Steelers News: Who will be in line for a Chris Boswell-like bounce back in 2020?

The Pittsburgh Steelers 2019 season is officially over. After finishing the year 8-8, the Steelers, and their vast fan base, has another long offseason awaiting them. Just because the games are done doesn’t mean we stop providing you with features, commentary and opinions to tide you over throughout the offseason!

Today in the black-and-gold links article we take a look at whether someone like Jordan Berry could be in line for a Chris Boswell-like bounce back season in 2020.

Let’s get to the news:

• The Steelers weren’t sure who would be their kicker when the regular season rolled around in 2019. Chris Boswell exceeded expectations, but will there be another player due for a bounce back season in 2020?

Analysis: Boswell’s bounce-back season an encouraging sign for Steelers special teams

By: Joe Rutter, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

The width between NFL goal posts is 18 feet, 6 inches. If that distance looked smaller than a parking space to Chris Boswell in 2018, it had to look wider than the Allegheny River last season.

The biggest special teams question mark for the Pittsburgh Steelers heading into the year, Boswell put the ball through the uprights at a pace reminiscent of his first three NFL seasons, when he was one of the NFL’s top kickers.

After missing five extra points in 2018, Boswell converted all 28 attempts last season. After connecting on 13 of 20 field goals the previous season, Boswell made 29 of 31 tries. His only misses came after a bobbled snap and a career-long 54-yard attempt.

Boswell’s 115 points were the second-most in his career and accounted for nearly 40 percent of the Steelers scoring. His consistency and accuracy were such that, if not for outside linebacker T.J. Watt, Boswell could have stated a case for being named team MVP.

And so it is that Boswell will enter 2020 with a measure of job security he rightfully lacked heading into training camp last year. It’s also safe to say the $1 million roster bonus that Boswell is due this season won’t be an issue like it was in 2019 when the Steelers moved a $2 million roster bonus from March until August so he would have to earn it based on his preseason performance.

While Boswell’s contract isn’t in danger of becoming a salary cap casualty, the same can’t be said for his holder, punter Jordan Berry.

To read the full article, click HERE (Free)

• Boy, Tom Brady looked old on Saturday night...

John Steigerwald: Tom Brady looked his age without Gronk, AB

By: John Steigerwald, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

The Patriots’ party appears to be over.

They won’t be going to the Super Bowl this year, and they won’t even be going to the AFC championship game, which you might have thought was on their schedule since they had been to three in a row, four of the last five and nine times since 2002.

Losing to the Tennessee Titans at home in the first round of the playoffs Saturday was very un-Patriots-like, but no playoff loss should be a reason to panic. It’s only one game against a presumably high-caliber opponent.

But the reason the Patriots were playing this weekend instead of getting a bye was a loss to the Dolphins in the final week of the regular season.

Yeah. The Dolphins.

At home.

Saturday was their third loss to a playoff team since Dec. 1. They lost in Houston that day and followed that with a loss to the Chiefs at home a week later. After winning in Cincinnati, the Patriots came home and beat Buffalo, which lost its playoff game in Houston on Sunday.

The Patriots have lost four of their last six and five of their last nine. That’s sub-.500 for more than half a season.

Did I mention that they lost a must-win game to the Dolphins? At home?

Might be time to at least consider panicking as an option.

Right about now, you might be asking how the Steelers lost to them 33-3 in Week 1 with Ben Roethlisberger.

To read the full article, click HERE (Free)

• Artie Burns is ready for a new team, and a new chance...

Former Steelers first-round pick Artie Burns ready to find new team

By: Curtis Crabtree, ProFootballTalk

The top draft pick of the Steelers in 2016 is eager to find a new opportunity after four seasons in Pittsburgh.

According to Jacob Klinger of PennLive.com, cornerback Artie Burns is ready to find a new place to play beginning in 2020.

“I gotta get to another team and do what I got to do,” Burns said. “For sure-for sure.”

The idea to part ways is seemingly mutual at this point. Burns had barely played for the Steelers this season outside of special teams. He had been a healthy scratch in each of Pittsburgh’s final four games this season and had appeared on just 66 of the team’s 1,016 defensive snaps this season, per Pro Football Reference. The majority of those snaps, 62, came in his lone start against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Burns said he was grateful of the opportunity the Steelers had given him but it’s time for both sides to move on.

“I’m pretty much out the door for a little while now, right?” he said. “Exactly, so, what else more is there to say.”

To read the full article, click HERE (Free)

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