Expectations for Steelers' Key Second-Year Players
The 2020 Steelers will offer an interesting blend of established veteran leaders and young, promising talent. For every veteran leader like Ben Roethlisberger, Cam Heyward, and Maurkice Pouncey (and the list goes on), there's a young guy like JuJu Smith-Schuster, Minkah Fitzpatrick, or Devin Bush following in their footsteps. There's a healthy amount of talent in the team's 2019 rookie class. Entering their second year, several of these players will have higher expectations and talent to meet and exceed them.
Devin Bush
Pittsburgh's best rookie from 2019 kicks off the list, and he'll enter the 2020 season with the highest expectations of the group. As a rookie, Bush had his struggles the way any rookie does. But, we also saw just how good he could really be. His closing speed, range, athleticism, and physicality helped make up for his areas of struggle, like play recognition and coverage abilities. All things considered, it was a phenomenal rookie year for Bush.
Now, with a full year under his belt, Bush will see a considerable increase in his responsibilities. Last year, he played 82% of the team's defensive snaps. This year, as long as he's healthy, expect that number to be 100%. If he builds on his rookie campaign and improves in key areas, there will never be a reason for him to leave the field. He'll likely be the team's defensive signal-caller as well. This is a reflection of the fact that he'll play so many snaps and the idea that the coaching staff will be more comfortable with his mental processing and on-field leadership in year two.
Expectations: Play 95% or more of snaps, miss fewer tackles, reduce lapses in coverage, lead the team in tackles.
Diontae Johnson
Like Bush, Diontae Johnson is coming off a very successful rookie campaign. He led the team in receptions and touchdowns while finishing second in receiving yards. A lot of Johnson's success as a rookie came thanks to two major factors: his elite route running and ability to make tacklers miss in the open field. Johnson broke nine tackles in 2019, tying him for second in the NFL among receivers. Perhaps the most impressive part of Johnson's rookie season was that he found success as a rookie with some of the worst quarterback play in the NFL. With Roethlisberger returning, it's fair to expect Johnson to be even more productive in 2020.
Another area in which Johnson was successful in 2019 was as a returner. He led the league in yards per punt return and was sixth in total punt return yards despite only having 20 opportunities. His performance in limited opportunities as a punt returner earned Johnson an All-Pro selection. Not only does Johnson have higher expectations as a receiver, but the same can be said of him as a returner. For the longest time, the Steelers return units have underperformed. There's hope that Johnson can reverse the trend.
Expectations: Improve ball security, build chemistry with Roethlisberger, become more of a deep threat.
Justin Layne
Justin Layne is a tough player to get a read on due to his lack of playing time last year as a rookie. According to Pro Football Reference, Layne played zero defensive snaps in 2019 and just 93 snaps on special teams. The Steelers knew they were getting a project when they drafted Layne in the third round of the 2019 draft. With the team having a very solid cornerback room in 2020, that's not a problem. Layne will enter the season as CB5 at best. He probably won't play many defensive snaps, and that's okay.
For a young, raw player like Layne, he's in a great situation in Pittsburgh. He doesn't need to be rushed onto the field and get embarrassed before he's ready. In 2020, he'll sit behind Joe Haden, Steven Nelson, Mike Hilton, and Cam Sutton and continue his development. When 2021 rolls around, it's all but a guarantee that at least one of those guys won't be in the black and gold. By then, the hope is for Layne to be ready to step in and contribute if needed.
Expectations: Continue development, play well if his number is called, become a four-phase special teams player
Benny Snell
Benny Snell had a rookie year that was worth getting excited about. He had his flaws for sure but was probably the team's best runner in 2019. His stats won't blow anyone away- just 3.9 yards per attempt and two rushing touchdowns. But when you look a little deeper than the stats on the surface, you'll see a lot of promise. In the few games where Snell primarily served as the team's featured back, he played very well. In weeks 6, 12, and 17, Snell averaged 4.7 yards per carry on 56 total carries.
Another thing to consider with Snell was that he faced a higher percentage of loaded boxes than any running back in the league. Part of that was due to the team's inability to throw the ball successfully. But, part of that also falls on Snell's limitations in the passing game. When he was on the field, there was a much higher chance that the play would be a run. Improving in the passing game should be Snell's biggest goal in 2020. He has the skills as a runner. If he can become a better receiver and pass blocker, there's a good chance he could be the team's featured back in 2021.
Expectations: Become a better receiver, improve speed in the open field, show ability to be a featured back
Ulysees Gilbert III
Ulysees Gilbert is entering the season with pretty high expectations, and maybe it's time to take a step back with him. He has loads of athletic potential, and there's no doubt about that. It's understandable to have high hopes for him, especially as a coverage linebacker. But it's also worth considering that the only success Gilbert has had came in the preseason against a lot of guys who probably aren't on NFL rosters. He still hasn't played a snap on defense in a regular season game.
That being said, there will be ways for Gilbert to contribute in 2020. In obvious passing situations, he might find himself on the field. Vince Williams isn't as bad as he's made out to be in coverage, but Gilbert still has the potential to be better. Beyond that, Gilbert's main contributions will likely come on special teams. If he can play well in limited defensive snaps, it'll boost his stock moving forward. With Williams being on the wrong side of 30, Gilbert will play a key role at some point in the future on defense. That won't likely be this year though, barring injuries.
Expectations: Continue to be a key special teams producer, perform well as a coverage linebacker when called upon
Isaiah Buggs
Defensive lineman Isaiah Buggs was the Steelers' other sixth-round pick in 2019, along with Gilbert. Between these two, Buggs is more likely to get key defensive snaps in year two. With the team lacking a true nose tackle (other than Dan McCullers, who hasn't proven to be an NFL-caliber player), there will be several guys trying to win nose tackle snaps. Buggs will be competing with Chris Wormley and Tyson Alualu for some snaps at the nose tackle position.
Along with potential snaps at nose tackle, Buggs will be rotating with the same players as reserves for the defensive ends. Stephon Tuitt and Cameron Heyward will handle most snaps at the end positions, but they will still need breaks and will likely deal with small bruises and injuries at some point during the season. In a very small amount of snaps (75), Buggs showed signs of promise in 2019. His versatility and athleticism will suit him well in the Steelers athletic defense. If he can add some size to his frame in the offseason to better suit him as a nose tackle, Buggs could find himself being a key contributor in his second season.
Expectations: Bulk up, win meaningful snaps as a nose tackle, improve as a run-stuffer
Connor Deitrich is a Contributor with AllSteelers. Follow Connor on Twitter @CDeitrich22, and AllSteelers @si_steelers.
