Sometimes things just don't work out the way things are planned.
For the Steelers, last year it was the inside linebacker position not being quite up to snuff. That was fixed in the offseason after the failed Jon Bostic/Morgan Burnett experiment.
This year's problem area for the team just might be tight end. And the Steelers might not wait until 2020 -- nor should they -- for a fix.
When Jesse James hit the open market and signed a four-year, $25-million contract with the Lions, it left a void at the No. 2 position on the roster behind starter Vance McDonald. The hope for the Steelers was that Xavier Grimble would, in his fourth season, rise to the occasion to become a competent second tight end.
It's an important spot for a number of reasons. First, McDonald has never played a full 16-game season in his six-year career. Then there's the fact the Steelers don't plan on using McDonald extensively, at least in part, because of that issue.
McDonald played a career-high 564 snaps in 2018, splitting time almost equally with James. Even though James is gone, offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner doesn't see him logging too many more snaps than that.
"He still won't," Fichtner said of McDonald's playing time increasing substantially this season.
"He's never going to play the full game. That's never going to happen."
If the last few years show anything, it's that the Steelers will have 1,300 to 1,400 plays needed from their tight ends this season. And that's just on offense. It doesn't include any contributions on special teams.
James played 562 snaps last season, which were the lowest number since his rookie season in 2015. James played 906 snaps in 2017, and 855 in 2016.
Grimble, on the other hand, has averaged just 180 snaps per season in his three-year career, including 174 last season. He had a dropped pass in Saturday's preseason win over the Chiefs, but Fichtner has been pleased overall with what he has seen of Grimble.
"In terms of the reps from the top 2, for sure," Fichtner said of the work he's seen in the team's first two preseason games. "The new guys, I like where they're kind of trending. We're going to keep playing them here in the next couple of preseason games."
The "new guys" of whom Fichtner is speaking of is first-year tight end Kevin Rader and rookie Zach Gentry. Rader, the former Youngstown State star who was in training camp in 2018 with the Packers before being released, has flashed throughout training camp as a willing and able blocker and receiver.
But he also has made some critical mistakes in the team's first two preseason games. He had a fumble in the team's preseason opener against the Buccaneers and a pair of holding penalties in last weekend's win over the Chiefs, though one was declined.
"Kevin's done some good things," Mike Tomlin said. "He's not lacking in physicality. He's got to get better in terms of some of the minutiae, some of the details relative to the position. But I like his energy. I like his physicality."
At this point, Rader has been better than fifth-round draft pick Gentry, a former college quarterback who needs to get stronger to play the position at the NFL level. He's also sat out the past week -- including the game against the Chiefs -- with an undisclosed injury.
"I wish (Gentry) was healthy," Fichtner said. "As a young guy, you need every rep. You saw it with Diontae (Johnson) at wide receiver. You miss time in OTAs and then miss a week of training camp, it puts you behind."
But if McDonald isn't going to play full time, can Grimble handle an increased workload?
That's what the Steelers are still trying to assess. It could leave them watching the waiver wire closely over the next two weeks as NFL teams begin to pare their rosters to 53 players.
And if Grimble isn't the No. 2, is he worth the $2.025 million salary he's due this season to be the No. 3?
"We'll use different personnel groups to rest certain guys," Fichtner said of McDonald's playing time. "It's connected. We can steal some reps in the game without him having to be in there. We'll try to do it thoughtfully and use him the times we have him in there."
MATT SUNDAY GALLERY
Steeler practice, Rooney Sports Complex, Aug. 21, 2019 -- MATT SUNDAY / DKPS
