The Pittsburgh Steelers are moving forward with JuJu Smith-Schuster as their primary option in the passing game in 2019. Smith-Schuster believes that the next improvement in his game will need to come in the form of making plays downfield.

Via Kevin Gorman in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:

“Being able to catch the deep balls down the field, those go balls, those free balls that they send down the field where I’ve got to go make those plays,” Smith-Schuster said. “That’s what I’ve focused on a lot, catching the ball over the shoulder and being able to be a threat on the outside.”

As everyone may know, the Steelers shipped Antonio Brown to the Oakland Raiders after a fallout between the All-Pro receiver and the franchise. With Brown's departure, Smith-Schuster will see an increased role in the upcoming season.

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In 2018, the 22-year-old wide receiver had an outstanding campaign with 111 receptions, 1,426 yards, and seven touchdowns. To the dismay of Brown, Smith-Schuster was named the Steelers' Most Valuable Player in 2018.

So far in his career, Smith-Schuster has shown his ability to make big plays off of short and intermediate routes on the field. In both of his seasons in the NFL, the USC product has combined to catch two 97-yard passes for touchdowns.

Now, in 2019, Smith-Schuster wants to showcase that he can make plays down the field as well. Considering that Ben Roethlisberger is still under center, the young receiver may get his wish in the upcoming season.

Without Brown being in the offense, the Steelers are going to need someone who can take the top off of the defense. Look no further than Smith-Schuster for the receiver who could be stretching the field with his playmaking ability downfield in 2019 for the team in the Steel City.