5 players besides Ben Roethlisberger the Steelers can’t afford to lose in 2020
Minkah Fitzpatrick
The Steelers defense was poised to have a pretty good season in 2019 regardless but something seemed to be missing. With Sean Davis hurt, the Steelers went out and got Minkah Fitzpatrick and he proved to be the missing link.
Minkah came in and immediately made his presence felt in his first game tallying five tackles, one pass breakup, an interception, and a forced fumble. It was a sign of things to come as he played his way to the pro bowl and first-team all-pro nods.
The Steelers had been lacking a big play-maker in their secondary since the great Troy Polamalu retired. Minkah brought versatility and big-play potential to a defense that was on the cusp of getting back to its former glory.
In 2020, the Steelers are getting Big Ben back and the defense is set to pick up where it left off. With a healthy Ben and a top-5 potential defense, the Steelers can make some noise.
If there is any doubt left in your mind, take a look at this:
Steelers before the Fitzpatrick trade:
— PFF PIT Steelers (@PFF_Steelers) July 24, 2020
➤PFF Coverage Grade - 45.1(27th)
➤Completion percentage allowed - 78.8% (29th)
➤Passer rating allowed - 131.1(29th)
After:
➤PFF Coverage Grade - 91.3(2nd)
➤Completion percentage allowed - 63.2% (2nd)
➤Passer rating allowed - 76.6(2nd) pic.twitter.com/5WIEbpXvrT
Losing Minkah would be a huge blow to the confidence the defense plays with having a guy like him over the top. The defense can afford to be aggressive and play more instinctively knowing he’s on the field.