Through two games, wide receiver Donte Moncrief has more drops (five) than he does receptions (three). In fact, his drops are two fewer than his total receiving yards (seven).
Not quite the production the Pittsburgh Steelers were expecting when they signed Moncrief to a two-year, $9 million contract in free agency.
“I don’t know what to make of it,” coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday. “I know we haven’t been able to depend on him to this point. He’s got some challenges and we have some challenges moving forward.”
Moncrief played 18 snaps in the Steelers’ 28-26 loss Sunday to Seattle. He didn’t see the field after his drop led to an interception on the Steelers’ first series of the second half. It was his only target of the game.
Moncrief dropped four passes in the opener at New England.
Asked whether Moncrief will get a chance to work through his challenges Sunday at San Francisco, Tomlin said, “We’ll see.”
Tomlin did say there will be a change in the distribution of snaps for the team’s wide receivers. Rookie Diontae Johnson, who played 27 snaps against Seattle, could be a recipient of any playing time that Moncrief loses. James Washington would become the starter opposite JuJu Smith-Schuster. He played 60 percent of the snaps against Seattle.
