Steelers prepare to kick off unusual season,

Five burning issues as Steelers kick off unusual NFL season Monday against Giants

The Steelers kick off the 2020 season one week from Monday against the New York Giants in New Jersey. It’s the beginning of a season many believed would never take place. But with the NFL now on the verge of starting on time without any complications due to COVID- 19, it’s time to tackle some of the questions Steelers fans have on their minds.

Are you ready for some football?

1 Should we believe the hype for rookie receiver Chase Claypool?

Claypool generated the most buzz in training camp of any player not named Ben Roethlisberger. The second- round pick out of Notre Dame was a consistent standout in practices and received praise from Roethlisberger, Pro Bowl corner Joe Haden and head coach Mike

Tomlin, who rarely passes out compliments to his rookies. Look for Claypool to dress and be involved in the game plan in Week 1 against the Giants. The previous time the Steelers had a rookie receiver on this level was 2017 when JuJu SmithSchuster arrived in town. Smith- Schuster started the opener against the Browns and played 42% of the offensive snaps. ( The next week against the Vikings he caught his first NFL touchdown.) Look for Claypool to get the same type of treatment. And don’t be surprised if the Steelers look to get him 3- 5 touches in the opener. Which brings us to this question: When was the last time a Steelers player scored a touchdown in his first NFL game? It was Eli Rogers, who caught a touchdown in the 2016 opener in Washington after spending his rookie season on injured reserve.

2 Who else will get a new contract?

Cam Heyward signed his new $ 75.1 million deal Sunday night, but there are five other starters that will be unrestricted free agents in March if the Steelers don’t come to terms with them before next Monday. They are Smith- Schuster, James Conner, Mike Hilton, Alejandro Villanueva and Matt Feiler. It’s unlikely any of them will come to terms before the season begins. The dark horse to sign a longterm deal to remain with the Steelers is Feiler. He is their most versatile lineman, which will be valuable moving forward because Villanueva and others are near the end of their careers. It’s not that farfetched of an idea for Feiler to move back to tackle next season should Villanueva retire or move on in free agency. It’s also not that farfetched to envision him as a starter at guard for the next five years. Sure, the Steelers drafted Kevin Dotson this year and believe he can be a future starter, but David DeCastro will turn 31 in January and his contract is up after the 2021 season.

3 Does it really matter who starts at right tackle? Tomlin followed through on his offhanded comment Friday when he listed the starter at right tackle as Zach Banner or Chukwuma Okorafor. Not naming a starter a week before the first game is a bit odd, but it’s not like Tomlin hasn’t coached around personnel issues with his offensive line in the past. Jonathan Scott was the starting left tackle for the Steelers in Super Bowl XLV, and he was subbed out in the middle of games for poor performance during his rocky two- yearyear stint with the team. Go back two years to 2008, the last time the Steelers won the Super Bowl. Darnell Stapleton, an undrafted rookie free agent, started 12 games in the regular season and all three playoff games, including Super Bowl XLIII. It was the only season he played in the NFL before injuries forced him to retire. So these things tend to work themselves out. Banner and Okorafor don’t have to be the second coming of Larry Brown. They just can’t get the quarterback killed.

4 How much will Big Ben pass? The Steelers certainly haven’t been shy about having Roethlisberger throw the ball around the yard right out of the gates in recent years. It has been his offense for a while now, as these pass attempts in openers since 2014 suggest: 47, 41, 37, 36, 38 and 34. That’s an average of 39 attempts per game. It would be surprising if that trend continued with Roethlisberger coming off reconstructive elbow surgery, but the Steelers won’t be afraid to have him drop back to pass — not against the Giants, and not for the remainder of the season. He is under no limitations after getting through camp without any problems. If the Steelers need to throw the ball to win games, he’s more than capable of dropping back 40 times. For openers, the magic number might be 37. The Steelers are 3- 2- 1 in season openers since 2014, and he never threw more than 37 passes in any of those victories. For the season, don’t expect a repeat of 2018, when he attempted a career- high 675 passes. The defense is much better now than two years ago, and the Steelers shouldn’t have to pass as often.

5 Can T. J. Watt and Bud Dupree combine for 30 sacks? Well, it is a contract year for Dupree, who posted his career high with 11 ½ last season. Watt, meanwhile, continued his improvement by registering 14 ½ . All they have to do is find a way to combine for four more sacks. That doesn’t seem impossible with both players in their prime. In 2008, when James Harrison won NFL defensive player of the year honors, he led the Steelers with 16 sacks. LaMarr Woodely, who was then in his second season, had 11 ½ . That’s the number Watt and Dupree are chasing to become the Steelers’ top pass- rushing due from the edge, but don’t be shocked if they bypass it altogether on their way to 30 sacks between them

Peter Diana/ Post- Gazette The Steelers are hopeful wide receiver Chase Claypool can make an impact in his rookie year.

Matt Freed/ Post- Gazette Defensive tackle Cam Heyward was wondering if his future was in Pittsburgh when he and the Steelers agreed on a contract extension.