G.Stryker
www.SteelerNation.com
This is my projected depth chart:
(Players on the top line are projected to make the roster)
LWR (X) Antonio Brown, Damoun Patterson,
Marcus Tucker, Darrius Heyward-Bey
SWR (Y) JuJu Smith-Schuster, Marcus Tucker,
Justin Hunter, Jaylen Samuels, Quadree Henderson, Justin Thomas
RWR (Z) James Washington, Justin Hunter,
Tevin Jones, Trey Griffey
PUP: Eli Rogers (ACL Injury)
Receivers lost: Martavis Bryant (Traded to Raiders), Sammie Coates (Traded to Browns)
I’ve placed the deep ball receivers with size on the Right (Z), more polished route running receivers on the Left (X), and slot guys are in the Middle (Y). I project the Steelers to keep 6 WRs this year, as they did last year.
X) Antonio Brown should get some playing time this week, how much he gets is up to Coach Tomlin. Damoun Patterson is pushing DHB for playing time and special teams. Heyward-Bey has the poorest hand placement on the team. With this set of receivers showing they can hang on to the ball, he will have to step up this week to keep his job.
Y) It doesn’t matter what game it is, JuJu goes up, gets the ball, scores TDs, and makes it look easy. He is a legit #2 receiver and would be a #1 on other teams. Marcus Tucker is still making strides, with Eli on the PUP, the Steelers will need some quicks inside, and Tucker provides that. Washington, Hunter, and Samuels are still getting a lot of action in the slot. It is now very tough to see Henderson or Thomas to earn a spot there.
Z) Washington just reached up over the defender and snatched the starting spot from Hunter. He is catching contested balls, like the defender doesn’t have a chance. When James highpoints the ball, it’s not a 50/50 ball, it’s a 90/10 ball. Can’t wait to see Ben Roethlisberger throw some passes his way in a game! Hunter is still doing everything right, but for the second straight year, it looks like he’s losing snaps to a younger player. I still see him making the roster and being inactive on game day, unless there is an injury. Jones is improving, but the gap may be too big to overcome. Griffey is also doing well, but it is tough to crack the depth chart with those 3 in front of him.
This is a phenomenal group of receivers. I wouldn’t be surprised, if the Steelers became a Hurry-up, K-Gun/ Run and Shoot/ Spread offense this season. Randy Fichtner ran the spread at Memphis, so it’s not a stretch to think he won’t try to implement it in Pittsburgh this season.
