5 players who Pittsburgh Steelers need to be great in 2019

4. Steven Nelson

It goes without saying that the Steelers are expecting a big season from Steven Nelson. They didn’t give him the richest free agency contract in franchise history for him to be an average defender. They’re expecting something close to Pro Bowl production from the former Chiefs’ cornerback.

Pittsburgh thought they’d solved their problems at corner when they spent a first-round draft pick on Artie Burns in 2016. Unfortunately, Burns had an awful season in 2018. Anything they get from him in 2019 will largely be considered a bonus by the team’s coaching staff.

Interestingly, the idea of paying big money from a player from Kansas City’s secondary raised a lot of eyebrows around the NFL. The Chiefs scored a ton of points last season, but they gave up a boatload of scores as well.

Nelson explains the unit’s lack of production because of just how often they forced their corners to play talented receivers one-on-one. He isn’t the type to back down from a challenge, but he clearly believes that’s not a recipe for success in the modern NFL.

The Steelers won’t ask him to play on an island nearly that often. That gives Nelson a chance to be a much more productive player this season. He’ll need to be if he wants to justify his big contract.