Grading the Pittsburgh Steelers projected starting offense in 2021

Wide receivers

WR1 JuJu Smith-Schuster: C

If Juju would ever grow up he could be a great player. As it is, he is an under-performing WR1 who more and more, is getting stuck in the slot.. 9th in receptions but 38th in yardage in the NFL in 2020. If Claypool emerges as the Steelers WR1 it will take some of the heat off Juju. If that happens will Juju use the opportunity to emerge as a good WR2 or will he just keep working on his TikTok moves?

WR2 Chase Claypool: B

Claypool has all the tools to be a great player. He has size, speed, and toughness. His route running improved as the season went on and he flashed some big-play ability in his rookie year.

But then he’s been labeled as having ‘diva tendencies’ by the Steelers’ brass and was involved in a bar fight in the off-season. Will Claypool step up or flame out? Hopefully, it will be the former. If Claypool takes his next steps toward stardom he could carry the Steelers overrated receiving corps.

WR3 Diontae Johnson: D

Yes, Johnson can be dynamic when he holds onto the ball but he led the Steelers in drops in 2019. It got worse in 2020 with Johnson leading the NFL in that very bad stat with 13 drops at an alarmingly high rate of 9.0%.

The bad thing is most of them aren’t concentration drops. Johnson is not a natural pass catcher. He has trouble framing his hands when the ball comes at him from unexpected angles and/or outside his frame. I watched WR coach, the late Daryl Drake, work with him for an entire practice showing him how to frame his hands for various passes and Johnson couldn’t get it.

He was even benched for a couple of games but came back after James Washington failed to stake his claim. With 19 drops in a two-year career, Johnson is one drop in the end zone away from being in Tomlin’s Doghouse of Doom. Najee Harris may be counted on in the slot, more and more, as the season goes on.