Here are the players the Steelers should be most thankful for that are on their roster this year.
While the Steelers Thanksgiving game may have been pushed to Tuesday, there is still plenty to be thankful for this year.
The team is 10-0 and in the driver seat of the AFC North. As well, there are plenty of players playing some of their best football for this team right now. As a fan, there are countless players that we should be thankful are donning the black and gold. While it was a hard list to make, here are the five Steelers I’m most thankful are on the roster right now.
Chris Boswell
Chris Boswell has been one of the best kickers since joining the Steelers in 2015. It’s hard to think back to what life was like before Boswell, but after Shaun Suisham’s career-ending injury, the Steelers had one of the worst kicking units. The Steelers gave Boswell a chance, and it has turned into one of the most successful kicking stints the team has seen.
Yes, Boswell suffered a bad year in 2018, but he has since rebounded and has returned to his previous form. This year, he has only missed one field goal and has looked sharp from all distances. He is almost automatic and has stabilized a unit that many other teams have struggled with. Boswell is one of the best in the business and having him on this unit should make any fan thankful.
Ben Roethlisberger
Despite consistent ignorance from the media, Ben Roethlisberger is having his best year in a long time, as he has proven to once again be one of the top players at his position. While seeing him carve the Ravens on Thanksgiving would have been ideal, it doesn’t change the fact that he is playing top-notch football. Assuming his success continues, he should be a favorite to land Comeback Player of the Year and potentially even MVP.
It was a unique year last year when the established Roethlisberger was lost for the season due to injury. While the team rallied to an 8-8 record, this offense was painfully sluggish without their longtime leader. Mason Rudolph showed what life will be like without Roethlisberger when he retires, and it certainly should make every fan grateful that Roethlisberger decided to suit up for another year.
While his Steelers career is winding down, Roethlisberger is playing like he still has quite a few years left to play at a top-level. Yes, his arm looks a little off deep, but it hasn’t cost the Steelers this year. He has been on point everywhere else and has turned this offense into one of the better units in the league. Be thankful Roethlisberger is back, as the future without him certainly has some question marks.
Stephon Tuitt is the best defender on the Steelers defensive line. That isn’t a knock-on Cameron Heyward or Tyson Alualu either, as both are established and high-quality players. Fully healthy, Tuitt may be one of the best interior defenders in this league and could be argued as the most dominant defender on this talented defense.
At this point, Tuitt has recorded an outstanding seven sacks and 20 pressures. While the stats are good, he consistently shows up on tape pushing his way through opposing blockers like they aren’t there. His combination of size, athleticism, and power make him a force to stop, and he is a constant body in the backfield. This has made him one of the best all-around defenders as he stuffs the run as well as he gets after the quarterback.
His issue has never been talent. Last year, he was playing similarly to this year (dominant), but he suffered another injury that ended his season early. Had he been healthier during the majority of his career, he would easily be listed alongside Aaron Donald as a top defensive lineman in the league. That said, he is only now entering his prime, and could very well make a late-career push as one of the best in the league. All of Steelers nation needs to be thankful they don’t have to face off against Tuitt.
Chase Claypool
While certainly the youngest option on this list, Chase Claypool has the most upside of almost any player on this list. Despite only being a second-round pick and entering a crowded receiver room, Claypool has suddenly become a blossoming star in this league. He has proven to be a weapon all over the field. He can win deep, short, with his elusiveness, and even as a runner. There are 31 teams right now that are questioning why he was so far down their draft board.
Going forward, Claypool will be an integral part of this defense in Roethlisberger’s final years and a core building component after he retires. He has incredible size and speed that makes him an instant mismatch, and his route running is improving. The biggest issue so far has been his inconsistencies with his hands as he has dropped a few that were very catchable. That said, his youth means he can fix that issue.
Moving forward, Claypool will likely be considered the Steelers’ best receiver by the end of the year. After that, he has the chance to climb the ranks of the receiver tiers in the NFL. Assuming his hands get better, there won’t be many issues to critique Claypool. It will be interesting to see how he does without Roethlisberger throwing the ball to him, but as of now, he looks like one of the true young stars on this team.
T.J. Watt
Looking back on it, it seems incredibly lucky that T.J. Watt fell as far as he did in the 2017 draft. There was a string of pass rushers taken right before him which allowed Watt to land with the Steelers. Since then he has developed into one of the most dominant and consistent defenders in this league.
This season, Watt is having a defensive player of the year like season. He has nine sacks and an interception. What is truly astounding is his pressures, as Watt is on record with having 40 quarterback hurries. That shows just how hard it is to block him and how dominant he is off the edge. Watt is on a historic pace this year, and it will ideally end in some major awards as well as a well deserve contract extension.
Every Steelers fan ought to be thankful for what Watt does for this team. He is a huge reason that this defense has had the turnaround that it has. Without Watt, this defense as a whole would be far from the elite group that it is. He is the heart and soul of this defense. The Steelers are thankful that they landed him four years ago in the draft. They are even more thankful that he is playing on their side and not rushing their offense on a different team.
While the Steelers primetime game had to be moved, there is still plenty of things to be thankful for as a fan. This team has assembled one of the best rosters in recent memories, and a large part of that is due to the players above. Be thankful for this team and the season they are having, as it is unlikely the Steelers see a roster this talented after the season ends.