5 Steelers who desperately need to develop in the 2022 offseason

Steelers Chase Claypool

If there was one player that had huge expectations in 2021, it was Chase Claypool. The rookie exploded on the scene in 2020, as he was a threat from all over the field. His freaky size mixed with great athletic ability made him nearly impossible to cover, and as a result, he was a star for the Steelers. Unfortunately, regression set in and Claypool came screaming back to earth this past season.

While there is still plenty of time for the talented receiver to get back on the right track, he will need to put in some serious work this offseason. Diontae Johnson proved that a bounce-back season is possible, and Claypool will need to have a similar impact in order to get back into the team’s good graces.

It all starts with consistency, as Claypool would seemingly make a great play and then suffer through two mistakes. While a big-play threat will naturally have some variance in his game, he needs to come down with more of his contested passes. As well, Claypool must reestablish himself as a red zone threat again, as he seemed to disappear whenever the Steelers were driving. The sky is the limit for Claypool if he gets back on the right track again, but it will take quite a bit of work. This offseason will be key for Claypool to recapture some of that fire he had as a rookie.

The Steelers are entering a critical offseason as a franchise as they hunt for their next quarterback and look to fill the plethora of holes all over the roster. While adding talent will be a must, there are plenty of players currently on the roster that have a lot of work to do. In particular, these five Steelers are facing a critical offseason in 2022.