A few days ago, Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Ryan Switzer said during an Instagram Live session that he believes he’s now in the best shape of his life at 177-pounds. Judging by a Thursday picture on Instagram of Switzer flexing, it looks like the former fourth-round draft pick of the Dallas Cowboys can’t be accused of telling any recent lies.
In case you forget, Switzer measured in at the 2017 NFL scouting combine at 5084, 181-pounds. He posted a pSPARQ rating of 108.3 while in Indianapolis, IN that winter. Below is a compilation video of his combine workout to relive.
Switzer’s recent Instagram video also included him professing that he believes he’s now set to become one of the best slot receivers in the NFL this season. To do that with the Steelers, however, Switzer must first make the team’s 53-man roster, which as of right now doesn’t seem like it’s a guaranteed lock to happen.
One of the biggest knocks on Switzer so far during his NFL career is his very below average reception length and his lack of gaining much in the way of yardage after the catch. Additionally, he’s failed to impress much as a punt and kickoff returner in his two seasons with the Steelers.
To date, Switzer has logged all of 475 offensive snaps at the NFL level with 383 of those coming during the 2018 season. He has registered just 50 receptions for 321 yards and a touchdown since entering the NFL in 2017. Roughly half of those yards came after the catch.
At best, Switzer will ultimately enter the 2020 regular season as No. 4 or No. 5 on the Steelers wide receiver depth chart and as the team’s backup slot wide receiver behind JuJu Smith-Schuster. However, new Steelers tight end Eric Ebron can also play some in the slot if needed. In short, even if Switzer does wind up making the Steelers 53-man roster again this year, offensive snaps might be very hard for him to come by.
One of the main things in Switzer’s favor this summer is the fact that he appears to be very good friends with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Roethlisberger seemingly has a huge amount in trust in Switzer and that’s a particularly important quality for any Steelers offensive player to have.
Another thing that’s in Switzer’s favor this summer is the fact that none of the other young wide receivers currently on the Steelers roster have had a chance to prove themselves on the practice field due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Many of them won’t get an adequate chance to show what they can do on a practice field moving forward due to the continued truncating of the offseason and that means limited chances to gain the trust of Roethlisberger and the coaches. In short, it will be extremely hard for any of the young and NFL-inexperienced wide receivers not named Chase Claypool to make the Steelers 53-man roster this year.
Regardless of what ultimately happens with Switzer the remainder of the offseason, he’s obviously put in the work during the ongoing pandemic and now feels he’s in a perfect position to reap what he has sown.
“I’ve prepared my fields for the rain Heavenly Father! If it be your Will, I’m ready for You to send the storm,” Switzer wrote on his social media account on Thursday.
