What are realistic expectations for the Steelers 2019 season?

What can fans expect from the offense and what may be the reality for the Steelers in 2019?

Let’s first address the elephants in the room-the departures of Antonio Brown and Le’veon Bell.  I think it would be naive to think that the offense will be humming along without Brown as it was with Brown.

The loss of Brown’s production alone is cause for concern. That’s the reality.  The departure of Bell may or may not be as big of a factor, but, for as good as James Conner was last season, he is not the dynamic runner Bell is.

That, I believe, is also the reality.  I realize Bell sat out all of 2018, but would the Steelers have been able to win just one more game had he played?  I’ll leave that up to you to answer.  I think you know why I asked the question.

So what do fans expect to see from the offense?  Well, I think as long as Ben stays healthy, we will have a chance to win every game.  Will Samuels and Snell be able to spell Conner adequately enough so that the play-calling doesn’t have to be altered?  Ideally, that is the expectation, but is that reality?  I guess we will find out as the season progresses.

Initially, I think we will see a heavy dose of Conner with cameos by Samuels and Snell.  Do we get creative right out of the gate and deploy a Pro Set offensive look-two RB’s and one or two TEs.  Speaking of TE’s, who is going to be the second TE?  Xavier Grimble is the most likely candidate, but after what happened in the Broncos game last season (fumbling the ball out of the endzone), is it realistic to assume that he can be the number two TE?

I think it is, but I would expect that Zach Gentry would be given every opportunity to win that number two TE spot.  How about Christian Scotland-Williamson, the former rugby player?  Will he take the next step and beat out Grimble and Gentry for the number two spot?  I also believe he will be given every opportunity to secure a spot on the active roster.  We will have to wait to see how that battle unfolds.

With respect to the WR position, we know JuJu Smith-Schuster is the number one, but who will ascend to the number two spot?  I think the expectation is that James Washington will make significant progress so much so that the decision to anoint him as the ‘Robin’ to JuJu’s ‘Batman’ will be an easy decision; however, I do not believe that is the reality.

If that was the reality, I do not think the Steelers would have signed Donte Moncrief and/or would have drafted Diontae Johnson.  If the Steelers were confident in Washington’s ability to bounce back from a sub-par rookie season, why sign any free agent WR?  The fact that the organization not only signed Moncrief but Johnny Holton as well tells me that the reality is that Washington may be battling for a roster spot.

Regardless of who grabs the mantle of the number two WR, the offense had better be ready for opposing defenses to double-team JuJu.  What this would represent is an opportunity for not only the number two WR to see one-on-one coverage but the TE and the third WR as well.

If defenses choose to double-team both outside WRs, the TE should be open in the seam or the RB should be open in the flat.  I think all of the above hinges on the expectation that the number two WR will complement JuJu.

If for some reason, no one establishes himself as the number two WR and we have to resort to a WR by committee approach, it will be a long season.  If all teams have to do is double-team JuJu because of the offense not having a clear-cut number two receiving option, the running game had better become the best in the NFL.

As far as the offensive line is concerned, I honestly have no trepidation about the ability of the guys up front to keep Ben upright and continue to perform at a high level.  I know there is some question about who the starting RT will be, but the Steelers have many options at that position, so the reality is the O-line will be a strength once again.

Let’s take a look at the defensive side of the ball.