4 of the worst things we saw from the Steelers 2021 season

Steelers suffer a sophomore slump

Despite not having a first-round pick in 2020, the Steelers got a surprising amount of play out of their rookie class. Chase Claypool developed into a huge offensive weapon, Kevin Dotson flashed in a reserve role, and even undrafted rookie James Pierre become a steady special teams’ contributor with the expectation that he would be a contributor on defense in 2021.

To this point, the class really hasn’t lived up to expectations. Claypool has been inconsistent and maddingly immature so far this season. All of this despite him being a starter from the get-go this season and seeing an increased workload with JuJu Smith-Schuster injured. He will need a bounce-back campaign in 2022 if he wants any chance to stay with the team long-term.

Pierre never really panned out on defense. While he looked ok at times, his technique on deep passes led to him being exposed. Dotson hasn’t played poorly, but he has failed to develop from his rookie season and has played below where most expected him. While there is time for all three of these players to turn it around, their 2021 performances have been a disappointing element from this season.