Pittsburgh Steelers: Embracing Jesse James at tight end

For years, the Pittsburgh Steelers have searched for their tight end replacement following the loss of a franchise legend. It’s 2017, and Jesse James is the man.

After the retirement of Heath Miller following the 2015 season, the once secured position of tight had question marks lurking around the role of security blanket for the Pittsburgh Steelers. How do you replace the closest thing to consistent a football player could reach? Following the signing of Ladarius Green prior to the 2016 campaign, many thought the role had been closed for good. However, Green proved to be unavailable for majority of his short stint in Pittsburgh, and was ultimately released last May due to a failed physical.

As it turns out, the heir to the throne of Heath Miller often gets mistaken for Heath himself. Go to any Steelers game, and you’ll hear it: “HEEEEATHHHHHHH!”

It was a tradition that originates to the former tight end catching a ball, and the entire crowd yelling Miller’s name. It’s become a habit for fans that attend Heinz Field, so much that it’s carried over to the next man up long after his mentor stepped down: Jesse James.

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James doesn’t mind the chants, even if Miller has been gone for two seasons now, finding it cool that his predecessor had that impact according to an interview with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. While James consistently pays homage to Heath Miller for mentoring him, James doesn’t look to keep par with Miller: He wants to be better.

James, towering over defenders at 6-7, has proven that such physical tools don’t go to waste. He has the capability to high point the football and snatch it out of the air, while also being able to make tough catches with defenders smothering him. Entering training camp as a fifth round pick in 2015, James was considered a project to be constructed for a post-Heath Miller world.

Now, James, entering his third year, has made tremendous strides on the field and has fine-tuned his pass catching prowess, emerging as another red-zone threat for Pittsburgh. His run blocking not only in the box, but out in space as well, has shined on film and can be the difference for a 3-yard gain to a 30-yard touchdown. It also doesn’t hurt to see chemistry with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger continues to improve, with more time being spent with the first team. After Miller’s departure and Green’s’ failure to secure stability for Pittsburgh, the keys to the car finally belong to Jesse James.

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As much praise as James continues to receive as he progresses, don’t expect Pro-Bowl numbers out of the Penn State product. He isn’t Tony Gonzalez, nor Antonio Gates. Not to say his potential couldn’t reach theirs, yet it doesn’t have to blossom into the likes of Rob Gronkowski. In a star-studded offense that includes Le’Veon Bell, Antonio Brown and Martavis Bryant, James won’t see significant numbers. With a shrunken role, reliability is key and James has proved worthy with his performance in the games he’s played.

While doubters still linger in the realm of Pittsburgh, we have yet to see what Jesse James can truly offer to this football team. James will finally see full-time starter status in 2017, and that should excite everybody in the organization. Finding another concrete presence at tight end has been a hot issue for the Steelers offense in recent years. While the yells and hollers for Miller will still echo through the stadium, the days of him are long gone. Simply put, James is better suited for Pittsburgh’s aerial offensive attack.

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He’s no fantasy football stud. James is a giant at the position with versatility to roam off the line of scrimmage with the ability to block, a true modernized football tight end and a perfect fit for what desires to be accomplished in Pittsburgh. The Pittsburgh Steelers don’t need their tight end to be Heath Miller 2.0, they need him to be Jesse James.

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