Player: P Corliss Waitman
Stock Value: Up
Reasoning: Special teams coordinator Danny Smith left the door open for Corliss Waitman to compete for the Steelers’ punting job. He filled in ably last season, but their starter, Cameron Johnston, is back from injury. Waitman is younger, though not by much — nearly 30 already. But he has the potential to develop if he actually has consistency for once in his career.
The Steelers signed Cameron Johnston last year to solve their punting troubles. He only lasted two punts, suffering a season-ending injury in the opener. Fortunately for Pittsburgh, Corliss Waitman stepped in and stepped up.
Although his numbers were fairly average compared to the rest of the league, Waitman’s performance suited the Steelers quite well. In fact, he posted the highest net punting average ever recorded in Steelers history.
The thing is, that Steelers record is below Cameron Johnston’s career net punting average. He is, or was, one of the very best punters in the game. So even if Corliss Waitman served the Steelers well by their standards, Johnston has the proven track record.
Still, it’s hard to ignore Danny Smith’s comments from earlier this offseason. While he didn’t directly say it, he seemed to anticipate a summer competition. He kept using the word “interesting” when talking about Johnston and Waitman and how things might play out.
I would assume the Steelers are prepared to leave this decision in Smith’s hands. If Smith thinks Waitman is the better punter this summer, will they keep him? If they were to trade or release Johnston, they would save $5 million over the next two years.
While Johnston has a years-long record of performance, he is also coming off a major injury. He may be booming punts in the spring, but how will he look in a game? The Steelers have to be fair to themselves and to Corliss Waitman and judge this competition based on current performance.
With the new league year underway and the Steelers turning their roster over, it’s once again time to “take stock.” It took a while, but we finally saw some of thatchange the team talked about after the season ended. Certainly, the move to trade for WR DK Metcalf qualifies as a change, not to mention the accompanying contract. Oh, and they also traded some guy named George Pickens, which people found significant.
There is still a long way to go before we know what this Steelers team is going to look like. The dust is settled on both free agency andthe 2025 NFL Draft. What other moves might the team make, perhaps unexpected acquisitions or departures? If they traded for one player, they could certainly trade for another, or trade one away. This is a Steelers team starving for postseason success, but how desperate are they for a playoff win in 2025?
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