Pull Coverage Away from WR Antonio Brown

Ask Antonio Brown, “Who’s the best wide receiver in the NFL?” His answer won’t include Julio Jones or Odell Beckham Jr. — and he may have a legitimate point.

When you’re a 5-foot-10, 181-pound NFL wide receiver, you’re likely to play with a little bit of swagger. When you’re a former sixth-round draft pick with four consecutive All-Pro honors, that swagger is well-deserved.

Brown may be the NFL’s best wide receiver, but defenses can implement a game plan to stop a top wideout, provided he’s the only dangerous target on his team. Over the course of Brown’s career, the receiver played alongside his fair share of top talent. However, dual-threat running back Le’Veon Bell is currently amidst another contract holdout, with the RB’s days in black and yellow likely coming to an end. And JuJu Smith-Schuster’s increased playing time in 2017 forced the Steelers to part ways with explosive wide receiver Martavis Bryant, which appears to be an increasingly good decision given Bryant’s potential NFL suspension.

Smith-Schuster needs to pick up the slack for the Steelers in 2018. JuJu needs to provide both the consistency and the big-play ability that will force defenses to remain honest, and not simply shift their coverage in Brown’s direction. The Steelers’ second-year wideout is a capable home run hitter who plays faster than his 4.54 40-yard dash time would indicate; JuJu needs to demonstrate that ability again in 2018, in order to keep opposing secondaries honest.

In the buildup to the 2017 NFL Draft, many analysts knocked Smith-Schuster for his speed, saying the receiver lacked the vertical speed necessary to excel at the next level. Tell that to the Detroit Lions’ secondary:

💨💨 on em one time! Learned from the 🐐 @AB84 on this one 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/qptgPwixjN

— JuJu Smith-Schuster (@TeamJuJu) October 30, 2017

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