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Madden 22 can't come soon enough, so it would be interesting to see how the Pittsburgh Steelers players are rated after a huge roster shakeup.
The Steelers had just two players rated at 90+ in Madden 21: David DeCastro and Cam Heyward. DeCastro was recently released, and Heyward is nearing the end of his prime. TJ Watt could get a huge rating boost in Madden 22 and hit the 90s after nearly winning the Defensive Player of the Year award.
Pittsburgh had a total of 16 players with ratings of 80+ last year, but seven of them are no longer on their roster. That will likely bring down the team's overall rating in Madden 22.
Will Pittsburgh's defense get a big enough ratings boost in Madden 22 to improve their overall rating?
With so many talented players off the roster, the Pittsburgh Steelers may not have a Top-10 overall rating in Madden 22 like they did the previous year.
TJ Watt will likely be in the 90s, and Heyward should remain one of their highest-rated players. Minkah Fitzpatrick and Stephon Tuitt are two others who could help the overall number, with ratings in the 90s.
On that note, here are the predictions for the Pittsburgh Steelers five highest-rated players once Madden 22 is released.
#5 Juju Smith-Schuster
Madden 21 Launch Rating - 86
Madden 21 Super Bowl Rating - 84
Madden 22 Launch Rating - 87.
Juju Smith-Schuster had a dip in his ratings during the season after a slump in his stats.
Juju nearly signed with another team, and that could have given him a better rating. He did score a career-high nine TDs and a catch percentage of 75.8%. His three fumbles surely didn't help his rating either. Still, Smith-Schuster will be the highest-rated WR for the Steelers and could warrant a much higher number next year, along with a much larger contract.
#4 Stephon Tuitt
Madden 21 Launch Rating - 87
Madden 21 Super Bowl Rating - 88
Madden 22 Launch Rating - 90.
After a career-high 11 sacks last year, Tuitt should have played well enough to crack the 90s. He should be one of the centerpieces of the defense for the future, and his rating will only likely increase in the years to come.
Tuitt also had 25 QB hits in 2020 and is a beast against the run. So it wouldn't come as a shock if his actual Madden 22 rating is higher than 90.
#3 Minkah Fitzpatrick
Madden 21 Launch Rating - 87
Madden 21 Super Bowl Rating - 88
Madden 22 Launch Rating - 90.
Minkah Fitzpatrick could be an additional defensive player rated in the 90s for Pittsburgh. He's known for being seen on every tackle and running all over the field to make plays.
He had a career-high 11 passes defended and 79 total tackles (second-most in his career since his rookie year in Miami). Along with four INTs and his ability to play everywhere, his 89 zone-coverage rating from Madden 21 should see an increase in Madden 22.
#2 Cameron Heyward
Madden 21 Launch Rating - 90
Madden 21 Super Bowl Rating - 92
Madden 22 Launch Rating - 90.
It may be unusual for a player to have an increase in his rating during the season and then see a decrease the following year.
Heyward can still produce the goods, but he's going to be 32 soon and saw a big decline in his stats recently. He went from nine sacks in 2019 to just four and nearly 30 fewer total tackles.
He'll still have a Madden 22 rating in the 90s, but the decline could continue each year till he retires. It's nothing against him, but no one beats Father Time.
#1 TJ Watt
Madden 21 Launch Rating - 86
Madden 21 Super Bowl Rating - 93
Madden 22 Launch Rating - 96.
The DPOY snub hurts, but Watt will get the next best thing with a huge rating deep into the 90s, making him Pittsburgh's highest-rated player in Madden 22.
He racked up a career-best 15 sacks, nearly doubled his tackles for loss from 2019 and also had 41 QB hits. Watt could easily beat his sack record next year and be on his way to the 99 club pretty soon.
