New QB room eases transition for Steelers OC Arthur Smith

The way to describe the Pittsburgh Steelers offense is new. They have a new offensive coordinator, a new offensive line and a new quarterback room from top to bottom. There may be a lot of moving pieces looking to gel on the fly, but for CO Arthur Smith, there’s something less stressful about having everyone on the same starting line.

“It’s probably easier,” Smith told reporters via the team’s YouTube channel during mandatory minicamp. “If you get a job like this and there’s a guy that’s been here maybe 10 years and has a certain way of doing things. And you’re new. We’re all new. So it’s been fun. Watching the film, all three of those guys have done it at previous stops. Things I’ve done at previous stops.

Smith’s hypothesis played out the last time the Steelers hired a coordinator. Matt Canada wasn’t a completely new external hire, but he moved from QBs coach to Ben Roethlisberger’s offensive coordinator during his senior year. A freshman signal-caller with an 18th-year quarterback. This made it difficult for the two to merge, although it was not the reason Canada failed in office.

Pittsburgh hit the reset button on its offense. Smith is a change from Canada, an established NFL coach with proven experience as a coordinator. The quarterbacks are veterans with better physical talent, while Russell Wilson emerges as the undisputed leader and anchor. There could also be a different cultural feel, with the team getting rid of malcontents like Diontae Johnson, even at the cost of making the roster less talented.

Growing pains with a new group are expected, and they are likely to occur. But there are benefits to commonality, even if that similarity is a change. For Smith, this will make it easier to settle in and teach his offense, especially with so many former Atlanta Falcons on this team, namely WR Van Jefferson, RB Cordarrelle Patterson and TE MyCole Pruitt.

In 2024, change can’t happen for the sake of change. Pittsburgh can’t rearrange the Titanic’s seats anymore. Of all the new coaches and staff, there needs to be one more. A new-look Steelers offense that’s more explosive, more efficient, and gets off to a faster start. All in the name of scoring more points, the biggest change Pittsburgh needs this year.