The Steelers are a young team and that means they don’t have many expectations so surprises could happen.
The Steelers have a young team coming into the 2022 season. The roster still needs filled out as the draft is still to come. The incomplete list of names that will make it to training camp and beyond are still in progress, but there are some current names that could surprise fans for the upcoming year.
Not much is expected from Pittsburgh as the NFL sees them in full rebuild mode. That is a fair assumption, but the club seems focused on staying as competitive as possible in 2022. They have some dynamic pieces that could keep them in games and potentially win more than most have thought will happen.
There are new faces that have joined the team via free agency and some younger players that still have a lot to show. They will get a chance to be “the guy” and grow their resumes on this team in a positive way. Some of these players on the list could also be deemed the biggest disappointments if their season is not up to satisfactory standards.
This offseason has been busy and unique as the black and gold have been very active thus far. They spent a lot of money in free agency and could still be looking to add in that phase of the offseason. Adding players to fill starting spots in the lineup was a major accomplishment to free some options up for the draft.
Now the team will be able to focus on the last of the needs that weren’t addressed in free agency when the draft rolls around. It is going to be an interesting event as it seems like Pittsburgh will be focusing on adding a quarterback to the room. Those draft picks could join this list later if they are put in the right situation.
Alex Highsmith could break out in 2022
Alex Highsmith has been a rising player on this defense that has many great names on it. He is entering his third season in the NFL, his second as a starter. He has been a nice option on the opposite starting spot of T.J. Watt.
He is reliable in stopping the run and getting after the quarterback. He has been coming along and had a nice season this past year. His stats rushing the passer have not shown up on the stat sheet as many would hope, but this third time around could really change everything.
Having Watt out there takes away many sacks of other players as he gets to the passer so quickly. He is a dominant player and that might hinder Highsmith some, but that is not a bad thing. This third-year man out of Charlette has shown some great abilities and growth since coming in as a rookie and it takes time to show great results in the stat column.
This is going to be a big year for Highsmith and his camp. They will be playing for a potential contract extension, despite the team having him under contract for another season after 2022. If he regresses, then a replacement could be brought in the following offseason. All signs are pointing to this player really coming along and having a big year.
Levi Wallace could become the top corner in 2022
Levi Wallace signed with the Steelers in free agency as he inked a two-year contract. He left the Buffalo Bills after signing there as an undrafted free agent coming out of college. He started for three and a half seasons out of the four of him being with the Bills.
The Steelers wanted to sign this player as a rookie coming out of Alabama, but he decided against signing here at the time. That decision was different this time around as he joins the team as one of the starters slotted into the lineup. He will likely be the second outside cornerback option on the opposite side of Ahkello Witherspoon.
The biggest issue with Wallace is his lack of high-end speed. That can cause problems, especially when man-to-man coverage is called upon. Pittsburgh adores going with zone coverage, even though it rarely works. That seems like the direction that they will go with and that will help supplement the lack of speed in the secondary.
This corner could really provide some nice stability with Witherspoon returning after a great conclusion to the 2021 year. It is going to be a competition in camp to see where these corners end up, but Wallace will be on the outside. He will do well in zone coverage and could get the fans’ attention early on.
Devin Bush could prove why he was a top ten pick in 2022
Devin Bush is a player currently in the doghouse in the eyes of fans. That scrutiny is not totally unprovoked as this player really struggled in 2021 after returning from a season-ending knee injury. He relies on speed to help his game excel and that attribute was missing.
He now enters a career-defining season as the team needs to figure out if he is the long-term answer or not. If he jumps back to his promising form before the injury, then he will be the answer in the middle of the defense. The opposite would be him not having that speed come back and that could be disastrous for his professional career.
The Steelers traded up into the top ten to select this player in the draft. They believe in him and think he could be their starter for years to come, that’s why they picked him. His regression last season was very concerning, and he has a ton to prove in 2022.
It isn’t too late for this linebacker, and he could turn everything around this year. He had a full offseason to prepare and get back from his injury without any rehab or recovery. Fans should be rooting for him to become a top ten player at his position as they think he might be too far gone.
Stephon Tuitt could return to form in 2022 after a year hiatus
Stephon Tuitt has been a great player for the Steelers since they drafted him coming out of Notre Dame. The one-two punch between Cam Heyward and him has been one of the best in the NFL. They have secured a consistent and talented defensive line for years.
Terrible news hit Tuitt and his family last year as his brother tragically passed away. He came to training camp and dealt with a lingering injury but decided to not play last season. He focused on his mental health and helping his family with the loss of his brother.
The Steelers have been in constant contact with the defensive lineman since his time away from the team. Many are still wondering if Tuitt has provided an answer to Pittsburgh on his future, it seems like they know something the public doesn’t.
Their moves during the offseason do make it seem like he will be returning in 2022 and multiple reporters that cover the club also believe that to be the case.
Bringing this player back will be huge for the defense. He will prove to be a great starter and allow for the depth to fall back into place. This will fix the run defenses woes that happened just a year ago. His return will make a vengeance that will create havoc for offensive linemen.
Mitch Trubisky could be a good starter for this team in 2022
Mitch Trubisky has had a disappointing career ever since he was taken second overall by the Chicago Bears in the 2017 NFL Draft. He has a winning record as a starting quarterback that also includes making the playoffs as well during his time in the windy city. He fell out of favor there and the team wanted to move on with a new young quarterback, Justin Fields.
He was still a young player but decided to go to the Buffalo Bills in free agency and be the backup for Josh Allen. He became someone that the locker room liked a lot, and his character always gets high marks. The time to look for a new home in 2022 hit again and the Steelers came calling.
They signed Trubisky to a two-year team-friendly contract that gives this player at least a season to prove himself. This signing has not deterred the team from evaluating and potentially drafting a young quarterback later this month. This is the starting position that this player has been looking for since his time in Chicago.
This will be the starting quarterback for Pittsburgh in 2022 unless he totally falls on his face. He should be able to give Matt Canada the type of guy that he wants in control of his offense. This signal-caller has the pedigree and enough experience where he could potentially get this club back into the playoffs and that would make the fans happily surprised.
The Steelers have some chances for their players to become breakout performers in 2022. It is a young and unproven team for the most part and that could lead to great results.