5 Breakout Candidates for the Steelers in 2016

Stephon Tuitt

The Steelers have had a lot of great defensive lineman in their history, and they may have another about to breakout. Stephon Tuitt has the potential to turn into a star during the 2016 season. After having a modest season in 2014, Tuitt played great in 2015 posting respectable stats of 42 tackles, 6.5 sacks, and even an interception. His major strides from his rookie to sophomore year give no reason to think he can’t continue to improve in his 3rd year.

The Steelers defensive line led the team in sacks in 2015 and that may happen again in 2016. Tuitt and Cam Heyward are a dominant duo and they will potentially be the two best players on the defense this season. Tuitt hardly ever came off the field last season and his high percentage of snaps wasn’t just due to the lack of d-line depth last year, but because he consistently plays at such a high level.

If Tuitt continues to improve his play he will be a force in 2016. With Keith Butler's pass-rush heavy defense, Tuitt may even be capable of double digit sacks this season. It took until his 3rd year for Heyward to break out and I anticipate the same for Tuitt. 

Sammie Coates

He'll have to fight for it, but Sammie Coates has a chance to win the #2 wide receiver spot in 2016. Markus Wheaton has been a solid receiver that has flashed potential, but he's yet to consistently shine. Darrius Heyward-Bey is a mostly-reliable veteran, but has hit his ceiling. Coates has the highest ceiling among the receivers not named Brown. 

We were given a mere taste of his ability last year in the playoffs when he posted 2 receptions for 61 yards. These simple stats don't tell the whole story though. Coates receptions weren't simple deep balls, they were short passes where he used his athleticism and vision to gain yards. The Steelers have had great success drafting wide receivers in the middle rounds, and Coates could be the next one of these greats. 

If you look around on Twitter, you'll often see Steeler fans hyping up Sammie Coates. This hype is deserved, for Coates is in a perfect position to be one of the top breakout wide receivers in 2016.

Ladarius Green

"You’re like a brand-new Ferrari in the impound lot that I'm just looking through the fence at." Ben Roethlisberger is excited about his new weapon, and Steeler fans should be too. Ladarius Green was a tease during his time in San Diego. He'd flash his immense talent and potential, but then would be relegated back to the bench. During the 2015 season when Green started in place for the suspended Antonio Gates, in 3 games he posted 15 catches for 174 yards and 2 touchdowns. Those 3 games accounted for 40% of his total yards during the season.

Green was great value for the Steelers in free agency. He is large, athletic, and his arrow is pointed up. Ben has always loved having Heath Miller to throw to - for years he was Ben's safety net. Green is expected to carry that torch as well as bring a whole new dynamic to the tight end position for the Steelers. Yes he will likely play that safety net role like Heath in the past, but he also has the potential to be split out wide in a way Martavis Bryant was used.

Ladarius Green has every opportunity to excel in this offense. The only things that could hold him back are his injury history and all of the mouths to feed in this offense. Regardless, Green is primed for a huge 2016.

Chris Boswell

Kickers are people too. 2015 certainly was a wake-up call for Steeler fans who didn't appreciate Shaun Suisham, for when he went down with an injury, chaos ensued. After going through 2 kickers (who will remain nameless) following the injury, the Steelers ended up with Chris Boswell. 

Boswell surprised many fans. Few expected such consistency and reliability from an unknown name seemingly signed off of the street. As the season went on, he earned the trust of both fans and coaches. Us fans didn't have to stress anytime we needed a field goal or PAT, which was refreshing after the kicking fiasco earlier in the season. Boswell demonstrated consistency by only missing 4 kicks last season, as well as his power by nailing his 2 50+ yard field goal attempts. 

The arrow is pointed up for Boswell for the 2016 season. An offseason to properly train and condition with the team gives him a high ceiling. Though he may not have a cannon leg like some kickers in the league, he is certainly capable of proving to be one of the most accurate and consistent kickers in the league. 

Bud Dupree

Last but not least, we have the player with potentially the biggest upside on this list. Bud Dupree has a very high ceiling, but also a modest floor. During his rookie year in 2015 he received an abundance of playing time, but failed to make a significant impact. Believe it or not, Dupree was even voted as one of the worst edge rushers in 2015 by Pro Football Focus. Though us fans had hope for Dupree entering the season, we all knew he was a very raw player upon being drafted at pick #25.

Dupree's growth is pivotal for this defense. Though the teams sack total increased in 2015 to 48 after only posting 33 in 2014, a significant portion of these came from the defensive line rather than the edge rushers. If you watched the Denver Broncos in the 2015 playoffs, it is clear how impactful a dominant edge rusher can be. James Harrison, Arthur Moats, and Jarvis Jones all appeared to have plateaued in their playing ability; Dupree is the only player capable of transcending their 2015 play and significantly improving. Though Kieth Butler is smart and creative enough to compensate for the lack of presence at edge rusher, which we witnessed in 2015, a premier edge rusher would elevate this defense. 

Dupree has the athleticism and measurables to be a dominant edge rusher in this league, there's no question about that. His issues lie in his technique and "above the neck" play. Only time will tell if Dupree is able to put these pieces together, but if he does, he could be in for a huge 2016 season. 

Should the Steelers Keep More WR's, LB's, or DB's?

We are at the point in the offseason where writers are starting to release their projections for the Steelers 53 man roster. Positions such as running back and defensive line are set for the most part, but there are some positions where you often see disagreement. These positions include wide receiver, tight end, linebacker, cornerback, and safety. 

In an attempt to see if there is a trend for how many of each position the Steelers have kept during the Tomlin-era, I compiled the counts of each position going back to the 2007 season into a graph.

I gathered the data using Wikipedia, which gave me the final depth chart at the end of each season. Considering how much changes occurs within rosters throughout a season, it seemed like the fairest, most consistent method. 

Wide Receiver

Of the 5 positions, wide receiver has been one of the more consistent. Over the past 4 seasons, the Steelers have kept 5 receivers. Although they started the 2015 season with 6 (Tyler Murphy) he was only kept due to Martavis Bryant's suspension and didn't remain on the 53 man roster for long. 

Many 53 man roster projections for this season have the Steelers keeping 6 wide receivers. It appears there are currently 4 players who have locked positions: Antonio Brown, Markus Wheaton, Darrius Heyward-Bey, & Sammie Coates. There are 3 apparent front runners for the remaining 1 or 2 spots: Eli Rogers, Demarcus Ayers, & Shakim Phillips. 

Rogers is a fan favorite. He received a lot of buzz last offseason but ended up on injured reserve. Ayers, one of the Steelers 7th round picks this year, was a productive college receiver but it appears the coaching staff see's his value primarily as a punt returner. Phillips made a few splash plays during the preseason last year and spent the year on the practice squad. 

I think the Steelers will continue to keep 5 wide receivers. The Steelers primarily use 3 receiver sets and the 5th receiver will likely not see much playing time, making a 6th receiver almost useless. A case can be made that this spot should go to a punt return specialist, but I personally think Brown should continue to field punts. Because the Steelers love versatility, I think the spot for a 6th receiver will go to a linebacker or defensive back who can contribute to special teams. 

Tight End

There isn't too much to gather from this data. The Steelers tend to vary between 3 and 4 tight ends. They also sometimes keep an extra fullback such as Will Johnson who is capable of playing tight end. It appears there are two locks at the positions: LaDarius Green & Jesse James. Assuming they keep three tight ends, the final spot will be a competition between Matt Spaeth, David Johnson, Xavier Grimble. 

These are three unique players. Spaeth is the veteran of the group and a has been a very reliable blocker for the Steelers, but lacks versatility and is starting to be plagued by injuries and father time. D. Johnson was recently brought back for his second stint with the Steelers, though he is unproven he offers versatility because he is able to play both tight end and fullback. Grimble is the biggest mystery of the group; he is  young and unproven, but have received a lot of praise this offseason. He is also easily the most athletic player of the trio.

The fact that the team kept two fullbacks last season gives D. Johnson an edge for making this team. He could easily slip into the role filled by Will Johnson last year, being a back-up fullback, tight end, and contributing on special teams. This versatility gives him an edge and increases the odds of the Steelers keeping 4 tight ends. 

Linebacker

Last season, the Steelers kept 11 linebackers on the roster, a record-count during Tomlins stint. This is a trend that certainly may continue into this season for the Steelers have a vast pool of young talent with their linebackers. The 8 locks to make this roster appear to be: James Harrison, Jarvis Jones, Lawrence Timmons, Ryan Shazier, Bud Dupree, Arthur Moats, Vince Williams, and Steven Johnson. Some argue that Johnson isn't a lock, but being that he is a veteran and a very experience special teams player, I believe he will make the roster. This leaves likely 2-3 spots for the remaining contending linebackers: Anthony Chickillo, Travis Feeney, Tyler Matakevich, and LJ Fort. 

Chickillo spent time on the 53 main roster, but got very limited playing time; he's a player who will win with toughness and technique over athleticism. Feeney is our 6th round draft pick this year; he is an athletic specimen, and though he's raw, he could have a big impact on special teams. Matakevich is our other 7th round draft pack from this year; similar to Steelers like Chickillo and Vince Williams, he is a guy who must rely on toughness and instincts over athleticism. Fort spent time on the 53 man roster last year and primarily was used on special teams. 

The most common theme for these back-up linebackers is simple: special teams. The roster spots will likely go to whichever linebacker proves to be the most versatile and can have the greatest impact on multiple phases of special teams.

When looking at the table, the 11 linebackers the Steelers kept last year may seem like an outlier, but I believe it shows the direction the team will head in this year. Because of their depth at the position and the team's emphasis on special teams, I expect the Steelers to keep 10 or 11 linebackers. 

Cornerback

Cornerback is a group that's count has shifted fairly consistently. As you can see by looking at the graph, the Steelers have kept 5 cornerbacks on the roster over the past 3 seasons. Unfortunately for many of the guys on the 90 man roster, this group is pretty set. The 5 locks of this group are William Gay, Ross Cockrell, Senquez Golson, Artie Burns, and Doran Grant.

The most likely of the group to be cut or moved to the practice squad is Grant, but being that he was a 4th round pick last year it seems unlikely. The staff has also mentioned the idea of bringing in a veteran corner if one of value gets cut. Because of the youth and inexperience of this group, adding a veteran as the 6th cornerback seems more likely than a young play - though this may give an edge to 29 year old Donald Washington. Though some of the young guys may make an impression during training camp, the only apparent route for one of them to stick with the team is to make the practice squad or if there is (God forbid) an injury. 

Safety

Along with linebacker, safety is a position where the count has varied over the years. This is likely due to the ability of safeties to play special teams. There is a lot of opportunity for some young safeties to make this team, unfortunately there aren't too many contenders to be excited about. There's only 3 real locks in this group: Mike Mitchell, Robert Golden, and Sean Davis. That means there are 2-3 spots up for grabs between Ross Ventrone, Shamarko Thomas, Jordan Dangerfield, and some other young players.

Though the top 3 safeties are a great group, the remaining depth is very spotty. Ventrone is primarily a special teams guy that has been off and on the roster for awhile. Thomas was drafted to be the heir to Troy Polamalu, but has continually disappointed on both defense and special teams despite his athleticism. Dangerfield is a sort-of fan favorite due to his hard-hitting style, but has yet to make the 53 man roster.

Judging by the players on the roster, it seems most likely that the Steelers will carry 5 safeties, the 4th & 5th being Ventrone & Thomas. Though one can easily make an argument for why Thomas shouldn't make the roster, the spot appears to be his unless somebody can beat him out or if the Steelers make an unorthodox move and carry only 4 safeties. 

It is also certainly possible that veteran Will Allen will be brought back onto the roster. Though he doesn't have the youth and athleticism of a player like Thomas, he compensates with smart play and reliability. 

Offseason Timeline: Bud Dupree

It can be difficult keeping up with a players offseason over the course of months. For your reading pleasure, I compiled significant pieces of news & updates on the offseason of 2015 first round pick, Bud Dupree.

I encourage you to follow the links provided to read the full stories for each piece.
This article will be updated as more news is released. 

June 19th

Beat writer Ed Bouchette writes on how Bud Dupree admits he hit the rookie wall in 2015. He also discusses Dupree's growth with Joey Porter and Arthur Moats.

“I just was not being used to playing that many games,” said Dupree, the Steelers’ first-round draft pick in 2015. “It took a toll on my body. Now I’m more prepared for that. I’ve been training longer, doing different things that I didn’t have the time to do coming from college. Just a lot of little minor things you need to do, just looking at guys like James Harrison, guys who really take care of their body, following their lead.”

To read the whole article, click on the link above.

June 14th 

Teresa Varley interviewed Bud Dupree and defensive coordinator Kieth Butler on Dupree's growth and how he can improve going into his sophomore season:

“I am encouraged by him,” said defensive coordinator Keith Butler. “When we went to see him before we drafted him, I talked to him a lot about defense, what we expected from him, from our outside linebackers. They had done a lot of stuff at Kentucky that was similar to what we had done, had copied a lot of stuff that we had done defensively. Some of the things he was doing at the time, he was going to be doing here too.

“The concepts he had to learn, the overall defense, he got an idea about but he was just trying to learn his position. When you come into the league as a young player the first thing you want to do is figure out what I am doing, then I will learn what everybody else is doing. He is going to transition into that stage knowing what everyone else on defense is doing, so he’ll know where his help is. As a consequence he will be able to stay in position to make more plays.”

To read the whole interview, click on the link above. 

June 12th

In an interview with Mike Prisuta of Steelers.com, Joey Porter explains the growth he's seen from Bud Dupree.

“Just like all my young guys, I want to see them get a little better than they were a year ago,” outside linebackers coach Joey Porter said. “He has had time to look at the stuff he did last year and he can judge himself where he is now.”

“I catch him out there helping the young guys and the new guys on defense,” Porter continued. “He said, ‘I never thought I would be able to help somebody.’ But that shows how far along he has come with this defense. He feels comfortable enough to give the other guys some knowledge of the game. 

“That’s a beautiful thing that shows his growth.”

To read the whole interview, click on the link above. 

April 27th 

Steelers.com posted a video of Bud Dupree & Ryan Harris working out in the gym. 

🎥 | https://t.co/BTLn0E6dWYhttps://t.co/u8DWCdFs6A

— Big Bud (@Bud_Dupree) April 28, 2016

April 25th

Steelers.com posted a video of draft picks Bud Dupree, Sammie Coates, & Jessie James eating Primantis while reflecting on the draft and their rookie seasons. 

The video shows the human side of the players; Dupree tells the story of how he was nervous the first time he road the famous Duquesne Incline. All three of them also emphasized how nervous they were as practice started as well as how long the season felt; Coates & James took light-hearted jabs at Dupree since he by far played the most of the three of them.

RT @steelers: .@primantibros takes good care of last year's rookies as they talk #SteelersDraft.https://t.co/9UUGCwfIKy

— Big Bud (@Bud_Dupree) April 25, 2016

To watch the video, click the link above.

April 11th 

Various NFL.com writers voted on their defense year 2 break-out candidates. Former Steeler Ike Taylor chose Bud Dupree. 

Bud Dupree's production will catch up to his raw talent

From the Pittsburgh Steelers' coaching staff to the players, Bud Dupree is a main topic of conversation. He is ahead of the game and doesn't know how good he can be. A year ago, Bud didn't know his strengths, but he started to come around toward the end of the 2015 season. He's watched veteran guys around him like James Harrison for an entire year and learned from them. He saw Harrison's work ethic in the weight room, on the field and in the film room.

To read the whole article, click on the link above. 

March 31st 

Bud Dupree was interviewed for Steelers.com by Teresa Varley. He explains how he views the culture of the Pittsburgh Steelers, his goals for conditioning, and more:

On what it means to play for the Steelers and the tradition the team has:
“The standard is the standard here. The goal in the Steelers organization is to win, to be world champions, and every day you have to work like it. You have to make sure you show respect for the people that played before you who made it all possible. You show respect for them. You aren’t just playing for this team. You are playing for them too.”

On his offseason workouts:
“I try to focus on explosion. I try to use my get-off as an advantage and my speed and quickness. I try to be the most explosive person on the field. I want to work on getting faster, stronger.”

To read the whole interview, click on the link above.  

March 26th 

Bud Dupree posts an impressive workout video, demonstrating his effort to improve his technique.

Don’t get mad…jus get in the PRESS! pic.twitter.com/8XOoh8z8Nl

— Big Bud (@Bud_Dupree) March 26, 2016

January 20th

In January, Bud Dupree made Gil Brandt's 2015 All-Rookie Team.

"All four of Dupree's sacks came in the first half of the season, with his first two coming in Weeks 1 and 2. While the sack production leveled off, Dupree showed he's a big, athletic guy whose speed and quickness make him hard to block."

To read the whole article, click on the link above.