Steelers Nick Vannett Wants the Chance to Play with Ben Roethlisberger
PITTSBURGH -- In an offseason the Steelers will focus on bringing back playmaking defenders and trying to add needed depth to their offense, a name they'll likely look to retain is tight end, Nick Vannett.
The former Ohio State standout and third-round draft pick, Vannett came to Pittsburgh after being traded from the Seattle Seahawks in Week 4. In 13 games and six starts for the Steelers, Vannett contributed 13 receptions for 128 yards to an offense that struggled throughout 2019.
"From the time I came here I was trying to do everything in my power to help the team win, I think that's what they were looking for," Vannett said. "Obviously they saw something in me to want to make the trade and bring me here."
As a free agent for the first time in his three-year career, Vannett is hoping to not see more change in his NFL career. In four short months and one of the wildest seasons in Steelers history, the tight end is hoping he can remain part of this team's vision moving forward.
"From the time I showed up I loved being a part of it, being a part of the locker room," Vannett said. "This is a great group of guys, it's a great organization to be a part of, it's very clear what they're trying to get done here they have six previous Super Bowls to show for it. I think it'd be great to be a part of it moving forward but that's out of my hands, that's between my agent and the GM. Hopefully we get a deal done but at the end of the day you have to look at what's the best for me, for me moving forward and for my family and you have to go with that."
There's a reason Vannett wants another shot in Pittsburgh. Outside of growing as a teammate, the tight end is excited to see the field with a future Hall of Famer at quarterback.
For anyone paid to catch passes this season, it wasn't an easy task with an offense that threw for only 3,214 yards and 19 interceptions. After losing Ben Roethlisberger to elbow surgery in Week 2, the Steelers struggled to find any rhythm threw the air.
To Vannett, he's not comparing this season to what the potential in this city is. Looking back at what his could-be quarterback has done with his position in the past, Vannett is excited, and hoping to have a chance to see what life is like with number seven behind center.
"Look at the past, just seeing what they did with Heath [Miller], seeing what they did with Jesse [James], when they had Ben at quarterback," Vannett explained. "That's a position that he relied on is the tight end, big target across the middle. Obviously I can't speak for when he was here, it's just what I've seen on film but not having him back there in the backfield it seemed like things were a little different, the offense was a little, not what it could be with him back there. I think you can look across the board and you can say that nobody really reached their potential as far as what they wanted to get done offensively. I think it was just out of sync and maybe that just shows you how special that seven was back there at quarterback."
It's a moment Vannett knows could be something special. After coming to Pittsburgh two weeks in Mason Rudolph's tenure as the starter, he never got the oppurtunity to see how much tight ends benefit behind Roethlisberger.
In 2018, Vance McDonald caught a career-high 50 passes for 610 yards and four touchdowns. In his final year in Pittsburgh, Jesse James brought in 30 catches for 423 yards and two scores as the primary backup.
"Look at what he's done, look at all the tight ends that played with him. All have put up great numbers, all have been featured in some sort of way and are very involved," Vannett said. "It's crazy, everyone that comes up to me is like, 'dude, if Ben was the quarterback you'd have 10-12 targets a game,' that's something I've never experienced really since high school, getting that many targets. For any competitor, anyone who's a playmaker would love to have the ball in their hands. So that's exciting knowing that that's the possibility, that's the potential of what could be."
He knows the potential of retuning to Pittsburgh with the right quarterback. In 13 weeks, he's become a part of the locker room and if he could, he'd continue to wear the black and gold moving forward.
Still, until a deal is signed, Vannett knows his dream of playing with a bearded number seven isn't guaranteed.
"Ideally I'd love to stay here because I had such a great year with the guys but it's out of my hands and you never really know what's going to happen moving forward," he explained.
