With some new additions to the team and players returning from injury, here are three Steelers who will likely have reduced roles in 2021.
The Steelers are entering what is very likely to be the last year of Ben Roethlisberger in Pittsburgh. The former two-time Super Bowl-winning and future Hall of Fame quarterback made every effort to come back for one final season in 2021.
One thing the Steelers were adamant about doing this offseason was improving the run game, and they made that very clear when they took running back Najee Harris with the 24th overall pick. Additionally, Pittsburgh added depth at a few other positions that struggled in 2020.
Because of the salary cap situation, Pittsburgh had an unusual amount of roster turnover this season, and many young players will be given much larger roles in 2021 as a result. Unfortunately, for these three players, it’s unlikely they see as much playing time as they did just a year ago:
LB Vince Williams
Depending on how things play out, Vince Williams might not necessarily be any lower on the depth chart than he was a season ago. However, I would be baffled if he earned as much playing time as he did last year. In fact, barring a major injury to Devin Bush or Robert Spillane, I would almost guarantee that his usage is drastically reduced in 2021.
At this stage in his career, Williams is known for being a liability on passing downs. While he’s still excellent at going north and south and getting after the quarterback, that doesn’t make up for the gaping holes in his game. In 2019, the Steelers deployed much more of Mark Barron than Williams. While Barron wasn’t great in coverage, he was a much better mover in space.
I fully expect to see Vince Williams in a much more limited role with a healthy Bush and Spillane in 2021. There’s even a chance that a young linebacker who is lower on the depth chart could challenge Williams for snaps by the end of the season.