4 Steelers that have quietly had extremely strong seasons

Steelers Zach Gentry

I’ll be the first one to say, I’m completely surprised by just how well Zach Gentry has played for the Steelers this season. I fully expected him to get cut out of camp, as the former fifth-round pick had size and literally nothing else. His athleticism was horrible, he offered little as a blocker, and couldn’t block. He had shown little development from year one to year two, and despite making the roster, he rarely played.

All of that has seemingly changed, as he hasn’t only just made the roster, but he has also been a regular face on the offense in the tight-end rotation. While still extremely limited as a receiver (that isn’t likely to change), he has taken a lot of steps forward as a blocker. While Pat Freiermuth is still developing there, it is safe to say Gentry is the best blocking tight end on this roster. While not the caliber of blocker that Matt Speath was, Gentry is doing his best to open lanes for the Steelers rushing attack.

All of this shows as he has been key in Najee Harris finally finding some amount of success on the ground recently. All of this isn’t to say that the team has a quality starter in Gentry, but through the 97 snaps he has played on offense so far, he has shown the ability to be a solid reserve tight end that can block. The Steelers had to wait a while, but they are finally getting something out of Gentry this season.