Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger suggested Tuesday the team's offense will have an entirely different look in 2021.
Matt Canada's offense would seem to be quite a bit different from former Steelers offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner. Roethlisberger said he's had to do quite a bit of studying to familiarize himself with new concepts, adding the offense could be something revolutionary as compared to past schemes:
“You'll see nothing that you've seen in the past,” Roethlisberger said of the offense, via ESPN's Brooke Pryor.
Now, “Big Ben” later seemed to indicate he was being a bit exaggerative, though he did admit the new offensive concepts have demanded his attention.
One of the reasons the offense might look different is the presence of first-round pick Najee Harris. Roethlisberger had high praise for the rookie Steelers running back:
“He doesn't seem lost. It's not too big for him. His head's not spinning,” Roethlisberger said of Harris, via Pryor. “The most exciting part is once he gets it and it clicks and he goes full speed. It's going to be something to see.”
Harris was regarded as one of the best pure runners in the 2021 draft class. However, the Steelers might hope to integrate him in the passing game.
The former Alabama star averaged over 11 yards per reception and had seven receiving touchdowns in his junior season. He had 43 receptions for 425 yards in 2020.
Roethlisberger and the Steelers might look for more of a balanced attack while also hoping to reinvigorate the downfield passing attack. The receiving corps has plenty talent, with JuJu Smith-Schuster posing as a possession guy and all of Chase Claypool, Diontae Johnson and James Washington capable of stretching the defense.
Big Ben will be at the center of it all. His ability to grasp the offense and recapture past success could determine how quickly the offensive unit gels.
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