Mark Madden: 3 starters likely entering final season with Steelers

Alejandro Villanueva, JuJu Smith-Schuster and James Conner are all likely headed into their final season with the Steelers. Each will be in the last year of his contract.

Villanueva’s exit would be logical. He’s 31 and struggled last season after making the Pro Bowl in 2017 and ’18. Villanueva’s performance likely took a hit when Ramon Foster (since retired) imploded to his immediate right. But if Villanueva does OK this campaign, he may get another year by way of not breaking in somebody new at left tackle for what figures to be Ben Roethlisberger’s final season in 2021.

Smith-Schuster, 23, is in an odd place. He didn’t rise to the level of No. 1 receiver in Antonio Brown’s absence this past year. If he does so now, Smith-Schuster will price himself out of Pittsburgh. If he’s subpar again, the Steelers won’t want him. Either way, he’s gone. The Steelers won’t franchise him, not at an $18 million price tag.

Conner, 25, is the most interesting case. There’s more at stake for him than for Smith-Schuster.

Smith-Schuster disappointed last year. Conner was brittle and rotten. He missed six full games and parts of others because of injury. He rushed for just 464 yards (down from 973) and scored only seven touchdowns (down from 13).

Conner rushed for 145 yards Oct. 28 vs. Miami. His highest total otherwise was 55.

Unless Conner is healthy and effective all season — as in, 16 games — he not only books passage out of town, but gets a one-way ticket to Palookaville. The Steelers value Conner more than any other team would. They knew Conner from Pitt, like his story and picked him in the third round in 2017 (at least a round early).

If Conner stumbles in 2020, he won’t get much money wherever he goes and will get no chance to start. Thus begins the downward spiral. Not long after comes the exit.

Conner is playing for his career, or at least its viability.

Negative talk about Conner meets with fan pushback: DON’T YOU KNOW HE BEAT CANCER?!

Yes, I am aware, and Conner has been rightly feted for his courage. But that was in 2016 and should no longer serve as an excuse or a shield from criticism. If his body is permanently weakened, as some suggest, Conner may have to find a new profession.

Conner has to deliver. Talk about Mario Lemieux’s cancer was muted when he scored 30 goals in his first 20 games after returning. Nobody expects Conner to be Lemieux. But Conner has to be much better than he was in ‘19.

Conner is clearly going to get the opportunity.

The Steelers have only minimally reinforced themselves at running back, drafting Anthony McFarland from Maryland in the fourth round. They passed on Ohio State stud J.K. Dobbins with the 49th pick, taking Notre Dame receiver Chase Claypool instead. The Steelers have declined to trade for Jacksonville’s Leonard Fournette despite an asking price that’s reportedly modest. They haven’t signed a free agent running back like LeSean McCoy, another Pitt product. (Better back, lesser story.)

Conner is the starter. His fate is in his hands. So is the Steelers’ fate, to some degree. If Conner gets hurt and/or stumbles, the Steelers will again stink at running back and Conner’s career will be in jeopardy.