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The second full week of Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2021 coaching camp is sort of over as I transfer additional into my Rating the Starters collection right here at Steelers Depot.
Although precise soccer is right here and able to be talked about, it’s nonetheless enjoyable for me to proceed to push on within the offseason rankings, which I’ll do right here as we speak, rating the Steelers’ starters No. 9-7. Additionally, the Corridor of Fame Sport is simply days away, so there’s that as effectively.
Simply as a reminder, right here’s how the 2020 rankings went forward of the 2020 season.
As we proceed, I’ll provide you with a quick rundown of names to anticipate on this collection as I make my starters projections. These names italicized are already within the rankings to begin the collection.
Offense
QB — Ben Roethlisberger
RB — Najee Harris
WR — JuJu Smith-Schuster
WR – Diontae Johnson
WR – Chase Claypool
TE — Eric Ebron
LT — Chukwuma Okorafor
LG — Kevin Dotson
C — Kendrick Inexperienced
RG — Trai Turner
RT – Zach Banner
Protection
DE — Cameron Heyward
DE — Stephon Tuitt
OLB — Alex Highsmith
ILB — Devin Bush
ILB — Robert Spillane
OLB — TJ Watt
CB — Joe Haden
CB — Cameron Sutton
CB – James Pierre
S — Minkah Fitzpatrick
S — Terrell Edmunds
Specialists
Okay – Chris Boswell
P — Jordan Berry
Final notice earlier than we dive in right here: right here’s how the listing began out this season:
- No. 24 — Jordan Berry
- No. 23 — James Pierre
- No. 22 — Chukwuma Okorafor
- No. 21 — Zach Banner
- No. 20 — Kendrick Inexperienced
- No. 19 — Robert Spillane
- No. 18 — Trai Turner
- No. 17 — Kevin Dotson
- No. 16 — Eric Ebron
- No. 15 — Alex Highsmith
- No. 14 — Chris Boswell
- No. 13 — Cameron Sutton
- No. 12 — Terrell Edmunds
- No. 11 — Najee Harris
- No. 10 — Chase Claypool
No. 9 — Diontae Johnson, WR
Although he was plagued with drops final season resulting in that being seemingly the one dialogue surrounding him, Diontae Johnson is fairly darn good total and vastly missed in relation to the highest receiver dialogue on the Steelers.
Johnson is a borderline elite-level route runner that creates separation with the very best of them within the NFL on the place. He additionally garners the lion’s share of the targets within the Steelers’ offense and is quietly Ben Roethlisberger’s favourite goal total as a consequence of his Antonio Brown-like traits.
If he can clear up his drops and proceed to take the subsequent step ahead as a route runner, an enormous breakout season might be within the works for Johnson in 2021, actually placing himself within the dialogue for one of many high wideouts within the AFC.
No. 8 — Devin Bush, ILB
This may occasionally appear a bit excessive for a man coming off of a torn ACL that ended his season within the fifth recreation of the yr, however that claims so much about Bush’s skills and the tape he put collectively early within the season as a second-year linebacker in 2020.
Now, totally recovered and cleared to take part at 100% in coaching camp, Bush is seeking to re-establish himself as one of many premier inside linebackers in as we speak’s NFL together with his mixture of velocity, athleticism and total vary at inside linebacker.
A return to full well being and his early 2020-level of play will do wonders for the Steelers’ protection in 2021 as it really works in some new faces into full-time roles.
No. 7 — Joe Haden, CB
At 32 years of age, Steelers’ cornerback Joe Haden exhibits no indicators of slowing down.
Haden, who got here to the Steelers previous to the 2017 season, turned in one among his greatest seasons within the black and gold in 2020, selecting off two passes (one for a landing) and breaking apart 12 passes total in 14 begins. He paired with former Steeler Steven Nelson to kind one of many higher cornerback duos within the NFL the final two seasons.
Now, Haden is the final one remaining because the Steelers look to work in Cameron Sutton reverse him right into a full time function, and attempt to develop names like James Pierre, Antoine Brooks Jr. and Justin Layne at nook. If Haden can flip in one other good season within the black and gold, he might discover himself touchdown one other contract with the Steelers.
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