NFL players are always developing, but these four Steelers are getting some undeserved hate despite still having potential.
Fans in general have a knack for developing an opinion on a player and sticking with it. Perhaps the player dropped the ball in a big moment or struggled in previous seasons and now, no matter what improvements they make on the field, the fanbase is still convinced they are bad players. The Steelers just saw this unfold with Bud Dupree. Labeled a bust by many, Dupree was a late bloomer that despite solid stats in back-to-back years still earned some of the ire of the fanbase. He developed into a fine player, but some couldn’t get past his previous struggles to see that. Some things haven’t changed either, as these are the four Steelers that are unfairly disliked by the fanbase.
Steelers Anthony McFarland Jr.
There was quite a bit of hype attached to Anthony McFarland last season after the Steelers selected him in the fourth round of the draft. Despite a limited workload in college, McFarland had one thing that the other backs on the roster didn’t have: speed. He struggled mightily during his rookie season, and while no one should be expecting him to be a starter this year, he is getting some undeserved hate by the fanbase.
For starters, the Steelers’ offensive line was mediocre last year, and most backs wouldn’t have been able to do much running behind them. As well, McFarland was only a redshirt sophomore after he left Maryland, so it wasn’t shocking that he lacked some of the finesse that more experienced backs have. He was young and inexperienced as a running back last season, so having a full offseason this year should help.
Finally, Matt Canada has some experience coaching McFarland, and his style of offense could use a good speed option at running back on occasion. Obviously, Najee Harris will be the go-to guy this year, but a solid camp could make McFarland the backup. At the very least, his inexperience warrants another year for him to prove himself.
Steelers JuJu Smith-Schuster
The case for J.J. Smith-Schuster being hated is quite a different one from McFarland. At one point, he was the poster child of Pittsburgh, as his fun-loving nature made him a favorite amongst the fanbase. As well, his early production was far better than what he has put up recently. When you combine those two facts, he was a darling, but once he began to struggle, some of the fanbase turned against him.
For starters, any Steelers fans that call out Smith-Schuster for being active on social media and marketing himself are in the wrong. The man has a right to earn whatever he can right now, as football won’t last forever but a brand potentially will. You can argue all you want in terms of how good he is, but don’t dislike a man for trying to do what he can to make the most of his earning potential in the NFL.
As for the quality of player, Smith-Schuster may not be an elite number one receiver, but he isn’t a bad player. As well, his usage over the past two seasons has been horrible. The Steelers as a team have reverted to shorter passes, but his average depth of target last season only being 5.5 yards is similar to a running back. If the team wants him to get back to his 2018 ways, getting him more involved deep is key here. No, Smith-Schuster isn’t a top-five receiver in the league, but he is a fine starter and a player that makes this receiving room better.
Steelers Mason Rudolph
There was so much excitement surrounding Mason Rudolph entering the 2019 season after Ben Roethlisberger was lost for the season. Many expected him to set the world on fire and look like a bonafide starter, but he struggled and eventually was rotated in and out with Devlin Hodges. While Rudolph’s game has plenty of flaws (his lack of mobility being a primary concern), he still seems to be developing.
While it was a small sample, his lone start last season against the Browns was a good one. The offense as a whole ran well through him, and he actually made some deep passes, something this offense had been lacking. You also have to consider the fact that Rudolph has never had a running game he can rely on. Anytime he has started, a lot of the pressure fell onto him due to the team not being able to get the ground game going.
Anyone clamoring for him to be cut or demoted this season will be disappointed. His contract extension almost guarantees him the backup job and makes him the favorite to start next season. While he may not be the answer long-term, Rudolph is still developing into a fine backup and seemingly a low-end starter. For a third-round pick, that honestly isn’t that bad. Critiquing his game is fine, but don’t ignore the fact that he has shown consistent improvements in his limited starts.
Steelers Terrell Edmunds
If you want as close to a one-to-one comparison to Dupree, Edmunds is your guy. Until last season, Terrell Edmunds was seen as an uber-athlete but a mediocre player just as Dupree had been seen before he took off. Then, Edmunds put together his best season as a pro. He maintained his high level of play against the run, but he also saw his coverage improve as he only allowed a quarterback rating of 70.8 when targeted.
While Minkah Fitzpatrick is the lynchpin in the secondary, Edmunds expanded his value to the team last season. While far from elite, Edmunds has made improvements in each year and could impress in the final year of his rookie contract. Even if he maintains his play from last season, he should be viewed as an above-average strong safety. Yet there are still Steelers fans that believe he isn’t good.
His first two seasons weren’t great, but he is clearly still developing. If he takes another step forward this season, he could be in line for a payday next season. Regardless, Edmunds is no longer the proverbial joke of the secondary. While there are still areas he can improve upon, it is high time the fanbase backs him up a little. He has developed into a solid starter at this point, and while his play is masked by Fitzpatrick’s, he certainly doesn’t deserve the hate he gets.
Fanbases in general tend to form an opinion on a player and keep it no matter what evidence presents itself later on. For the Steelers, these four players exemplify this idea, as each either has a chance to improve or has been developing and don’t deserve the unjustified hate given. While there play could be better, they are all quality players that deserve a chance to prove that again in 2021.