JuJu Smith-Schuster is the newest superstar on the Pittsburgh Steelers. He has a great personality and a great talent for catching footballs—one of his favorite things to do. The Steelers are fortunate enough to have him on their team, but he won’t be there forever. Here are four things that would happen if JuJu Smith-Schuster were no longer on the team, based off of what he’s done so far this season.
JuJu Smith-Schuster’s Impact on the Steelers
1. Steelers’ Fans would lose their best running back
Ryan Shazier’s absence means that the Steelers need another guy to step up. Even though Le’Veon Bell is a good back, he’s not Bell. He’s not as fast and he doesn’t have the pass catching ability of JuJu. To add to that, their current backup, Fitzgerald Toussaint, doesn’t have much rushing experience and the Steelers don’t have many pass catching backs left. A Smith-Schuster injury would be devastating to the running back room, as well as the wide receiver room.
2. Steelers’ could lose their new dink and dunk offense
There isn’t a whole lot of people that understand the passing game that Pittsburgh is using, but there are a few. As the season progresses, people will realize just how smart of a coach Mike Tomlin really is.
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Loss of a Star Player
Everyone is familiar with what an Antonio Brown or Le’Veon Bell mean to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Both of them are incredible players and dominate their position in the NFL. But Smith-Schuster is completely different. He is small and doesn’t make the same impact. But he has so much potential that he has every reason to be happy.
There are so many things that he’s going to do as a player for the Steelers. But it may take some time for him to fulfill all of his potential. But if he’s already doing some of these things, then he’ll still be an effective player on the team.
Emotional Dropoff
It is likely that JuJu is still getting used to the grind of a full NFL season. He came into this season in tremendous shape, but then struggled a bit as the year went on.
The Future of Wide Receivers
It seems as though every year a few pass-catchers are selected in the first round of the NFL draft. Most of those players are not able to contribute much right away, because it takes a long time to fully develop. Wide receivers who are drafted high tend to stay on the team for years, if not a decade. That has to do with their position, and their talent level.
Since Smith-Schuster has been drafted, it’s safe to say that a good handful of those players have already found a way to leave the Steelers. With Antonio Brown and Martavis Bryant still on the team, however, it’s obvious that the Steelers would not have gone anywhere without him.
JuJu Is More than a Receiver
You can be a star at a position, but there has to be more to you than just the skill you excel at.
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What Does the Future Look Like for the Steelers?
Antonio Brown, with his endless social media habits, has been known to be a headache for the team. He openly admits he doesn’t take his job seriously. If Smith-Schuster goes, Pittsburgh would be left with Eli Rogers and the slot receivers. Rogers is a young, dynamic player, but he has very little experience as a slot receiver. Rogers has earned the right to continue catching passes from Roethlisberger and not worry about his role, but it’s not the same as having your #1 target on the field.
James Conner could possibly replace Smith-Schuster. He’s also an exciting running back, but Smith-Schuster brings a different element to the team. At 6’2″, Smith-Schuster is used in many different scenarios for Roethlisberger to pick his reads from. And at a certain point, he may no longer be needed.
The Next Generation of Wide Recievers
When you look at Martavis Bryant, the next best receiver on the team, he is just a sophomore. The Steelers are hoping to be very high on James Washington, the team’s first round pick from this year. Washington is just a freshman. JuJu has been so good that there is no excuse for the Steelers not to build the offense around him as he is only in his second season.
Not Having an Offensive Line
The offensive line is a work in progress. It’s one of the only downfalls of the team’s 2017 season. It has been better than in recent years, but its average-at-best status on a weekly basis has contributed to the poor play of the Steelers. They need to get better. JuJu is their best playmaker on offense. He needs to be used properly in order to work properly with the other weapons on the team.
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Conclusion
Smith-Schuster’s availability may not be certain, but there are some major implications based off of what he’s done so far this season. The Steelers will continue to win football games, as JuJu can be a valuable offensive weapon. But if they can’t get the ball in the hands of their young superstar, it may take a few more weeks to get back on track.
If the Steelers aren’t able to play better, they may still be able to come back and compete in the AFC. But it may be too late. The division is very tough this season, and it may take a lot of luck to make the playoffs at this point. The Steelers could potentially miss out on the postseason altogether, but only time will tell.