The Steelers have some highly skilled players returning that will shoot for a more successful 2022 season.
The Steelers are coming off a season that was full of nostalgia that ultimately ended in sad defeat in the playoffs. It was an up and down year that brought a lot of memories with it along the way. Now the club heads in 2022 with many different faces, both new and old, into different roles on this team.
It will be interesting to see how some of these players that are given starter roles pan out. Many different additions in free agency and through the draft process have shaped this team into a new era. It should be fun to watch the new guys meld with the older veterans into a new unit on the football field.
This list of black and gold players will highlight those that are coming off performances in 2021 that left more to desire. These players are all at different points in their careers and will have another shot to prove themselves on this club. They are primed for a big year in their careers, for better or worse.
Pressley Harvin III should rebound for the Steelers punting game
Pressley Harvin III was a punter that people sought out to watch during his rookie campaign. He is a unique player at the position with the size differential that he brings along with him. His first year in the NFL was not up to the standard that many thought he would produce.
There were many different reasons for his poor play, one being the deaths of both his father and grandmother late last season. These tragedies are tough on anyone, and this affected his play. Harvin will have another chance to prove himself again with a fresh slate this year.
Ahkello Witherspoon will become the Steelers number one cornerback
Ahkello Witherspoon has not even been a member of the Steelers for an entire year yet. The club traded for him from the Seattle Seahawks right before the regular season started. It took him a while to gain a starting spot after taking some time to learn the playbook and for other players in front of him on the depth chart to not play.
It took a while, but this player took advantage of his opportunity when he finally got the shot. His level of play during that final stretch run of the season was one of the best at his position, the question that remains if he could sustain that during an entire year. He will have his chance at showing the coaches that he should be the number one corner on this defense going forward.
Right now, Witherspoon is only signed on with Pittsburgh for this season and next. He re-signed with the club on the notion that he would get a legit starting job on a defense that produces one of the best pass rushes in the NFL. It should be a great opportunity for this corner and one he needs to take advantage of.
Both him and Levi Wallace will be the starting outside corner tandem that the black and gold are going to roll with. That is an unproven group for the most part, but they do show some potential. Witherspoon could become a star for this team if he can continue his level of play from 2021.
Chase Claypool will return back to his rookie year form or better
Chase Claypool is a player that currently sits in hot water with the fanbase. It is amazing how things can change from year to year and that cannot be said enough about this player. He was one of the fan favorites during his rookie season as he put up big numbers and seemed to be the next big receiver threat in the NFL.
Unfortunately for the Steelers and Claypool, his numbers regressed in year two of the league for him. He was not able to get into the end zone as much and he started to show some concerns with his character on the football field. He made bad mistakes during games that played a part in costing the club some wins.
The biggest issue with this player is his lack of maturity at different moments in football games. Talking trash is something that many players like to do, but you cannot afford to take penalties and denounce the efforts of your club. He did that at different points last season and that only magnified his lesser stats.
This is now year three for this Canadian receiver and it is put up or shut up time. The Steelers need to figure out the future at this young position that has many different options at their disposal. He needs to become a leader for that room and have his best season yet either on the outside or in the slot.
Alex Highsmith will become what the Steelers need on the edge
Alex Highsmith is a player that many are still looking for more from. He had a solid 2021 season as the first year of being the full-time starter opposite of T.J. Watt. He did an admirable job and might have missed out on some plays because Watt was well on his way to breaking records and winning the Defensive Player of the Year award.
This Charlotte product has continuously grown since being drafted by the Steelers and should have a big season ahead. Watt will get the production at a high level, but Highsmith will show up more in the stat department. Pittsburgh has high expectations for this player as they hope he can become a Bud Dupree type.
One aspect of his game that people do not give him enough credit for is run defense. Holding the edge is no small task and the black and gold need more players like him to do that job. This defense struggled last year against the run, but Highsmith should help stop that issue.
This is year three for this player and he should be able to come out full tilt against the rest of the NFL. He has all the skills necessary to become the next Dupree if he can get in the backfield and produce. This is a pass rushing defense and this player should help that cause.
Devin Bush needs to rebound heading into a contract year
Devin Bush might be the most polarizing player on the Steelers roster heading into the 2022 season. Most seem to believe that he does not have a great shot at becoming what he was promoted as coming out of the draft years ago. That seems fair as this player has not been able to use his speed as an asset at the next level.
Pittsburgh believed in him so much they traded up ten spots in the first round to take him. That is uncommon and it would be a shame if this relationship did not pan out between this player and the franchise. He was coming off a knee injury last season so that could have affected him.
Each player has their own unique experience when they suffer a knee injury and how they come back. A lot more are coming back better than ever but some seem to still struggle to rebound from that injury. There is still a concern that this injury could have permanently taken away Bush’s extra layer of speed.
That was one of his strongest traits that attracted Pittsburgh to him so much when he was at Michigan. This is his last chance with the Steelers organization to earn another contract and show he is starting material. If he fails, he could be out of the NFL in another couple of years or less.
The Steelers have some players coming off a down year but that should not define their story. They seem to be in store for a big season for their respective careers.