The Pittsburgh Steelers want to bounce back from a disappointing 2019 campaign. Mike Tomlin needs these five guys to be great to make that happen.
Ben Roethlisberger’s elbow injury torpedoed the Pittsburgh Steelers’ hopes of making a big run in 2019. Head coach Mike Tomlin will need more than a bounce-back season from his veteran quarterback to win big in 2020.
Fixing the offense will clearly be the team’s top priority. Without Roethlisberger at the controls, the unit only managed to score 18.1 points per game. That number needs to increase dramatically to get Pittsburgh back into the playoffs.
The defense deserves credit for continuing to play at a high level without any support from the offense. The front seven harassed the opposing quarterback at a high level all season long. The final result was a group that finished fifth in the NFL in points allowed. Tomlin and his staff will tweak some things on that side of the ball, but there won’t be massive scheme changes.
To win big in 2020, the Steelers need several players to step up. These five players really need to be great to help Pittsburgh maximize its potential.
5. James Washington
Forty-four receptions isn’t enough production from a starting wide receiver in this offense. Washington clearly needs to up his production significantly this year if he wants to keep his job.
In fairness, the issues at quarterback really cut into his workload. Roethlisberger’s return to the field should open the offense back up. It’s imperative that Washington take pressure off Juju Smith-Schuster and Diontae Johnson by living up to his draft status.
If Washington doesn’t take a step forward, he could lose playing time to rookie Chase Claypool. It’s not an exaggeration to call this a potential make-or-break season for the former Oklahoma State star. The Steelers clearly hope this is the season where he proves he can be a top-flight wideout.