The Steelers had one of the worst offenses in the NFL in 2019 due to poor QB play and injuries to key young pieces. As a result, Juju Smith-Schuster’s production was cut nearly into a third of what his 2018 campaign produced. With Big Ben announcing he’s fully healthy again and Juju returning to a more prominent slot role in 2020, Smith-Schuster and the Steelers have a lot to be excited for entering 2020.
The Pittsburgh Steelers were an offensive juggernaut when Juju Smith-Schuster first entered the league, helping him cement multiple records in the NFL at a very young age. In 2019, the Steelers offense was a disaster as they twisted and turned through their 1st season without all 3 Killer B’s (Brown, Bell, & Ben) since 2012. Pittsburgh felt very confident in their ability to replace the franchise’s 2nd leading all-time WR Antonio Brown because of Juju Smith-Schuster’s rise as a Sophomore, where he racked up 1,426 yards en route to earning team MVP. Following a disappointing 2019 season, Juju‘s entering his second season as the #1 option in this offense, but he now has the chance to return to the slot where he was so dominant in 2018.
Although Juju is loved in Pittsburgh, don’t sleep on the possibility that this could be his last season as a Steeler. Pittsburgh is the best team in the league at developing WR’s and they’ve been relatively cap-strapped over the past five years. The Steelers don’t let home-grown talent leave western Pennsylvania often, but recently they’ve been less reluctant to split with franchise cornerstones (i.e Antonio Brown, Le’Veon Bell, Javon Hargrave and Marcus Gilbert). Entering a contract year with a chance to cash out in the free agent market, expect a big season from Juju as he will be highly motivated to bounce back in 2020 alongside his recovering QB.
FUTURE OUTLOOK: A-
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Pittsburgh has used the draft to seamlessly transition from losing one of the greatest wideouts of all-time in Antonio Brown. General Manager Kevin Colbert has reshaped and retooled the group by investing a 3rd Rd pick or higher on a Wide Receiver in four consecutive years: Smith-Schuster in the 2nd Rd (’17), James Washington in the 2nd Rd (’18), Diontae Johnson in the 3rd Rd (’19), and Chase Claypool in the 2nd Rd (’20).
The Steelers currently have one of the best future outlooks of any WR room in the NFL. Diontae Johnson led all 2019 rookies in receptions and was also a 2nd team All-Pro as a Punt Returner. James Washington took a major step forward in his Sophomore campaign by reeling in 735 yards to help shed his early bust label despite not being able to play much with Hall of Fame QB Ben Roethlisberger. On top of that, Chase Claypool’s 6’4 frame and 4.4 speed gives the Steelers the potential to have their 1st lengthy weapon on the the perimeter since they drafted Plaxico Burress in the first round of the 2000 draft. Ryan Switzer and Deon Cain haven’t proven much at the NFL level, but have each shown flashes of being capable to fill in adequately whenever their name is called.
Even though it’s not clear if the Steelers have a true superstar in the room, they do have an abundance of youthful talent with five of their six Wide Receivers all under the age of 25. The fact the Steelers consistently evaluate and draft WRs better than anyone in the league means everyone in that position group could be extendable for a younger, cheaper option at some point (welcome to the NFL). Nonetheless, this group is very young and compliments each other well, so expect their three most recent draft picks to be in Pittsburgh for a long time.
If Juju is fortunate enough to stay in the Steel City after this year, Pitt will have a group that can go toe-to-toe with anyone sooner than later.
James Washington’s 2019 Highlights
Diontae Johnson’s 2019 Highlights
Chase Claypool’s 2019 Highlights (Notre Dame)
STEELERS WR OUTLOOK: B+
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