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Steelers pick up 5th-year option on Ryan Shazier

  • Though not at the level you'd expect from the 15th overall pick, Steelers inside linebacker Ryan Shazier has improved every year since entering the league, and had a PFF grade of 78.4 in 2016, ranking 32nd among inside linebackers.
  • Shazier has shown the ability to contribute on three downs, with 10 sacks, 11 hits, and 19 hurries on 248 blitzes over the past two seasons.
  • One area Shazier needs to improve upon to justify the Steelers signing him to a long-term deal is in his tackling. He missed 14 of the 90 solo tackles he attempted in 2015, and 22 of 109 in 2016.
  • Inside linebacker is not a deep position for the Steelers, with no other player at the position currently on the roster grading at 70.0 or above in 2016, so a second-day draft pick like Ohio's Blair Brown, who missed just three of the 99 solo tackles he attempted in 2016.

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