Teams like the Steelers need the little things in games executed more consistently. Of course, the offense needs to be better and the defense better live up to the billing of being one of the highest-paid units in the league. But, the special teams component can still play a large enough role that can make everything easier all around.
Welcome to the eighth and final edition of our 2023 Steelers positional preview, in which we will break down and preview each position on the roster to get you ready for that wonderful first training camp practice at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe.
Throughout this series, we've taken a look back at how each position fared in 2022, how that position was addressed in the offseason and wrap up with how it looks heading into 2023. Of course, the roster can still go through some changes between now and when the roster is cut down to 53 players. But, this will help give you a better understanding of how the team is shaping up heading into the season and how realistic it is for them to get back to a playoff chase or maybe even a division title.
We've already knocked out each component of the offense in four parts of this series, and the last three installments have broken down each level of the defense. Now, we're going to take a closer look at the special teams and why it's important for the Steelers' success in 2023.
2022 IN REVIEW
Riding the coattails of making at least 90% of his field goals in three consecutive seasons, the Steelers rewarded Chris Boswell with a four-year, $20-million contract. That made Boswell the highest-paid kicker in NFL history, although it was short lived until Baltimore's Justin Tucker got his massive contract extension just one week later.
Nevertheless, the Steelers invested top-of-the-line money in Boswell because he had grown into one of the league's most accurate kickers, despite a horrid 2018 season that was considered an outlier. In a division where every point matters, having a guy that can essentially guarantee points on just about any drive that goes beyond the opponents' 40-yard line is extremely valuable.
Boswell's 2022 season did not go anywhere near as planned. He made only 20 of 28 field goal attempts, ranking dead last in conversion percentage among qualifying kickers. Needless to say, Boswell performed far below expectations.
Boswell suffered a groin injury in the middle of the season, causing him to miss five games. However, in speaking with Boswell, he was adamant that the injury wasn't the reason for a very up and down, inconsistent season.
Regardless of any reason for his performance, the Steelers missed out on some points in crucial games, including a blocked attempt in the Steelers' 16-14 loss to the Ravens at home. And, we know now that another win elsewhere on the schedule would have thrust the Steelers into the playoffs.
Certainly, that game or any other was not solely on Boswell. The offense was simply not good enough in or around the red zone, and it's ultimately the offense's primary responsibility to score points. But, Boswell didn't give them an automatic out for three points every time a drive stalled in field goal range.
Pressley Harvin III went into his second season aiming for more consistency, going into training camp 35-40 pounds lighter than he was in 2021. And, while in Latrobe, Harvin certainly looked like he was on the verge of a significant step froward.
In some ways, Harvin was a bit more consistent, and not having to deal with tragic loss of life in his family the way he did in 2021 certainly helped. The shanks were fewer and farther between. And, he had the occasional punt that would remind everyone why he was a seventh-round pick, like this one in a clutch situation:
In case you don't remember, this punt came in the waning minutes of the Week 13 victory over the Falcons. The Steelers had to trust the defense to win this one, and Harvin's gorgeous punt pinned the Falcons deep, making any attempt at a fourth-quarter comeback much more difficult.
While Harvin was less erratic, he wasn't quite as consistent as the Steelers needed him to be. There were too many yards given away in special teams, and you seldom go through a weekly Mike Tomlin press conference without hearing him stress the importance of field position.
In the return game, Gunner Olszewski came to Pittsburgh on a two-year contract with some pedigree as a returner, earning first team All-Pro honors in 2020. Olszewski unsurprisingly won return duties out during the preseason, but lost the job very quickly when fumbles became a serious issue. The most costly was in the home opener against the Patriots in Week 2, when he muffed a punt deep in Steelers' territory, giving the ball to the Patriots in the red zone. New England wound up scoring a touchdown, and the Steelers lost the game by three points. Do the math.
Tomlin turned to training camp standout Steven Sims, and he never relinquished the job. Sims was electric at times, both in kick and punt returns. While he wasn't able to punch any into the end zone, his 89-yard kick return to start the second half against the Buccaneers aided in a much needed victory to end the team's four-game losing streak.
Overall, the Steelers' special teams in 2022 left much to be desired. There were too many missed field goals. The field position game could have been better. The return game was probably the highlight of the group, but it wasn't a true game-changer.
THE OFFSEASON
Boswell isn't going anywhere. 2022 may have been the second subpar season of his career, but the Steelers aren't giving up on him after that. In turn, they didn't need to survey the market for any kickers. The Steelers did sign undrafted free agent B.T. Potter, but it's not uncommon for them to bring in another kicker for training camp.
After two up and down seasons, the Steelers opted to bring in competition for Harvin by claiming former Jets punter Braden Mann on waivers. The Jets tried to trade Mann, but released him after getting no takers.
The Steelers opted to not tender a qualifying offer to Sims, who was a restricted free agent. In turn, Sims wound up signing with the Texans. One intriguing name added during the offseason was signing undrafted free agent Jordan Byrd, who was an electric returner at San Diego State.
WHAT TO EXPECT IN 2023
Even if Potter is other worldly in training camp and the preseason, Boswell will be the team's placekicker if he's healthy. The only question with him is if he can put 2022 behind him and find his previous elite form. Boswell had made 90% of his kicks in five of his eight seasons. If he's healthy, the Steelers will trust him to be their guy once again. And, if he regains his form, it could be enough of a swing to steal a game this season.
While it's not necessarily the most glamorous position battle, one that will be worth watching during training camp is Harvin vs. Mann. The Steelers will obviously keep just one punter, and Mann is a formidable opponent. He could really threaten Harvin's job. While analytics for punters seems a bit exhaustive, Mann was the fourth-highest graded punter in 2022 by Pro Football Focus. He averaged 46.9 yards per punt last season, which is far better than Harvin's average of 44.5 yards per punt.
It's also worth noting that the Steelers signed long snapper Rex Sunahara to compete with incumbent Christian Kuntz. The rapport between long snappers and punters can be overlooked by fans, but it's very important. And, Harvin has become a darn good holder for Boswell.
Now, keeping Harvin just because he's a good holder isn't enough reason to be one of 53 players on the final roster. He has to punt consistently. Punting will ultimately decide this competition.
And, if Mann beats him out for the job, it's likely that Sunahara will be the long snapper who works with him the most during training camp and the preseason. In turn, it's plausible that Sunahara supplants Kuntz as the team's long snapper, much like what happened when Harvin initially beat Jordan Berry for the punting job in 2021 and incumbent long snapper Kameron Canaday was shown the door in favor of Kuntz, who worked with Harvin during training camp and the preseason.
At returner, Olszewski probably has the upper hand, but I'm not confident that will hold true through the end of August. Calvin Austin III will most likely be one of six receivers to make the roster, and he'll serve a purpose on offense as well. Olszewski is really limited to being a return specialist after touching the ball only 13 times on offense last season, and the receiver group is deeper this year than it was in 2022.
In other words, if Olszewski can't find a niche on offense, I have a hard time believing the Steelers will waste a roster spot on someone whose value is only in the return game, especially if Austin can prove over the next several weeks that he's capable of doing the job.
PROJECTED DEPTH CHART
• Kicker: Chris Boswell
• Punter: Pressley Harvin III or Braden Mann
• Long Snapper: Christian Kuntz or Rex Sunahara
• Returner: Calvin Austin III
2023 STEELERS POSITIONAL PREVIEW SERIES
Previously...
• Quarterback
• Running Back
• Wide Receiver/Tight End
• Offensive Line
• Defensive Line/Edge Rusher
• Inside Linebacker
• Secondary
