With just hours left until the 2024 NFL Trade Deadline closed, it appeared as though the Pittsburgh Steelers would let the moment go by without making a move. Instead, the Steelers brought in two new faces to go with the players returning from injury ahead of Week 10. The question now is: how much of an impact will the new and now-healthy pieces have against the Washington Commanders?
New Receiver Ready For Debut
Despite a 6-2 record coming off the bye, the Pittsburgh Steelers are still a work in progress. One area that needed to be focused on more than others regarding the trade market was the wide receiver group. If your name isn’t George Pickens (548 receiving yards, 35 catches, one touchdown), you are considered an underachieving pass-catcher in Pittsburgh. That is why Williams has the chance to be an immediate contributor in Arthur Smith’s offense, especially with Russell Wilson spreading the ball around. Washington’s fifth-best pass defense in the NFL means an uphill climb for Williams in his Pittsburgh Steelers debut.
After spending his first seven seasons with the Los Angeles Rams, Williams joined Aaron Rodgers on the New York Jets with underwhelming results (12 catches, 166 yards, no touchdowns). The Pittsburgh Steelers sent the Jets a 2025 fifth-round draft pick to give Williams a fresh start in black and gold. While his 2024 numbers aren’t impressive, they already make him the second-highest-producing receiver on Pittsburgh’s roster. He won’t suddenly turn the Pittsburgh Steelers into the “Greatest Show on Turf,“ but he is a solid addition to a team with genuine confidence heading into a brutal second-half half stretch of the 2024 campaign.
Pittsburgh Steelers Rule Out Nick Herbig
Unfortunately, the excitement about Nick Herbig’s possible return from injury must be contained for the moment. While the linebacker looked ready to have a healthy week of practice, it only proved that he was close, and that is not enough for the Pittsburgh Steelers to risk his future availability. It would have been a boost for the pass rush rotation that includes TJ Watt and Alex Highsmith. However, there is a silver lining that should give fans a reason to breathe a little easier, even with Herbig on the sidelines against the Commanders: Preston Smith.
Smith isn’t Herbig; that is a fact, and no one should expect the incredible splash results that Herbig thrives on to be replicated by the nearly 32-year-old defender. That being said, with Herbig out for another week, Smith does provide that experienced spell linebacker for either Watt or Highsmith. Especially if the two starting edge rushers switch sides like they did against the New York Giants because the more rested Watt can be for the final stretch of games, the better.
Do-It-All Man Returns
Cordarrelle Patterson has the most kickoffs returned for touchdowns in NFL history (nine), but he also plays receiver, running back, and pretty much whatever Smith schemes up during the week. The do-it-all player was with the Atlanta Falcons for all three seasons when Smith was the team’s head coach (2021-2023), but injuries have hampered the 2024 reunion. The lack of receiving weapons was an issue during the games he missed, so having both Williams and Patterson back would give Wilson a slew of options to utilize.
Jaylen Warren’s 2024 season began slowly due to injuries, leading to Patterson being called upon to back up Najee Harris against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 4. Patterson suffered an ankle injury during Pittsburgh’s 27-24 loss to the Colts and hasn’t played since. The electric playmaker should be fully back against the Commanders, and it is the perfect time for an x-factor like Patterson to return to the lineup. Washington (7-2) is just the start of a daunting gauntlet that doesn’t end until the 2024 regular season does. That means every single piece will need to contribute if the Pittsburgh Steelers’ success is to continue.
Final Thoughts
Zach Frazier’s positive week of practice paid off, and the standout rookie center will start against Washington. An ankle injury in Week 6 against the Las Vegas Raiders kept Frazier out, and the perfectly timed bye week gave him additional time to ensure he was ready to go. Frazier’s injury aligns with the storyline for Pittsburgh’s offensive line during the challenging 2024 campaign. Three starting offensive linemen lost for the season (Nate Herbig, Troy Fautanu, and James Daniels), plus both Frazier and Isaac Seumalo have missed time. With Harris on a career-best streak, Frazier’s return should keep that rolling.
The goal for the Pittsburgh Steelers during the first eight games of 2024 was to stockpile wins. Everyone in the league knows how daunting the Pittsburgh Steelers remaining schedule is, so the healthier the roster is, the deeper this team can go. While Williams and Smith are new additions and will take some time to find their respective roles, Pittsburgh’s 2024 campaign is a moving training. That means the returning healthy players must match that momentum as they return to doing their thing. Washington is a legitimate way to determine if the Steelers can be contenders, and it’s all hands on deck.
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