Pittsburgh Steelers: Tight Ends Could Be Bigger Factor in 2017

Tight end was a question mark for the Pittsburgh Steelers heading into 2016. Now it seems the club has its share of talent at the position.

Heading into 2016, the Pittsburgh Steelers had their share of concerns when it came to their offensive unit. Workhorse running back Le’Veon Bell would miss the first three games and wide receiver Martavis Bryant the entire season—both due to league suspensions. And the retirement of reliable tight end Heath Miller would hurt Mike Tomlin’s club when it came both the ground game and the passing attack.

But thanks to a quartet of players, the Steelers more than made do at the position. And that could mean bigger and better things this upcoming campaign.

Last offseason, Pittsburgh went the way of free agency and grabbed Ladarius Green from the Chargers. It took some time for him to finally hit the field. In his very limited playing time he averaged 16.9 yards on 18 receptions and scored once.

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The team already had a young tight end in waiting in Jesse James, a 2015 fifth-round pick. He would prove to be a nice safety valve for quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and did a good job over the middle.

All told, the former Penn State product finished fourth on the club with 39 catches, good for 338 yards and three scores. He came up very big in the Christmas night win over the Baltimore Ravens that clinched the AFC North title for the team.

James also finished third on the club during the playoffs with 11 catches for 137 yards. He frustrated the Kansas City Chiefs defense in the Divisional Round. James totaled five receptions for 83 yards in Pittsburgh’s 18-16 win.

Meanwhile, Xavier Grimble bounced around teams and practice squads around the league in 2014 and 2015. He wound up playing 12 games for Tomlin’s club. The former USC produced totaled 11 catches for 118 yards and a pair of touchdowns. The team also recently signed Ryan Melleck to the roster.

General manager Kevin Colbert has one free-agent decision to make when it comes to tight end. David Johnson returned to the team this past season after two years with the Chargers. He caught seven passes for 80 yards but is perhaps better known for his blocking. Johnson turns 30 years old in August so we shall see.

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In any case, the Steelers appear to be in very good shape when it comes to this spot on the team. If Green can stay on the field a big longer and James continues to develop, it will make the Pittsburgh offense even more formidable. And don’t be surprised if you see Big Ben aim a few more passes at this group of performers.

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