Asked and Answered: June 4

ROBERT GULISH FROM AMBRIDGE, PA: If it turns out that Najee Harris is given the franchise tag next year, what is that approximate number?
ANSWER: The value of the non-exclusive tag is the average of the top five salaries at the player’s position over the last five years, and I have no way of computing that for 2025. But what I can tell you is that the franchise tag for running backs in 2024 was $11.951 million for a 1-year contract.

PAT FLYNN FROM OAKDALE, PA: Darnell Washington did not have an eye-popping stat line for 2023, with just 7 receptions for 61 yards. With the now suddenly crowded tight end room, do you see his role expanding under Arthur Smith’s offense? Does he still have a role to play, or is it too early to tell at this point?
ANSWER: Since the calendar has yet to move into the minicamp stage, it’s early, but I also believe Steelers fans might need to understand that Darnell Washington is more of a blocker than a receiver. In 36 college games at Georgia, Washington finished with 45 catches, which works out to an average of 1.25 receptions per game. Maybe Washington develops into more of an asset in the passing game for the Steelers than he was in college for the Bulldogs, but I believe it’s also wise to remember that in last summer’s first session of backs-on-backers, Coach Mike Tomlin had Washington going against T.J. Watt. If labels were to be assigned to the current tight ends on the roster, Pat Freiermuth is the receiver and Washington is the blocker.

BARRY KEELER FROM ORANGE, CT: Long time; first time. I noticed that on our roster I no longer see Kwon Alexander’s name. Do you have any info on why he is no longer with us, and possibly why?. Not that it matters, but I believed that he was going to work out for us.
ANSWER: The Steelers signed Kwon Alexander last summer to a one-year contract on July 29, 2023, and so he became an unrestricted free agent on March 13, 2024. Alexander is unsigned as of this writing, and so he remains an unrestricted free agent.

JAY SMITH FROM SHIPPENVILLE, PA: As a follow-up to two separate questions submitted in the May 30 version of Asked and Answered, I am curious about the player with a contract who then doesn’t make the 53-man roster. Does any of his contract count toward the salary cap? And secondly, regarding the longest run from scrimmage in Steelers history, doesn’t Willie Parker hold some type of record in that category?
ANSWER: As for the salary cap question, it depends on the particular contract of the player who doesn’t make the 53-man roster. In most instances, whatever salary is outlined in the contract does not count on the salary cap but if there was a signing bonus spread out over the life of the contract some portion of that would count on the salary cap. Secondly, Willie Parker’s 75-yard touchdown run in Super Bowl XL against Seattle remains the longest touchdown run in Super Bowl history.

STEVEN RIGBY FROM AKRON, OH: With the linebackers room looking better, is there any report on progress from Mark Robinson? With him starting his career as a linebacker very late, he still makes some mental mistakes, but I like his tenacity.
ANSWER: Mark Robinson was a running back until his 2021 college season with Mississippi, and then he signed as an undrafted free agent with the Steelers following the 2022 NFL draft. During his first two seasons with the Steelers, Robinson has exhibited an aggressive nature and an ability to make the pile fall backward when making contact. But it’s also revealing that he has played only 195 total snaps on defense during those two seasons combined, and only 151 snaps (13 percent) in 2023 even though the Steelers sustained in-season season-ending injuries to Cole Holcomb and Kwon Alexander and were left signing Myles Jack out of retirement and adding Mykal Walker off the street and Blake Martinez from the Carolina Panthers practice squad. While it’s understandable that there would be a rather steep learning curve for Robinson in trying to make the transition from offense to defense at the professional level, but there also are business realities associated with being in the NFL. Because Robinson will be going to his third NFL training camp this summer, he will be expected to display a much better understanding of the defensive scheme that has remained largely the same since he signed in 2022, and that understanding is going to have to manifest itself in fewer mental mistakes and missed assignments. That progress only will be judged based on what happens at Saint Vincent College, and more importantly during the three preseason games.

ERIC ASH FROM WELLSVILLE, NY; It looks like the talk about Justin Fields returning kickoffs was a misunderstanding. Washington’s Joe Theismann started his career as a punt returner, and Dallas’ Danny White punted for a few years. Other than Kordell Stewart as an occasional wide receiver, have the Steelers ever regularly used a quarterback at another position?
ANSWER: Regularly? No, not in the modern era. And it’s worth noting that over two seasons, Joe Theismann returned 17 punts for 166 yards (9.5 average) and no touchdowns, with most of those yards coming on a single return for 44 yards. Deion Sanders’ records were never in jeopardy.

EDWARD WATSON FROM CHARLOTTE, NC: In Super Bowl X, was there a penalty on Jack Lambert for throwing Dallas safety Cliff Harris to ground for what he did to Roy Gerela after that missed field goal? Or any penalty on anyone?
ANSWER: There was no penalty assessed on that play on either team.

RICHARD LADESIC FROM ACWORTH,GA: What is the status of Cam Heyward wearing the Walter Payton Man of the Year patch on his uniform?
ANSWER: There has been no official announcement, but I’m going to guess that Cam Heyward will be wearing the Walter Payton Man of the Year patch on his jersey in 2024.