WR Ryan Switzer
Here’s a rhetorical riddle for you: What do you get when you have a ‘return specialist’ that doesn’t do anything special? You may have already guessed that I’m referring to Ryan Switzer; at least, the Switzer we saw last sesaon.
Despite playing nine games for the Steelers last season before getting injured, Switzer garnered just 11 targets on the season. From those, he earned a whopping 27 yards on 3.4 yards per reception – worse than the average run from any of Pittsburgh’s running backs last year.
His ability as a return man was just as pathetic last year. Despite the Steelers trading for him specifically for his kick and punt return abilities, he fell flat in these areas in 2019 – averaging 18.4 yards per kick return and 3.6 yards per punt return.
In addition to this, Switzer is a limited player on offense who is confined to the slot due to his lack of size (5’8”, 185 pounds). While there may be other players who could offer more to the Steelers, Switzer doesn’t seem to be in jeopardy of losing his job, thanks to his chemistry with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. He should be more efficient in 2020, but don’t expect anything spectacular.