5 Steelers that had the most disappointing 2020 seasons

Ulysses Gilbert

Coming into the new season, there was a lot of excitement over the potential number three starting inside linebacker Ulysees Gilbert. The Steelers had little in terms of back-ups, meaning that Gilbert was the favorite to be the top depth option at inside linebacker as well as a core special teams’ option. Those ideas quickly changed when he struggled to get on the field early in the year as the Steelers opted to dress Robert Spillane over Gilbert.

While he did eventually make his way onto the field, his play wasn’t anything noteworthy. While he was far from a liability, his limited playtime coupled with the team’s favor of Spillane was pretty damaging. Then, he suffered yet another season-ending injury. This makes it both his rookie and sophomore year that he ended the season on injured reserve, a bead trend for a player about to begin his third year.

While Gilbert flashed as a rookie during preseason and while on special teams, he clearly isn’t a top option for this depth chart. Add in his early injury issues and he suddenly becomes a player that the team can’t rely on. While he will certainly be brought into camp next year, he will need a strong preseason to remain on this roster. 2020 looked like he could be a breakout player, but now he will just simply be a player fighting to make a roster in 2021.