaign on the practice squads of the Seahawks, Commanders and Steelers. His current home features standout performer Pat Freiermuth and top blocker Zach Gentry on the roster, who represent part of the reason that Sterberger faces “an uphill battle” to make the 53-man roster, according to Mark Kaboly of The Athletic (subscription required).

Another factor is the way rookie hybrid fullback/tight end Connor Heyward has been used in practice so far. Kaboly notes that he has taken snaps exclusively at tight end, leaving Derek Watt to operate as a full-time fullback. That also raises his chances of catching on as the team’s No. 3 tight end, ahead of Sternberger and Kevin Rader. The younger brother of teammate Cameron Heyward, the Michigan State product totalled 825 rushing yards and five touchdowns in college, adding 711 yards and another six scores in the passing game.

With many of the top skill-position pieces in place for the Steelers, the remainder of the offseason will prove pivotal as they establish the tight end pecking order, particularly at the bottom of the depth chart.