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From starting 1-3 to ending 9-7-1, the Pittsburgh Steelers 2021 season can best be compared to a rollercoaster. Throughout it there were many players who lived up to and exceeded expectations, and others that didn’t. It was not always linear, but I’m going to dive into who I believed were the two biggest surprises, and two biggest disappointments of the season.
Although the draft pedigree is there, as Pat Freiermuth was drafted in the 2nd round of the 2021 NFL Draft, there’s no doubt anyone expected him to be this productive. From weeks 1-5 you would question why he was on this list. To that point he had compiled 11 catches for 100 yards and 1 touchdown. He went on to finish the season with 60 catches for 497 yards and 7 touchdowns in 16 games. This increase in production was largely due to the absence of JuJu Smith-Schuster due to injury. However, there’s no denying the neophytes productivity and how quickly he became one of the biggest assets of this offense. His sure hands and big play ability was on full display as the season went on, and perhaps his most impressive play of the year when he caught what looked like an uncatchable ball for a go ahead touchdown during a Week 8 AFC North showdown with the Cleveland Browns in Cleveland. His hands were always steady, with a catch percentage of 75.9% . On top of this, he was also a very competent blocker in the run game. Freiermuth made his impact in all aspects of the offense, and his future with this franchise is very bright. He was easily the biggest delightful surprise to the offense.
Like Freiermuth, Ahkello Witherspoon was another player that blossomed later in the season. The team acquired Witherspoon in the off-season during training camp for a 5th round pick from the Seattle Seahawks. Witherspoon spent the early portion of the season on the sidelines, getting up to speed with the playbook. When he got action, he seemed a step out of place. One such play that comes to mind was during a Week 2 matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders where Witherspoon surrendered a 61-yard touchdown to Henry Ruggs III. After this, playing time was scarce, until he made his presence known during a road tilt against the Minnesota Vikings, in which he had two interceptions that led to the team pulling off a comeback from 23 points down. From then he solidified his spot on the defense, and was a key contributor to the team making a run to the playoffs. He ended the year as a top 15 grader corner per PFF, with a grade of 75.8.
Although time was needed to adjust, he clearly was able to adapt to the defense and make a name for himself among it. I believe he will be a player the team will try to retain heading into the 2022 season.
It’s no secret Devin Bush ends up as the first name here. The 2019 first round pick was massively disappointing this year. His tape speaks for itself. He was slow to hit the hole, unable to get off blocks, and just seemed to lack that instinct and explosiveness we had seen out of him his first 1.5 seasons. Bush was coming off a season-ending injury from last season, and seemed to not gain the trust in his body he had before. This is understandable, but still disappointing nonetheless. You want to see the player you invested in produce, and Bush did the opposite. He posted just 70 total tackles in 14 games. Not what you want to see from your first round pick that you traded up to get. Despite this, Bush did start to seem to improve towards the end of the season, and I believe next season will be a true litmus test to see where he’s at and what type of player he truly is, and could be for the future.
Trai Turner came to Pittsburgh due to the unexpected release of David DeCastro before training camp. A former Pro Bowler who was past his prime but could be a veteran presence for a young and inexperienced offensive front, it seemed like a solid signing. Once the season began however, it was hard not to notice Turner’s mishaps and missed assignments. He had some bright spots in the run game occasionally, however his pass blocking was abysmal. There were multiple times there was a missed assignment or a miscue with a teammate that resulted in Ben Roethlisberger getting mauled. The entire offensive line was rough to watch a lot of the time, but it felt like Turner should have been the best guy there, and at times looked like the weakest link. He was rated 31st among active guards per PFF, with a grade of 68.1. To his credit, I do believe he was a good guide for young guys on the line, but it was more “do as I say not as I do” for Turner this year. I would be surprised to see the team re-sign him going into 2022. I believe they want to build a younger front to grow together for the next few years, which likely wouldn’t include Turner.
Regardless of surprises or disappointment, the 2021 season was a wild ride in itself, that I would consider successful. Many people did not have Pittsburgh making the playoffs and having a winning season, and yet again, the team proved them wrong. This off-season will be one of the most exciting in a long while for Pittsburgh, who will be looking for a new franchise quarterback for the first time since 2004.
What players surprised or disappointed you the most this year? Let us know in the comment section below!
#SteelerNation
Support SteelerNation by clicking here to read the story..
The Surprises
Pat Freiermuth
Although the draft pedigree is there, as Pat Freiermuth was drafted in the 2nd round of the 2021 NFL Draft, there’s no doubt anyone expected him to be this productive. From weeks 1-5 you would question why he was on this list. To that point he had compiled 11 catches for 100 yards and 1 touchdown. He went on to finish the season with 60 catches for 497 yards and 7 touchdowns in 16 games. This increase in production was largely due to the absence of JuJu Smith-Schuster due to injury. However, there’s no denying the neophytes productivity and how quickly he became one of the biggest assets of this offense. His sure hands and big play ability was on full display as the season went on, and perhaps his most impressive play of the year when he caught what looked like an uncatchable ball for a go ahead touchdown during a Week 8 AFC North showdown with the Cleveland Browns in Cleveland. His hands were always steady, with a catch percentage of 75.9% . On top of this, he was also a very competent blocker in the run game. Freiermuth made his impact in all aspects of the offense, and his future with this franchise is very bright. He was easily the biggest delightful surprise to the offense.
Ahkello Witherspoon
Like Freiermuth, Ahkello Witherspoon was another player that blossomed later in the season. The team acquired Witherspoon in the off-season during training camp for a 5th round pick from the Seattle Seahawks. Witherspoon spent the early portion of the season on the sidelines, getting up to speed with the playbook. When he got action, he seemed a step out of place. One such play that comes to mind was during a Week 2 matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders where Witherspoon surrendered a 61-yard touchdown to Henry Ruggs III. After this, playing time was scarce, until he made his presence known during a road tilt against the Minnesota Vikings, in which he had two interceptions that led to the team pulling off a comeback from 23 points down. From then he solidified his spot on the defense, and was a key contributor to the team making a run to the playoffs. He ended the year as a top 15 grader corner per PFF, with a grade of 75.8.
Although time was needed to adjust, he clearly was able to adapt to the defense and make a name for himself among it. I believe he will be a player the team will try to retain heading into the 2022 season.
The Disappointments
Devin Bush
It’s no secret Devin Bush ends up as the first name here. The 2019 first round pick was massively disappointing this year. His tape speaks for itself. He was slow to hit the hole, unable to get off blocks, and just seemed to lack that instinct and explosiveness we had seen out of him his first 1.5 seasons. Bush was coming off a season-ending injury from last season, and seemed to not gain the trust in his body he had before. This is understandable, but still disappointing nonetheless. You want to see the player you invested in produce, and Bush did the opposite. He posted just 70 total tackles in 14 games. Not what you want to see from your first round pick that you traded up to get. Despite this, Bush did start to seem to improve towards the end of the season, and I believe next season will be a true litmus test to see where he’s at and what type of player he truly is, and could be for the future.
Trai Turner
Trai Turner came to Pittsburgh due to the unexpected release of David DeCastro before training camp. A former Pro Bowler who was past his prime but could be a veteran presence for a young and inexperienced offensive front, it seemed like a solid signing. Once the season began however, it was hard not to notice Turner’s mishaps and missed assignments. He had some bright spots in the run game occasionally, however his pass blocking was abysmal. There were multiple times there was a missed assignment or a miscue with a teammate that resulted in Ben Roethlisberger getting mauled. The entire offensive line was rough to watch a lot of the time, but it felt like Turner should have been the best guy there, and at times looked like the weakest link. He was rated 31st among active guards per PFF, with a grade of 68.1. To his credit, I do believe he was a good guide for young guys on the line, but it was more “do as I say not as I do” for Turner this year. I would be surprised to see the team re-sign him going into 2022. I believe they want to build a younger front to grow together for the next few years, which likely wouldn’t include Turner.
Regardless of surprises or disappointment, the 2021 season was a wild ride in itself, that I would consider successful. Many people did not have Pittsburgh making the playoffs and having a winning season, and yet again, the team proved them wrong. This off-season will be one of the most exciting in a long while for Pittsburgh, who will be looking for a new franchise quarterback for the first time since 2004.
What players surprised or disappointed you the most this year? Let us know in the comment section below!
#SteelerNation
Support SteelerNation by clicking here to read the story..
