4 best-kept secrets on the Pittsburgh Steelers roster ahead of training camp

Training camp is finally upon us, but some players are still very much unknown. Here are the four best-kept secrets on the Pittsburgh Steelers roster. 

Pittsburgh Steelers training camp is officially underway and fans are amping up the energy level for the upcoming NFL season. As players entered the practice facility, the media was unsurprisingly focused on the stars of the show. Players like T.J. Watt, Joe Haden, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and Najee Harris had the cameras on them, while Ben Roethlisberger raised a little suspicion about his diet that was reportedly ‘stricter’ than Tom Brady’s.

While these are the type of players that fans typically focus on, the Steelers have some weapons that have yet to be truly deployed so far. That could very well change in 2021. Here are the Pittsburgh four best-kept secrets ahead of Steelers training camp:

WR/PR Ray-Ray McCloud

We have seen Ray-Ray McCloud in some capacity, yes, but I believe the best is still yet to come for this young offensive weapon. Though listed as a wide receiver, I think McCloud is best described as a gadget – one that is particularly intriguing to Matt Canada’s new offense.

In 2020, McCloud was often used on reverses and trick plays. He could be used even more so in that department this season. Additionally, there are talks that McCloud could operate more as a true slot receiver this year thanks to his quickness before and after the catch.

McCloud is already an impressive return man who averaged 10.3 yards per punt return in 2020. Now, he could be used more frequently in Canada’s offense that should include much more play-action and at-the-snap motion than we witnessed in 2020. Keep an eye on him this training camp.