3 current Steelers who have yet to get the chance they deserved

The Pittsburgh Steelers have many proven veterans but these three players haven’t yet gotten a real chance to prove themselves in the NFL. 

Since the start of training camp, all eyes have been on the star players (or those who many believe will be star players in the future). Along with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, some of the most talked-about names so far have been Najee Harris, Chase Claypool, Melvin Ingram, and Pat Freiermuth.

While I see no issue at all with fans and the team alike showing excitement over some of their new (or relatively new) players, some other once-promising former draft picks have now become afterthoughts. But is it really their fault they have been left behind? Here are three Steelers players who have yet to get the opportunity they deserve in the NFL:

WR James Washington

There’s a small fanbase out there that shows a lot of love to James Washington, but in terms of popularity, he’s a distant fourth among wide receivers on this team. Despite being a former second-round pick, it didn’t take much for Diontae Johnson and Chase Claypool to leapfrog him on the roster in back-to-back years. However, was the reasoning for doing so justified?

I have to admit that the Steelers have a pretty talented, young group of receivers, and I can understand why they have been used the way they have so far. Johnson has the traits to be a quality ‘X’ receiver with his ability to effortlessly beat press coverage and create separation, while Claypool has remarkable size and athleticism to go with the ability to win down the field.

Despite being quite arguably the best (or at least most consistent) receiver on the team in 202198 and leading the Steelers in receiving yards, Washington saw very limited opportunity to showcase his talents in 2020. This is a player who could very well end up being a bigger factor on his next team.