4 Pittsburgh Steelers with the most weight on their shoulders in 2021

So much is riding on the performance of these four Pittsburgh Steelers players in 2021. Will they rise to the challenge? 

Any realistic Steelers fan knows that this could be our last shot at a championship for a while. In fact, many fans believe that the window has already been slammed shut. Still, if Pittsburgh can get into the playoffs (and there is a reasonable shot at that playing out this year), anything can happen.

So much of this will depend on how Pittsburgh overcomes the losses of so many quality football players. Without weekly contributors like Bud Dupree, Steven Nelson, Mike Hilton, or Alejandro Villanueva, the Steelers face a difficult challenge in 2021.

However, some tasks will be more difficult with others, as much of the team’s potential success in 2021 lives and dies with their performances. Here are four Pittsburgh Steelers who carry the most weight on their shoulders in what could be the final year of a Super Bowl window:

CB Cameron Sutton

I wouldn’t like to be in Cameron Sutton’s shoes right now. After boasting a solid secondary last year, the departure of two solid cornerbacks in Mike Hilton and Steven Nelson leave Sutton potentially attempting to fill both voids. To make matters worse, the team did nothing to help out the young cornerback in the NFL Draft or free agency this year, and Sutton will no doubt be asked to wear multiple hats.

I worry that Sutton will be stretched too thin with his assignments in the secondary, and jumping back and forth from an outside cornerback to a slot cornerback depending on the package is a lot to ask (if that is indeed his role). Still, Sutton has proven to be a good player with plus instincts and a great football IQ. Let’s hope the weight of his new assignment is not too much to handle.