Steelers grades after 8 weeks Offense failing following 2-6 start defense satisfactory | Forum

The ' actions prior to Tuesday's trade deadline tells you everything you need to know about how their 2022 season has gone so far.Pittsburgh traded away receiver, the team's rookie of the year just two seasons ago, to the in exchange for a 2023 second-round pick. While the move is a sign of where the 2-6 Steelers are eight games into the season, the Steelers' acquisition of cornerback before the deadline signified their resolve as it relates to trying to put together a roster that can win on a weekly basis.That may be true, but the fact remains that the Steelers are a franchise that is clearly focused on the future. That's what happens when you're a last-place team that is starting a rookie quarterback. With the Steelers embarking on their bye week, here's a look at the grades each facet of the team received after eight weeks. As you can imagine, this is not a report card for the refrigerator.Sans and the occasional sightings, it was a forgettable eight weeks for the rest of the Steelers offense. The only other Deven Marrero Jersey true positive has been the emergence of undrafted rookie running back , who is averaging a full 2 yards per carry more than starter . Harris' struggles aren't entirely on him, as the former first-round pick is playing within an offense that does not tailor to his strengths. Harris is also running behind an offensive line that has made little to no strides this season despite several new faces. The line's struggles have also made life difficult for quarterbacks Mitchell Trubisky and . Pickett, who took over for Trubisky five weeks ago, was sacked six times in last Sunday's blowout lo s Bryce Jarvis Jersey in Philadelphia. In regards to Pickett, it's hard to evaluate a rookie quarterback who has been put in the situation he is currently in (more on that later). PIT QB #8 CMP%67.9YDs962TD2INT8YD/Att5.83 The Steelers receivers haven't had banner seasons, either. has struggled to live up to his new contract. Pickens has made plays but has not gotten nearly enough targets. With Claypool gone, it will be up to and to pick up the slack. Pick Six Newsletter Crafted By The Best NFL Experts Get the day's big stories + fun stuff you love like mock drafts, picks and power rankings. I agree to receive the "Pick Six Newsletter" and marketing communications, updates, special offers (including partner offers), and other information from CBS Sports and the Paramount family of companies. By pre sing sign up, I confirm that I have read and agree to the and acknowledge Paramount's . Please check the opt-in box to acknowledge that you would like to subscribe. Thanks for signing up! Keep an eye on your inbox. Sorry! There was an error proce sing your subscription. Consistency is the biggest i sue here. The defense will play winning football one week (as it did against Tampa Bay in Week 6) and will look completely outmatched another week (see Sunday in Philadelphia). Then, there are games like Week 7 in Miami, where Pittsburgh's defense played well but did not make enough splash plays Patrick Corbin Jersey to deliver victory. Like the offense, several individuals on defense have had solid seasons to this point. has proven to be a good offseason acquisition. has played well, although Sunday's lo s in Philadelphia was not one of his better days. Cam Heyward continues to produce, while has built off last year's solid campaign with another strong start to 2022. has enjoyed an uptick in performance after a rough 2021.The unit's best player so far might be , who has a team-high 6.5 sacks. Highsmith has continued to produce despite the absence of , who is expected to return after the bye week. The addition of Jackson should also help a secondary that was exposed in Philadelphia following solid outings in Miami and against Tampa Bay. PIT OLB #90 It's been an up-and-down season for , who mi sed four field goals during the season's first two months. It should be noted that two of those mi ses occurred in windy Buffalo during Pittsburgh's 35-point lo s to the in early October. Olszewski has been a disappointment. The former All-Pro returner's muffed punt against his former team cost the Steelers a win in Week 2. Sims, who made the initial 53-man roster after a solid preseason, has the Steelers' signature special teams play of the season so far with his 89-yard kickoff return against Tampa Bay in Week 6.Even great coaches can have bad seasons. That appears to the case so far for Mike Tomlin, a likely future Hall of Famer who has struggled to get the most out of this team. Tomlin hasn't helped himself by not committing to a quarterback from the start. By not doing that, neither Trubisky or Pickett was given a true opportunity to succeed.Trubisky took most of the reps -- but not all -- during training camp. And by not naming him the clear-cut starter, Tomlin inadvertently set Trubisky up for failure. Pickett, a former Pitt star, was cheered each time he saw playing time in camp and during the preseason. Chants for Pickett ensued any time Trubisky did something the hometown fans disapproved of during the Steelers' first two home games. The fans ultimately got what they wanted when Tomlin pulled the plug on the Trubisky era after three-plus games. Pickett, who did not receive any first-team snaps during the first month of the season, was all of sudden thrown into the starting lineup against live NFL defenses. As you can expect, it hasn't worked out for the first-round pick. Pickett often looks outmatched and overwhelmed. He has Rob Refsnyder Jersey two touchdowns against eight interceptions that include two ugly interceptions that sewed up Pittsburgh's Week 7 lo s in Miami.Pickett remained in the lineup despite suffering a head injury that briefly sent Trubisky back into the mix. Trubisky played well in relief duty while closing out the Steelers' win over Tampa Bay. But instead of staying with Trubisky in Miami and giving Pickett another week of rest, the Steelers went back to the rookie, who led Pittsburgh's offense to just 10 points.Tomlin and Co. will continue to ride with Pickett, who now has one le s option to throw to with Claypool in Chicago. It's not an ideal situation for anyone, especially for the rookie quarterback and a coach who is in jeopardy of recording his first losing season. While a rebuilding season may not have been avoidable, it certainly could have been handled better. Decades ago, Hall of Fame coach Bill Parcells famously offered the quote, "You are what your record says Daniel Descalso Jersey you are" when asked about his team's mark. That quote is applicable to the 2022 Steelers, who are a few plays from being 5-3 instead of 2-6. At 5-3, the Steelers would be tied with the for first place in the AFC North. But as it currently stands, the Steelers are last place in the AFC North.Watt's injury in Week 1 was a blow that undoubtedly cost the Steelers a few games. But the team's overall weakne ses on the offensive line, offensive play-calling and the handling of the quarterback position has ultimately been the difference between being a playoff contending team and a team that is looking into the future, while trying to salvage the present.