As the Steelers get ready to open training camp, here are the four most overrated players on the team entering camp.
The Steelers have a very new roster this season as they added quite a few key players. While there is some hope that this roster will come together, there are some players who have been given far too much hype before they have even played for this team. While they can certainly play up to their expectations, they still have a lot to prove.
Here are the four most overrated Steelers heading into training camp.
Steelers DT Ogunjobi
The newest addition to the Steelers roster, Larry Ogunjobi was added shortly after Stephon Tuitt decided to retire. While Ogunjobi has put up some solid tape during his five seasons in the league, he is a rather unbalanced player who has an interesting scheme fit on this defensive line. He certainly can succeed, but those viewing him as some sort of inherent upgrade are fooling themselves.
Ogunjobi is a great pass rusher through and through. That is his calling card, as he has amassed 21.5 sacks to this point, including a career-high seven last year with the Bengals. On the flip side, Ogunjobi’s run defense has been an issue during his time as a pro. For a defense that struggled as much as it did with run defense, Ogunjobi may not have as straight of a path to playing time as some believe.
Is Ogunjobi a good pass rusher? Of course, but he isn’t a complete defender at this point. While he will see snaps on defense, there is a real chance he is a rotational pass rusher as opposed to a traditional starter. That isn’t horrible but acting like he is some sort of upgrade over Tuitt is laughable. He has a lot to prove, and more specifically he has to show that he can be a capable run defender to thrive along this line.
Steelers QB Trubisky
While I argued that the Steelers signing Mitchell Trubisky for the money they got him for was a good move, others seem to have vastly overrated the move. While he was a fine budget signing that could start in a pinch, treating him like he will be the starting quarterback long-term is unwise. There is little reason to believe that he will suddenly become a great quarterback after five seasons of mediocrity.
For starters, Kenny Pickett seems to be the biggest reason not to view Trubisky as anything other than a transitional player. The first-round investment is a hefty one, and long term he should be viewed as the guy for this team. As well, his play on the field hasn’t been anything special. He struggled with the Bears which led to the team not bringing him back. While he looked good with the Bills during the preseason, he certainly didn’t impress on the field.
Sure, there is an argument to be made that he is a good fit in this offense. Even more so, his tenure with the Bears never seemed like a great pairing. Even with all of that considered, it seems unlikely that Trubisky does a whole lot for this team. Odds point to him keeping the seat warm until Pickett is ready.
Steelers RB Harris
A player that is receiving a lot of hype this offseason is Najee Harris. The Steelers first-round pick from last year, Harris looked the part of a workhorse back. He runs with a lot of power, can serve as a receiver, and can block when needed. He compiled a lot of yards as a rookie despite the offense not being an extremely effective unit.
While Harris is a good player, piling on the expectations that have already been laid out for him seems premature. Sure, Harris broke the Steelers rookie rushing record, but that was previously held by Franco Harris who earned that mark in only 12 games. While a workhorse, Harris wasn’t efficient as a runner. The yardage numbers he posted were due to his workload more so than his pure talent.
While many point to the offense as a whole as the reason Harris struggled, as a first-round pick, he should have been able to overcome some of those problems. If his success is truly tied to how good the offensive line is, then his 2022 season will likely only be marginally better since the line only marginally improved. Harris is a good player but claiming he is elite after a so-so rookie season is not true. He can put these doubts to bed with a strong second season, but he needs to prove a lot before one can count him as an elite player.
Steelers LB Jack
Arguably the most overrated addition and player on this current Steelers roster, Myles Jack was once seen as an up-and-coming linebacker. He put together a few strong seasons with the Jaguars, earned a massive payday, and was viewed as a gamechanger on defense. Injuries mounted and Jacksonville’s defense regressed, and Jack quickly saw his play worsen.
While Jack is an uber athlete as a linebacker and was at one time a premiere player, the past two seasons, in particular, have been pretty bad for Jack. When playing on a talented defense where he doesn’t have to make every play Jack can thrive. It was apparent that when the Jaguars saw their defense get worse, Jack couldn’t transcend the rest of the defensive issues.
Jack is set to play on a much more talented defense than he played on the Jaguars over the past few seasons. There is a reason to believe that his play could emulate his earlier self now that he isn’t going to be the focus again. That said, many are already claiming Jack to be one of the brightest defenders on the team. Based on his recent play, that isn’t the case. Until he shows the traits he flashed earlier in his career, Jack will continue to be overrated on this roster.
The Steelers have a very new roster heading into the 2022 season. While there are reasons to be excited, there are also some players who are clearly overrated. While all four of these players can prove themselves this season, right now, they are clearly overrated.