The Steelers roster has been reconstructed, and these three players appear to be poised to break out as a result.
The Steelers had one of the busier offseasons in recent memory, as they aggressively attacked their needs in free agency and in the draft. As a result, there are some players who are poised to break out for the team. No matter the circumstances, these three Steelers have serious breakout potential for the 2022 season.
Steelers Highsmith
Alex Highsmith was on a lot of breakout lists last season, and while he had a good season overall, he struggled early in the season to make a huge impact. His slow start and lingering injury inhibited him from truly breaking out. That said, he put up a respectable six sacks and provided a consistent level of pass rush.
This year is really taking shape for Highsmith to thrive though. He is entering his third season after making the transition from a smaller school and he should be playing behind an even better defensive line. Tyson Alualu is set to return and Stephon Tuitt may also make his return, meaning that this defensive line grouping may take even more pressure off of Highsmith.
The best aspect of Highsmith though is his pass-rushing skill set. He uses a wide variety of moves to make an impact. He still struggles with power moves, but beyond that, Highsmith is skilled at getting after the quarterback. This defense is shaping up to be a great opportunity for Highsmith. He should see a plethora of single teams and as a result, don’t be surprised to see him thrive in 2022.
Steelers Harris
One may argue that Najee Harris has already broken out, as the former first-round pick had 1600 total yards and was a productive member of this offense. That said, his efficiency was lackluster, as he struggled to run behind a mediocre line and his total yards were in thanks to his overall usage. That said, he should still be the focal point of this offense moving forward.
With Ben Roethlisberger now retired and the team likely shifting to a more run-focused offense, Harris should thrive. Add in some better blockers along the interior of the unit and there should be some more holes for Harris to run through. Finally, he can become a check-down option for whoever the Steelers quarterback is, further adding to his potential total yardage.
Harris had a fine rookie season, but he is in a position to blow up during his second season. Expect to see him receive an even heavier workload as well as better efficiency in 2022. There is a real chance that he leads the NFL in rushing yards if all goes as expected. There will be a concern with health, but beyond that, Harris could be poised for a huge jump this season.
Steelers Freiermuth
My personal favorite pick from the 2021 NFL Draft, Pat Freiermuth had a great rookie season despite playing a position that is typically hard to transition to. Tight ends typically have a tough rookie year before they truly take on a role as a starter. Freiermuth had no such issues, as he quickly became a physical presence for this offense and a talented scorer.
As I wrote about earlier, tight ends typically do far better as sophomores than rookies. That isn’t the only reason to think that Freiermuth can breakout though. The Steelers lost a lot of receiving talent this offseason, and while more speed and big-play ability were added in the draft, the team is still lacking the physical presence that JuJu Smith-Schuster provided.
Freiermuth should slot in well there, as he can become the safe and physical presence over the middle of the field. Expect to see him become a safety valve for whoever is throwing passes. As well, he can and should continue to be a red-zone threat. There is a lot to like about Freiermuth’s fit in his second season with the Steelers. Don’t be surprised to see him have a huge season in 2022.
With the Steelers new roster relatively set, there should be some players who breakout on this new team. Some of these players are in better positions than before while others are likely to naturally develop as they get more used to the league. Keep these three names in mind as potential breakout candidates for the team in 2022.