5 bold predictions for Pittsburgh Steelers offense in 2020

Vance McDonald proves to be better than Eric Ebron

After the Steelers signed Eric Ebron this offseason, Vance McDonald has become almost a forgotten option for the offense. While Ebron should be a viable red-zone option, McDonald is a much more complete TE. That said, he has struggled with injuries, a fact that aided in his disappointing 2019 season. However, McDonald will be able to share snaps with Ebron this year, which could lead to a large bounce-back year for the TE.

Think back to 2018, when McDonald posted an impressive 50/610/4 stat line, he had only played 51 percent of the snaps as the Steelers also had Jesse James getting playing time. The team will likely have a similar snap share this year, and even if McDonald plays less overall snaps than Ebron, he should be maximizing those snaps by being healthy when he is on the field. This could lead to similar numbers as he had in 2018.

While Ebron will do his damage in the red zone and will likely score more than McDonald, don’t be surprised to see McDonald get more receptions and yards. While the two should complement each other, McDonald could walk away with a better overall stat line in 2020. Considering both are likely playing for their job in 2021, this could lead to McDonald staying on the team and Ebron being a cap casualty.