5 players who Steelers need to be great in 2020

3. Ben Roethlisberger

Chalk this one down as an obvious choice. Roethlisberger has to stay healthy and be productive for the vast majority of a 16-game slate for the Steelers to enjoy any kind of meaningful success.

2020 might finally be the season where Roethlisberger makes an effort to preserve his body. Getting rid of the ball quicker would certainly decrease the number of hits he’s forced to absorb over the course of a full season.

On the other hand, Roethlisberger is at his best when he is using his body to extend plays. The loss of Antonio Brown takes some of the team’s deep threat away, but Smith-Schuster, Washington and Johnson are all capable of making contested catches down the field. Roethlisberger isn’t suddenly going to become a nickel and dime passer.

The Steelers need to start planning for Roethlisberger’s successor soon, but that player isn’t on the current roster. That means Big Ben is going to be a big key for Pittsburgh’s success this season.