Steelers, Ben Roethlisberger sharing the wealth among pass-catchers

Last season, only four Pittsburgh Steelers wide receivers or tight ends caught touchdown passes. This season, it took only three games to eclipse that mark.

Furthermore, in 2019 only four Steelers wide receivers or tight ends were targeted by an average of at least two passes per game. This season, the Steelers have six such players.

It’s a spread-the-wealth approach by an offense directed by quarterback Ben Roethlisberger that is the result of one part depth, one part design and one part necessity.

The Steelers have what has the look of a corps of pass-catchers that includes four quality wideouts (Diontae Johnson, JuJu Smith-Schuster, James Washington, Chase Claypool) and two quality receiving tight ends (Vance McDonald, Eric Ebron).

So, Roethlisberger can see who the defense focuses on, and get the ball to alternate options accordingly. This is a departure from many of his most recent past years when there was a heavy emphasis on targeting undisputed No. 1 wide receiver Antonio Brown.

“You have to be careful, because if you get caught in that game, you’ll try to force someone the ball,” Roethlisberger said during a video conference call with media Wednesday. “I’ve done it in the past, and sometimes, it leads to some bad things.”

That was a subtle but clear reference to a messy divorce from Brown, who led the Steelers in targeted throws every season from 2013-18 but ultimately forced a trade after a riff with Smith-Schuster and Roethlisberger. For five consecutive seasons from 2013-17, Brown’s lead in targets versus the Steelers’ second-most thrown-to wide receiver or tight end was very close to — or much more than – double.

Smith-Schuster’s Pro Bowl 2018 season aside, the Steelers lack an alpha among their downfield pass-catchers, but each of the six has developed (or, in rookie Claypool’s case, is clearly in the process of developing) a positive track record with which to be relied upon.

That has led to Roethlisberger distributing the ball to all: Johnson leads with 25 targets, followed by Smith-Schuster’s 19, Washington with 15, Ebron 14, Claypool nine and McDonald seven.

“I don’t predetermine going into it, but I think the biggest thing that shows all that is that I trust and believe in each guy,” Roethlisberger said. “Each guy can make a play for this team. Depending on the situation, that is kind of how it really unfolds.”

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