5 bold predictions for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2018

3. Stephon Tuitt will notch at least eight sacks

Tuitt is entering his fifth year as a Steeler, but he’s never had the sort of impact the team expected after drafting him in the second round. It’s notable, the team still elected to re-sign him to a substantial contract extension that should keep him in Pittsburgh through 2022.

In other words, the defensive coaching staff still believes he’s got big-time ability. If he’s going to live up to those expectations, he’ll need to do a better job of rushing the passer. That isn’t always easy for a defensive end in a 3-4 setup, but Tuitt has the talent to harass the quarterback.

Tuitt’s highest sack total came back in 2015 when he got to the passer 6.5 times. Expect him to post a higher total in 2018. The further development of T.J. Watt on the outside should really start to pay dividends for Tuitt this year. The more the talented outside linebacker gets to the QB, the more one-on-one matchups Tuitt will receive. He can handle most offensive tackles under those circumstances.

The team’s offensive talent should also give him plenty of chances to rush the passer. Opponents are going to have to score points to beat Pittsburgh. That means throwing the ball a lot in obvious passing downs. That will allow Tuitt to pin his ears back and have a career year.