Last season the Pittsburgh Steelers saw the emergence of guys like linebacker Bud Dupree and cornerback Steven Nelson. However, of every player who stepped up big, there was another who failed to live up to expectations. Here are the four guys who didn’t perform as expected but we are counting for a bounceback in 2020.
WR JuJu Smith-Schuster
2019 was supposed to be the season Smith-Schuster emerged as a true No. 1 receiver. But due to a multitude of factors, it didn’t happen. Quarterback injuries forced the entire offense to scale back and Smith-Schuster’s own injury kept him off the field. We are hoping next season, regardless of who is under center, Smith-Schuster elevates the play of those around him rather than sinking to their level.
S Terrell Edmunds
Ever since the Steelers shocked everyone by drafted Edmunds in the first round his play has been under the microscope. Last season wasn’t awful for Edmunds but when you are the fourth and maybe the fifth-best player in the secondary as a first-round pick, that isn’t acceptable. With all the talent around him, we hope he’s able to benefit from more splash plays in 2020.
RB James Conner
After two injury-plagued seasons, it isn’t unreasonable to wonder if Conner is the answer at running back for the Steelers. Conner missed six games last season and the entire run game suffered because of it. Heading into his fourth season, we hope to see Conner be able to put together a full season before the team has to make a financial decision about his future with the Steelers.
OT Matt Feiler
In 2018, when Feiler took over the starting right tackle spot, it was a pleasant surprise how well he played. When he came in he was definitely an upgrade over Marcus Gilbert. But in 2019, Feiler came back to Earth and was a much more average player. He has loads of potential and we really hope he takes that next step in 2020.
