With training camps getting ready to begin, we will be looking at bench players on the Pittsburgh Steelers who could end up starting by the end of the season. After reaching the AFC championship game in 2016, the Steelers lost some key players such as Lawrence Timmons. The Steelers addressed those losses in free agency and in the draft though, and could even have some rookies starting in 2017. Let’s look at the top bench candidates to start in 2017.
Five Bench Players Who Could End Up Starting for Pittsburgh Steelers
1. T.J. Watt, Outside Linebacker
T.J. Watt was the Steelers first round draft pick in 2017 and fans and analysts alike seemed to approve of the pick. Watt is an intelligent outside linebacker who will likely split time with James Harrison. Harrison is nearly 40 years old and nearing the end of his career, which is why Watt was taken in the first round.
Expect Harrison and Watt to share playing time, but don’t be surprised if Watt is starting by the end of the season. Harrison has shown that he is an exceptional pass-rusher, but he’s also an underrated pass-defender. Watt will likely take over as the starter with Harrison filling in on third downs, so that the opposing offenses won’t know whether he’s rushing the quarterback or dropping back in coverage.
2. JuJu Smith-Schuster, Wide Receiver
After Watt, the Steelers selected JuJu Smith-Schuster in the second round. Some thought that the Steelers might not draft a wide receiver because of Martavis Bryant getting reinstated, but Smith-Schuster was arguably the best player available. Smith-Schuster is a big, physical receiver who mainly played outside in college at USC, but he would fit perfectly as a slot wide receiver.
With Antonio Brown and Bryant on the outsides, Smith-Schuster could end up taking Eli Rogers spot in the slot. Rogers played well in 2016, but doesn’t have the size that Smith-Schuster does to be able to go over the middle and take hits. Smith-Schuster could also be a top red-zone target for Ben Roethlisberger because of his size and physicality.
3. Tyler Matakevich, Inside Linebacker
With the departure of Timmons, the Steelers will have to promote either Vince Williams or Tyler Matakevich to take his place. As of now, Williams is the top choice to be the starter, but Matakevich has exciting potential and the coaches seem to like him a lot.
Williams was the Steelers top performer on special teams last season, especially on kick and punt coverages. If the Steelers special teams start to struggle this year, they may decide to put Williams back on special teams to attempt to correct things. Matakevich showed promise in limited playing time in 2016, so he’ll likely be splitting time with Williams regardless of who gets the starting position.
4. Justin Hunter, Wide Receiver
Justin Hunter was signed as a free agent this offseason. Even though the Steelers offense put up good numbers in 2017, injuries and suspensions caused them to have limited options at wide receiver. By the end of the season, Cobi Hamilton and Demarcus Ayers were both promoted all the way from the practice squad to the starting lineup.
With the addition of Hunter and the reinstatement of Bryant, a three-way battle has developed for the other outside wide receiver position opposite Brown. Hunter, Bryant and Sammie Coates will all be battling for a starting position, but the Steelers must see something they like in Hunter if they went out and signed him as a free agent. Expect the Steelers to use at least six wide receivers, allowing them to exploit mismatches and keep the freshest players on the field at all times.
5. Cameron Sutton, Corner Back
Cameron Sutton was a third round selection by the Steelers this year. Artie Burns made enormous strides as a rookie last season and was eventually starting. Ross Cockrell also showed a lot of improvement last season and he eventually became the number one cornerback on the Steelers defense.
William Gay is nearing the end of his career and could end up being replaced by Sutton as the nickel cornerback. Technically, the third cornerback on the defense isn’t considered a starter, but the Steelers use the nickel package a lot. Sutton has good size and excels in zone-coverage, which would make him a great candidate for the nickel cornerback position. Don’t be surprised if another rookie cornerback makes his way into the starting lineup in back to back seasons.
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