Although the Steelers offense is flooded with elite talent, the team needs to make the regular implementation of second-year tight end Jesse James a priority for the 2016 season.
Aesthetically, it’s all there. Former Penn State tight end Jesse James is 6’7″. He’s a Pittsburgh native. His nickname, fittingly, is “The Outlaw”, and he is projected to be the eventual heir to Heath Miller‘s throne. It seems that James’ rise to prominence will be a matter of when, not if.
Selected in the fifth round of last year’s draft, James is still raw at the position. His routes are unpolished and his blocking skills are far from special. He contributed very minimally in 2015, registering only 11 targets in the regular season. Aside from a short touchdown against the Raiders and a two-point conversion in Seattle, James had a largely silent rookie year.
There’s nothing wrong with easing young players into the fold, of course. Given the circumstances surrounding the tight end position, though, James cannot be kept on the sidelines anywhere near the rate he was this past season.
Heath Miller’s tenure as the Steelers’ #1 tight end has reached the home stretch. The 2016 season will be his 12th in the NFL, and Miller will turn 34 midway through the year. This past season, Miller posted 535 receiving yards, his lowest total since 2010. His 8.9 yards-per-reception average was the lowest of his career. Heeeeath only found the end zone twice in 2015.
Despite his declining numbers, Miller still plays a crucial role as a blocker in the Steelers offense. Miller is very active as a man-in-motion prior to the snap. He heads to the strong side to provide an additional blocker or the weak side to take attention away from the backfield. In rare instances, Heath will line up as a fullback. He’s been Ben Roethlisberger’s go-to check down option for a decade.
Clearly, Miller still offers plenty of value for the Steelers. But his days as a dominant red zone force are gone, and his days as an impact blocker are numbered. This is precisely where James ought to come into the equation.
There’s no better time for the Steelers to regularly feature James in the offensive gameplan. An increased role will not only offer James more experience in a shorter time, but also provide a unique one-two punch at tight end. A dual-TE set featuring both Miller and James will open up a bevy of play calls and keep the defense modest in who to pursue.
Moreover, the Steelers are in need of a boost in the red zone. Pittsburgh finished with a 57% red zone touchdown percentage in 2015, good for 13th best in the NFL. This is a respectable figure, sure, but one that is simply too low for an offense as electric as the Steelers’. The Titans, Chargers and Lions all finished with higher touchdown rates.
The primary culprit behind the Steelers’ red zone struggles, besides sporadic play calling, is the loss of momentum. When the field shrinks, passing plays have less time to develop. As a result, the Steelers tend to go for quick throws which often aren’t successful. The momentum of the drive comes to a standstill, and the defense has time to regain their composure. Cue Chris Boswell.
The Steelers offense, especially with Le’Veon Bell back healthy, will be a near-unstoppable force. Every monster has its weakness, though, and red zone touchdowns are Pittsburgh’s Achilles heel. If this issue is fixed, the Steelers have no excuses to not reach Super Bowl LI.
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By dedicating 15-20 quality snaps to James per game, the Steelers will not only take their offense to the next level, but help ensure the franchise’s future at tight end. Heath Miller is very close to passing the torch, and Jesse James looks ready to take it.
All stats via NFL.com.