In addition to drafting six players, the Steelers added several others. Will any or all of them have an immediate impact on the 2020 season?
The 2020 Steelers are similar to every other team in the NFL in that we are hopeful that the free agents we either signed or retained and the six players whom we drafted will be able to contribute in some form or fashion to a successful season.
Whether or not that transpires remains to be seen, obviously, but to answer the question posed in the title of this article is akin to asking someone to pick the winning lottery numbers. Sometimes you get lucky; sometimes you don’t.
The Steelers can not rely on luck in order to enjoy success in 2020. We have to rely on planning and preparation, which, I assume, is what we employed in free agency and during the draft. While there is a certain level of luck involved on a particular play or in a particular game, for example, the overarching key to having a successful season is twofold, in my opinion.
First, the veteran players must play up to their potential, and second, the newly acquired players, whether via free agency or via the draft, also have to perform up to their potential. I realize it may be much to ask of a rookie, for example, to have a Pro Bowl-caliber season, but, sometimes, that is the difference between a good season and a Super Bowl-winning season.
As we progress through this discussion, let’s try to keep the question at hand in mind, which is this: ‘Will the 2020 additions to the Steelers have an immediate impact?’