If there ever was a more critical season in running back James Conner’s career, it’s 2020.
Conner is entering the final year of his rookie contract. If he wants a new deal in Pittsburgh, he has to do two things: 1) Grind out yards both on the ground and as a receiver, and 2) Stay healthy for the entire season.
The RB has yet to play a full 16-game slate through his first three years. Even in Conner’s career season (1,470 all-purpose yards and 20 touchdowns) in 2018, he missed three of the final four games of the season with a lower leg sprain. The Steelers, by the way, suffered a record of 1-3 during that span.
Presumably, this is how things will shake out for Conner in January — the Steelers will let Conner test the free-agent market, and Conner will give general manager Kevin Colbert the last shot should he get an offer from another team. Both parties can then decide if it is reasonable for Conner to stay — whether the Steelers want to pay him the going price or whether he will accept a hometown discount to remain with the black and gold.
“It would be hard to put another helmet on because of everything this city means to me,” Conner said. “I’m Pittsburgh through-and-through. We’ll take it one day at a time. I just want to stay in the moment.”
The Steelers have a dozen priority free agents in 2021, including wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, cornerbacks Joe Haden and Mike Hilton, linebacker Bud Dupree, and defensive tackle Cam Heyward. They’ll be cash-strapped and, in my opinion, unless Conner has a significant fourth season in which he’s both productive and injury-free, the Steelers are best to part ways with him.
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