Analyst, former scout explain why they're high on 2024 Steelers

NFL Network analyst Bucky Brooks is among those who think the Pittsburgh Steelers could make plenty of positive noise during the 2024 season regardless of who starts for the club at quarterback between Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. 

"The Pittsburgh Steelers are the squad," Brooks said during an appearance on NFL Network's "Total Access" program about the four teams competing to win the AFC North division title this coming season, per Ross McCorkle of Steelers Depot. "The one thing we know, the Steelers are almost always going to be in the tournament. That's what they do. They always have winning seasons...and what they've done is they've been able to do a makeover while they can go back to the brand, meaning the guys they brought in -- toughness, physicality, smarts -- all work."

New Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith was expected to feature a run-heavy scheme even before the club acquired Washington offensive tackle Troy Fautanu and West Virginia center Zach Frazier during the draft last month. Fautanu and Frazier both should be Week 1 starters who make life easier for Smith and for Pittsburgh's QB1. 

"The Steelers are ready to get back to their style of football," Brooks continued. "...I believe that at the end of the year, we're gonna be talking about the Pittsburgh Steelers being the cream of the crop in the AFC North."

Former Steelers backup quarterback Mason Rudolph won three consecutive starts late this past campaign to guide the club to a playoff berth and ensure that head coach Mike Tomlin would continue his remarkable run of zero losing seasons since 2007. 

While many believe the current Steelers need to add a big-play wide receiver to their roster to compete for more than just a trip to the postseason, former NFL scout Matt Manocherian disagreed with such individuals. 

"I do worry in some ways about exactly how the quarterback situation's gonna shake out for them," Manocherian said about the Steelers during an appearance on "The Lombardi Line" podcast, according to Matthew Marczi of Steelers Depot. "But when I look at them, what I like is a bit of a return to Steelers football. Really trying to beat you up on the offensive line and realizing that you don't have to bring in all these receivers and bells and whistles to build an offense if you can shove it down a team's throat."

It's unclear if running backs Jaylen Warren and Najee Harris will both be with the Steelers when the regular season gets underway in September. 

Manocherian indicated that keeping Warren and Harris in the backfield would make "the quarterback's job easier" even though the identity of that starter is unknown to outsiders this spring.