Mark Madden: Steelers' Mike Tomlin must avoid another Melvin Ingram fiasco

Memo to Steelers Coach Mike Tomlin: Don’t make the same mistake twice.

As this space recently noted, Tomlin erred when he started Alex Highsmith at edge rusher last season, not Melvin Ingram. Ingram got the boo-boo face, asked out, got traded to Kansas City and was missed when T.J. Watt battled injury.

Ingram was right to be mad. He’s better than Highsmith.

Starting Ingram and rotating in Highsmith was the correct move. Tomlin botched it. (Tomlin also shouldn’t have acquiesced to Ingram’s trade demand. The team is more important than a player’s feelings. Ingram was needed.)

Highsmith hardly sparkled. He got a pedestrian six sacks and was involved in one takeaway. Highsmith did have 15 tackles for loss, tied for second-best on the Steelers.

Highsmith has been sidelined much of the preseason with a rib injury. He did practice Tuesday and said he plans to practice in pads Monday.

On Tuesday, the Steelers acquired edge rusher Malik Reed from Denver for a late-round draft pick.

Reed is a good get. Over the last two years, he had 13 sacks and 25 quarterback hits in 30 games (26 starts). Highsmith had eight sacks and 21 QB hits over the same period, the entirety of his pro career.

Reed provides the Steelers needed depth at edge rusher, especially with Watt getting hobbled during Sunday’s exhibition finale and Highsmith’s bum ribs.

But Reed should start. Highsmith should rotate in.

That won’t happen. The Steelers would rather justify their high draft picks than play the best player.

Highsmith was a third-round selection in 2020. That will keep him above Reed on the depth chart.

It’s the same manufactured logic that will put inside linebacker Devin Bush, 2019’s first-round selection, in the starting lineup despite a brutal preseason which saw him “ole!” ballcarriers like a matador. Well, that and lack of a better alternative.

But Reed might be a preferable alternative to Highsmith.

Is Reed clearly better than Highsmith? Who knows? (Highsmith is a bit bigger, 6-foot-4 to 6-2.)

Will Reed need time to adjust to the Steelers’ defensive system? Yes, but how complicated is rushing the passer?

Do the Steelers cling too often to the status quo when the team’s overall mediocrity suggests looking for better? Yes, absolutely.

Highsmith looks like an average player. Reed might be better, might be worse, might be about the same. But let’s find out.

The Steelers are going to win between 7-9 games. They’re closer to six victories than they are to 10.

If a decision seems close, try something different. Highsmith hasn’t proven enough to be a sure-fire starter.

But Highsmith will start. That’s a lock.

The Steelers also acquired offensive lineman Jesse Davis from Minnesota. Davis played the last five seasons with Miami, starting 72 games.

Davis has played mostly right tackle. It wouldn’t be shocking to see Davis take that spot with Chuks Okorafor moving to left tackle. The Steelers once had Okorafor pegged as a left tackle. That would bench Dan Moore Jr., aka The Human Holding Penalty.

But Davis is versatile if mediocre. He can play guard. Perhaps Davis should replace whoever the Steelers deem their worst offensive lineman.

That choice provides plenty of options. There’s no wrong decision.

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