5 NFL players who will earn big money in contract years

Face it. 2019 was a down year for Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster. Though losing starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger Week 2 due to injury really set him back, we should expect Smith-Schuster to be charged up for redemption in 2020. He may not be a Pro Bowler like he was in 2018, but he’s not going to end up with around 500 receiving yards again like last year.

Smith-Schuster is a former second-round pick out of USC by the Steelers in 2017. Unless he has an All-Pro season, he’s not worth being franchise tagged at this time, even if he is the Steelers’ No. 1 receiving option. Regardless, he will command more than the $1.05 million average annual salary he’s had for the last few years.

Naturally, 2020 is a critical year for Smith-Schuster. This is the year he must assert himself as a No.1 receiving option. It’ll be two years since Antonio Brown last served as the Steelers’ No. 1 option outside. It’s a big spot for Smith-Schuster, so he must deliver if he wants to get paid like the Pro Bowl-level talent he is.

Simply put, 2020 has the feel of Roethlisberger’s last serious shot at winning a Super Bowl as a starting quarterback. He’s coming off Tommy John Surgery and is closer to 40-years-old than his mid-30s. Pittsburgh may have a great defense, but this is Smith-Schuster’s time to shine. If he approaches 1,000 receiving yards again, he will get paid the big bucks by somebody.