1. Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers went 12-4 in the 2020 season. On paper, the team looks sound. They had an 11-0 run to start the year, looking imperious despite their flaws. They had depth in multiple positions, and there is plenty of individual talent on the team. Then the team absolutely imploded for the month of December and showed their variety of flaws.
The defensive pressure they applied from the edges was as good as ever, with Devin Bush and T.J. Watt causing destruction. The defensive secondary and outside coverage was generally okay, but it is an area of the team that requires improvement. Minkah Fitzpatrick was the team leader in tackles and interceptions at safety, but he needs more support. The biggest issues for the season derived from the quarterback play of Big Ben.
Ben Roethlisberger suffered a terrible arm injury in the 2019 season, and the team showed resilience through that year in his absence. Returning in the 2020 season to an 11-0 start might suggest he recovered better than ever. Roethlisberger even had his second highest total touchdown throws of his career with 33. But the eye test told a different story.
The pace and power of his throwing has abandoned him, and accuracy in his passes both short and deep is noticeably worse. These are worrying trends for a player who is so immobile he is essentially a statue in the pocket. The Steelers have a $41 million cap hit from Roethlisberger for the year, an eye watering amount of money for any player but especially for a quarterback in the modern NFL who can’t move.
Justin Fields would be the perfect candidate to transform the Steelers. Head coach Mike Tomlin is one of the best coaches in the NFL, consistently getting his Steelers teams to +500 records in spite of difficult circumstances. The effect Fields would have on the Steelers’ offence would be transformative. He has a similar physicality to Roethlisberger, but Fields has ten times the mobility.
The schemes that could be worked into the offense could vary the team’s dependency on passing and, in particular, could quicken the pace of the team immeasurably. Justin Fields would be the perfect change for the Steelers.