3 Pittsburgh Steelers starters who should be benched by the end of November

The Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, moving a step closer to an AFC North division title. Still, if the Steelers are to finish the job, they ought to consider making some personnel changes.

Pittsburgh was picked by several pundits to finish in last place in the AFC North. Those pundits must not be familiar with Mike Tomlin's work. The Steelers went 4-2 with Justin Fields at quarterback. When Tomlin made the sudden pivot to Russell Wilson, he was initially met with resistance. Four wins later, and Tomlin shouldn't be questioned again this season – and ought to be a coach of the year frontrunner.

Even with their recent success, the Steelers have issues. The offensive line could use some tweaking. The wide receiving corps got a little better thanks to the Mike Williams trade, but it's far from elite. Their defense is a well-rounded unit, but until they stop Josh Allen or Patrick Mahomes in a playoff game, they will rightly face doubters.

3. Nick Herbig will be back on the Steelers bench before he knows it

Nick Herbig has been a tremendous find for Tomlin and the Steelers. He has a bright future ahead of him, and forced a fumble on Derrick Henry against the Ravens. I have little doubt Herbig will eventually earn starting reps, whether it be in Pittsburgh or elsewhere.

Herbig had a league-leading 3.5 sacks in the preseason, and was expected to play a major role on an elite Steelers defense prior to suffering a hamstring injury. After forcing the first Henry fumble in 538 touches, Herbig's early-game jitters went out the window.

“After that second play, I was like, ‘Yeah, I’m back,'” Herbig said. “It felt good to be back out there with my guys man. That’s all I can ask for.”

Having a healthy Herbig is a luxury, as Alex Highsmith is out for the time being. Highsmith is the Robin to TJ Watt's Batman, and when he eventually returns from injury, Herbig will be relegated back to a rotational linebacker.

2. Mason McCormick was given an impossible task

Steelers rookie Mason McCormick was thrust into action when he least expected it thanks to a season-ending injury to James Daniels, the supposed 'rock' of the offensive line. Without Daniels, Pittsburgh's line has been inconsistent, and some of that can be traced back to McCormick, who admittedly is learning on the job.

That is not McCormick's fault, and perhaps he'll one day develop into a capable right guard. For now, though, the Steelers need better. Whether that comes in the form of Spencer Anderson or Max Scharping remains to be seen.

Pittsburgh's offensive line has dealt with injuries all season long, whether it be to Daniels or first-round pick Troy Fautanu, who is also out for the year. In an ideal world, McCormick would get a chance to learn from a veteran rather than be thrust into the spotlight. At times, he has been exposed, but overall his effort cannot be questioned. Pittsburgh might benefit from having more experience on the offensive line, though.

1. Van Jefferson isn't the answer for Steelers at wide receiver

The Steelers signed Van Jefferson this offseason, but it was never their intent that he would step in as a second wide receiver opposite of George Pickens. While Jefferson is a great story, he unsurprisingly hasn't offered Justin Fields or Russell Wilson much separation on the outside.

Jefferson hasn't received many WR2 snaps since before the bye week, so there's a good chance this change has already happened. That, plus Omar Khan's trade for former New York Jets receiver Mike Williams, has removed Jefferson from a role he hoped to secure in training camp.

Williams had a touchdown in his first game as a Steeler. Calvin Austin, while flawed, is a better playmaker than Jefferson and electric with the ball in his hands. Add in the fact that the Steelers often use a heavy formation and it's tough to see a way Jefferson gets on the field much moving forward.

What Jefferson does offer is run blocking, which is something the Steelers should continue to use in their favor. But by no means is Jefferson still a starting-caliber player.