4 Steelers set to breakout during the 2021 NFL season

Steelers OT Zach Banner

The road for Zach Banner as an NFL player has been nothing short of incredible. He entered the league as a fourth-round pick for the Colts and never made it out of training camp. A brief stint with the Browns ended due to weight problems, and suddenly Banner was on the cusp of being out of the league. The Steelers gave him a chance, he transformed his body, and last year he earned the starting right tackle job. Unfortunately, Banner was lost for the season after the first game, but he is back on a new deal with the expectation of starting.

It is easy to root for Banner heading into this season, given his journey to this point. Given his strong play when on the field, it will be exciting to see him come into camp as the starter and hopefully play an entire season. He has overcome quite a bit of adversity to his point, and now he figures to be the Steelers starting tackle for the next two seasons.

Honestly, the changes made this offseason on offense will likely benefit Banners style. Given his size, Banner is a prototypical mauler at tackle, and the physicality that is desired from Adrian Klemm’s new offensive line will make Banner a great fit here. He gets a full season to show that he has developed into a quality player. Given the fire he has for the game, don’t be surprised to hear Banner’s name be mentioned as one of the better tackles by year’s end.