Steelers 2-a-days: Vance McDonald benefits from Ben; Henry Mondeaux looking for DL niche

Editor’snote: Leading up to a unique Pittsburgh Steelers training campstaged at Heinz Field this year, the Tribune-Review will be running through the team’s 90-man roster,assessing each player’s outlook for the 2020 season. The breakdown will go through the roster, in mostly alphabetical order, two per day, between June 9 and July 23, a day that was originally planned to be reporting day for players to camp. (Contract data courtesy spotrac.com)

Don't make him angry.
You won't like him when he's angry. pic.twitter.com/e3WBR7oAss

— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) September 25, 2018

TE VANCE MCDONALD

Experience: 8th season

Contract status: $3.823 million cap hit in 2020, signed through 2021

2020 outlook: McDonald had his contract restructured this spring after he carried the ninth-highest cap hit of any Steelers player last season. The team was of no mind to continue to compensate him at that level after a 38-catch season in which McDonald averaged a career low 7.2 yards per reception. But while the entire offense’s production took a significant dip with Ben Roethlisberger missing the final 14 ½ games because of elbow surgery, it could be argued no skill player was more affected than McDonald.

Bottom line: During his three-plus seasons with the Steelers, few have grown closer to Roethlisberger than McDonald. That has shown, at times, on the field, too: McDonald had career bests in catches (50), yards (610) and touchdowns (tie, four) in 2018 and long has been viewed as something of a sleeping giant when it comes to receiving production from a tight end. This season, McDonald will share the position with newly signed Eric Ebron. That could siphon away targets, but it also could mean McDonald gets less attention from defenses. Perhaps this is the year for his long-awaited breakout.

While the 6-foot-4, 280-pound Henry Mondeaux is motivated and eager to show the #Steelers that he belongs on the roster, what pushes him even more has nothing to do with occupying blockers or getting push in the pass-rush.https://t.co/evXYbQORKE

— Tribune-ReviewSports (@TribSports) July 10, 2019

DL HENRY MONDEAUX

Experience: NFL practice squads the past two seasons

Contract status: $610,000 cap hit in 2020, under team control for at least four seasons

2020 outlook: Though he never spent a day on the active roster, Mondeaux was one of only two nonexempt players to spend the entire 2019 season on the Steelers practice squad. That’s an admirable fate for a player who wasn’t picked up until May of last year.

Bottom line: The 6-foot-4, 285-pound Mondeaux was a 2 ½-year starter at Oregon and had spent time with the Kansas City Chiefs and New Orleans Saints organizations before joining the Steelers. He clearly showed he could be trusted in practice settings but has a crowded position room of proven veterans, recent acquisitions and draft picks to navigate if he has sights set on making the active roster. At worst, Mondeaux is again a strong candidate for practice-squad work.

Hey, Steelers Nation, get the latest news about the Pittsburgh Steelers here.