Steelers News: A lesser known Steelers TE who is hoping for a legitimate shot 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 how Christian Scotland-Williamson is hoping for a legitimate shot at TE for the Steelers in 2020.

Let’s get to the news:

• Little known tight end, Christian Scotland-Williamson, is hoping to turn his shot with the Steelers into playing time in 2020.

Scotland-Williamson keeps charging forward

By: Dale Lolley, Steelers.com

Late in the 2019 season, Mason Rudolph lofted a pass down the sideline at the UMPC Rooney Sports Complex indoor facility to a receiver streaking down the sideline, a defender in tow.

On this occasion, the defender had no chance.

The throw was a perfect one, just high enough over the hands of the defender that he had no chance to knock it down. The only player who was going to catch it was the receiver, in this case, tight end Christian Scotland-Williamson, all 6-foot-9 of him.

The defender had no chance as Scotland-Williamson hauled in the 30-yard pass, much to the delight of the first-year tight end’s teammates.

Scotland-Williamson was still beaming about the play following that practice.

”You saw that one?” Scotland-Williamson said with a big grin.

Yes indeed.

It was a play the native of the United Kingdom probably wouldn’t have made in his first season with the Steelers, when he spent the 2018 season on the team’s practice squad as part of the NFL’s International Pathway Program. The 2018 season was all about just making it through practice to get to the next day for Scotland-Williamson.

To read the full article, click HERE (Free)

• What would the Steelers’ inside linebacker depth look like if Mark Barron doesn’t make the team?

Steelers-By-Position: ILBs

By: Bob Labriola, Steelers.com

Another in a position-by-position series in advance of the start of free agency on March 18.

INSIDE LINEBACKERS (6)

Mark Barron, Devin Bush, Ulysees Gilbert, Tyler Matakevich, Robert Spillane, Vince Williams

(Free Agent Scorecard: 1 unrestricted – Tyler Matakevich)

A LAST LOOK AT 2019

Things changed dramatically at this position throughout the offseason one calendar year ago, with veteran Mark Barron being added during free agency, and then the Steelers moving up 10 spots in the first round of the draft to pick Devin Bush. Both of those moves gave the Steelers the kind of hybrid inside linebacker the team had been seeking since Ryan Shazier was injured in December 2017. Barron had entered the NFL as a college safety from Alabama, and Bush was a three-down linebacker in college, much as Shazier had been when the Steelers made him the 15th overall pick of the first round in 2014.

There can be little argument that the Steelers defense in 2019 was better than the 2018 version, even though the team’s record was worse: 8-8 vs. 9-6-1. Last year’s defense allowed fewer points (303-360), fewer yards (4,866-5,235), and fewer touchdowns (32-42). One area that might be traced directly to the inside linebackers found that even though the Steelers allowed more rushing yards in 2019 than in 2018 (1,753-1,538), the average per carry was lower in 2019 (3.8-4.2).

To read the full article, click HERE (Free)

• Tom Brady not being in the AFC is enticing...but unlikley.

Mark Madden: 49ers should stick with Jimmy Garoppolo, not what’s left of Tom Brady

By: Mark Madden, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Which scenario is most likely re: San Francisco’s quarterback situation?

• Jimmy Garoppolo, at 28, builds on leading the 49ers to this past season’s Super Bowl and helps them challenge for the championship again.

• Tom Brady, 43, replaces Garoppolo, masters a new system while playing with new teammates, improves on his play with New England this past season and gets the Niners a ring (which is the only way Brady can top Garoppolo).

If you pick the latter, you’re betting on what Brady was, not is.

In 2019, Brady ranked 18th in passer rating and seventh in yards. Garoppolo was eighth in passer rating, 12th in yards (but his yards per attempt eclipsed Brady’s by 1.8).

Garropollo got his team to the Super Bowl. Brady’s Patriots went 2-4 to finish the year. They lost a first-round bye by losing to Miami at Foxborough, then lost a wild-card playoff game to Tennessee (also at home). Garoppolo’s arrow is pointed up, Brady’s down.

Replacing Garoppolo with Brady could cause PR problems for the Niners.

To read the full article, click HERE (Free)

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How 2020 goes will ultimately dictate the 2019 season

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