With the Steelers’ regular season drawing near, I personally hope these five players prove me wrong and exceed expectations.
The Steelers maintain a certain level of expectation every year due to their longstanding success in the league. While their expectations are down a bit this year, most still expect them to be competitive and be in play for a playoff spot. Individual team members also naturally carry certain expectations, and in the case of the five below, I personally think they will struggle in 2021 more than most.
Don’t get that confused though, while I think their contributions may be lacking, in no way do I hope that is the case. Here are the five Steelers players I hope exceed my expectations in 2021.
Steelers Justin Layne
If you have been following along with me since the end of last season, I have been incredibly negative on Justin Layne. The former third-round pick was oozing potential coming out of Michigan St., but he has yet to put it all together. Despite his great size and good athleticism, he really struggles to make reads and takes bad angles in coverage. He was so bad last year that an undrafted rookie cornerback (James Pierre) ended up passing him on the depth chart.
He allowed a quarterback rating of 138.5 when he was targeted and only forced two incompletions. Those types of numbers are not good enough for a third-round pick. Add in his arrest during the offseason and the great play at cornerback from the rest of the Steelers depth chart and there is a good chance Layne is looking for a new team in 2021.
All that said, I certainly don’t want to see him fail. Some cornerbacks do take a bit longer to develop, and the position has a tough transition from the college game to the pros. He needs to show something though, anything to prove he is moving in the right direction. Until then, I don’t even expect Layne to make the roster, and if he does, I wouldn’t expect any great play from him.
Steelers Kendrick Green
I can’t quite place my finger on it, but the more I’ve looked into Kendrick Green, the more I’m disappointed that the team didn’t draft a center in the first or second rounds of the draft. While Green has the long-term ability to be a good center once he develops, the Steelers need a center who can start now. Despite being a good run blocker and a great athlete, Green’s length and pass blocking make me question if he can be an effective starter in 2021.
That doesn’t mean I don’t think he will win the center job out of camp though. As of now, he seems to be in the driver’s seat, but that isn’t as much due to his play as it is the play of the other options. J.C Hassenauer and B.J. Finney. Hassenauer has looked as advertised (an average to slightly below average backup) and Finney has struggled to make an impact at both center and guard. Green has arguably been the best of the three, but he had a relatively low bar to cross to get to that point.
While Green may start for the majority of the season, as of now it appears as though that starting role is being given to him as the other options are that much worse. This could lead to some mediocre play and even more questions heading into next year at center. I hope I’m wrong here, as I would love nothing more than for Green to dominate as a rookie similar to how Kevin Dotson did when he played last year. As of now though, I think he could easily be labeled the worst starter on this line by year’s end.
Steelers Melvin Ingram
Despite receiving a lot of praise from the fanbase, I’ve been far more critical of the Steelers’ decision to sign Melvin Ingram than most. In no way was it a bad deal, but for the money he got and the presumed role he should have, it seemed like an overpay. Equally likely is that he takes starter reps away from Alex Highsmith, and that would be just as bad in my opinion. I’m not entirely sure where he fits into the equation for the team in 2021.
Based on just how well Highsmith has been playing in camp, it seems as though Ingram is trending toward overpriced backup status. Of the two scenarios, I’m far more comfortable with him there. That said, at age 32, how effective will he be at being even a role player. Injuries have held him back recently, so he has a lot to prove this season. He needs to be dynamic in the limited number of snaps he plays.
Of all the names on this list, minus maybe the last one, I believe Ingram has the best chance to exceed my expectations. The front seven is a strong unit, to begin with, so when he is on the field, he shouldn’t be the primary focus for offenses to stop. He could easily contribute four to five sacks in a reserve role which would be great. As long as he doesn’t take over as the starter or split reps with Highsmith, Ingram will exceed my expectations for him in the 2021 season.
Steelers Robert Spillane
There was arguably no better underdog story last year than the rise of Robert Spillane on the defense. Seen as a good special teams’ player and not much else, Spillane suddenly found himself as the starter once Devin Bush was out for the year. Overall, he played well given his status before the year, but it was far from perfect.
With Vince Williams retired, the other starting inside linebacker job is his to lose. Even with Joe Schobert entering the picture, odds are the team still expects Spillane to compete for the job. At the very least, the two will likely rotate in with each other. That said, based on the struggles that Spillane had last season, I wouldn’t expect his 2021 to be a significantly better year for him in terms of production.
Add in the fact that teams have tape on him starting and he has struggled early on in preseason so far and his role has to be questioned. While it is still unclear how much Schobert will play, Spillane will still likely commend some sort of role at least early on in the season. I hope Spillane makes a jump, but all signs point to him regressing this season.
Steelers Najee Harris
Let’s just get this squared before any sort of misinterpretation can be had: I don’t think Najee Harris will have a miserable season like some of the other names above. While I personally wasn’t a fan of using a first-round pick on a running back, Harris certainly has the potential to be a top back in the league. That said, too many people are overhyping his rookie season, and I find it hard to believe that he will be able to hit some of the high marks that are being set.
For those that are banking on Harris taking the league by storm and running away with rookie-of-the-year nods, don’t be surprised when that doesn’t happen. While I expect Harris to find some success on his own, he is running behind a putrid line that has shown little in terms of blocking ability so far in preseason. To expect Harris to be elite behind such a line is unlikely.
Yes, Harris will put up some decent stats based on his ability alone, but unless this line really takes a step forward, I wouldn’t expect a huge season from him. I hope he proves me wrong as if he does it would indicate that Harris is truly an elite player. If he isn’t at that point though, his season won’t be much more than above average. No, he won’t be bad by any means, just don’t be surprised if he doesn’t take the league by storm this year.
While I hope for the best for every Steelers player, it seems as though these players will disappoint this season. While it would be for a variety of reasons, I expect these players to be lackluster compared to what their expectations are. That said, I hope these five Steelers prove me wrong in 2021.