The Pittsburgh Steelers are currently sitting at 1-4 through the first five weeks of the 2022 NFL season. Right now, it has been hard to find much optimism around their rest-of-season outlook fresh off their worst loss since 1989, losing 38-3 against the Buffalo Bills this past Sunday.
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin on the sideline of Sunday's 38-3 loss at Buffalo | Credit: Jared Wickerham/Pittsburgh Steelers
However, even with the Steelers struggling to get into the win column, there is still a silver lining that means the future could be bright. That is that the Steelers' 2022 draft class is already making a pretty strong impact on their games.
The team's first and second-round picks, QB Kenny Pickett and WR George Pickens are already making their marks on the offense. Both of them are currently locked into starting roles, and while the sample size is small, both of them have performed well to this point.
In addition to both Pickett and Pickens, DE DeMarvin Leal has been able to contribute in a slightly more limited role. Leal has continued to see his playing time grow as the season progresses, playing ~40% of the defensive snaps over the last two weeks. In those snaps, he has been used more frequently as a pass rusher and provided a little bit of juice with two QB pressures over the last two weeks.
Having three rookies already making an impact this early in the season has its pros and cons. It is good to see them contributing and showing promise as players this early in their NFL careers, but it is also a testament to the lack of depth and/or higher-end talent the Steelers have on their roster.
Steelers' May Have To Look To More Rookies To Help On Offense
In addition to these three rookies being able to contribute this early on, two other rookies are looking to make contributions this week on the offensive side of the ball. Both TE Connor Heyward and WR Calvin Austin III could potentially be in positions to help Pickett this upcoming Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Heyward has been a steady contributor on special teams this season, but he didn't contribute much on offense until this past Sunday nearly doubling his offensive snap total on the season. This extra opportunity was due to both Pat Freiermuth and Zach Gentry having to leave the game with injuries. These injuries could potentially keep them out of this week's game as well, opening the door for Heyward to have a larger role on offense. With Pickett being the starter, there might be a familiar connection there from the two working heavily together this summer.
Here is what Heyward had to say about him potentially getting a larger role this week in the offense and playing with Pickett.
"Me and Kenny came together, and we went through minicamp, installs, all this together, so we learned at the same rate. It's always been cool to go out there with Kenny. You have George [Pickens] out there, having Calvin [Austin] practicing, and you know, DeMarvin Leal out there. Just seeing all the rookies out there has been cool. We all want to make plays and do whatever the coaches want us to do, and wear the Steelers jersey proud and make Steeler Nation proud," Heyward said.
If both Freiermuth and Gentry were to miss the game this Sunday, Steeler Nation should expect to see Heyward moved around the formation a lot and not used in the typical fashion the offense utilizes tight ends.
Steelers receiver Calvin Austin turns up field after catching a pass at training camp / Credit: Jordan Schofield | SteelerNation (JSKO_PHOTO)
In addition to Heyward, Austin has the potential to make his NFL debut this week after spending the first five weeks on IR due to a foot injury. There were few players that Steeler Nation noticed more at practice this summer than Austin, as he continuously made highlight plays when on the field.
Last week the team designated Austin to return and opened his 21-day practice window, which by the end he either has to be activated off of IR or left on IR and his season would be over. Being only one week into practicing, this might be a bit optimistic to see him get his NFL debut, but Austin is staying ready and waiting for the Steelers to call his name. Below are his comments about being ready for game action and what he believes he can bring to the Steelers offense.
"I think I can bring a speed element to open up some 1 on 1s, can create some mismatches, and obviously when I get the ball in my hands I feel I can be a playmaker," Austin III said.
The Steelers definitely could use someone with Austin's speed and playmaking ability, as they currently rank in the bottom third of the league in plays of 20+ yards. Explosive plays have been an element that the Steelers' offense has been missing for some time now, as they finished in the bottom five in this category last year as well.
One thing is for certain, the Steelers are relying heavily on their 2022 draft class to make an impact this season. Whether or not that is a good thing or not, only time will tell as they continue to develop and show their capabilities.
What do you think about the Steelers potentially adding two more rookies into the mix on offense this week? Let us know in the comments below.
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