Steelers Return Fifth-Highest Percentage of Snaps for 2020
Continuity is king in the NFL, perhaps even more without OTAs in the 2020 season. Luckily for the Steelers, they will have plenty of familiar faces in 2020.
Pittsburgh will return the fifth-highest percentage of total team snaps played from the 2019 season at 82.4%, courtesy of ESPN’s Field Yates.
Highest percentage of total team snaps played from 2019 returning in 2020:
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) June 22, 2020
1. Bills: 88.0%
2. Chiefs: 84.7%
3. Colts: 82.7%
4. 49ers: 82.6%
5. Steelers: 82.4%
Lowest:
28. Browns: 67.9%
29. Patriots: 67.1%
30. Cowboys: 66.5%
31. Giants: 66.1%
32. Panthers: 46.9%
On the offensive side, the Steelers saw just one significant loss over the offseason with the retirement of guard Ramon Foster back in March. Foster started 14 games for the Steelers last season, and played a total of 822 snaps.
The Steelers also lost their Swiss Army Knife on the offensive line in center B.J. Finney after he signed with the Seahawks as a free agent. Finney saw action in all 16 games in 2020, playing a total of 325 snaps.
The only significant subtraction on defense for the Steelers will be defensive end Javon Hargrave, who left for Philadelphia in free agency. The South Carolina State product played 680 snaps in 2019, totaling four sacks and seven tackles-for-loss, according to Pro Football Reference.
Pittsburgh also parted ways with linebacker Mark Barron after a lackluster one-year stint with the team. He played 750 snaps.
Only the Bills, Chiefs, Colts and 49ers will have a higher percentage this season. Buffalo will return a league-leading 88%.
The Browns, Patriots, Cowboys, Giants and Panthers will return the least. Carolina brings back just 46.9% of its total team snaps played from last year.