Pittsburgh Steelers TE Ladarius Green Ready to Break Out

After playing under the overarching shadow of Antonio Gates in San Diego for years, Ladarius Green joins the Steelers ready to break out.

Lost in the craziness of free agency was the signing of little-known tight end Ladarius Green.

For the past four seasons, Green has played behind future Hall of Famer Antonio Gates. He wasn’t utilized much in San Diego, logging just 1,087 receiving yards on 77 receptions.

Green finally got his chance last season when Gates was suspended for the Chargers first four games because of PED use. Needless to say, the unknown 25-year-old shined in his protégés absence. Before Gates returned, Green hauled in a combined 19 catches, 224 yards and two touchdowns.

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He only caught two more touchdown passes and wouldn’t come close to that type of production for the rest of the season.

Still, entering the prime of his career, Green showed just how dangerous he can be when given the opportunity. His combination of size, speed, and athleticism make life difficult on opposing defenses. At 6-foot-6, roughly 250 pounds, the Louisiana Lafayette product overwhelms safeties and his 4.53 40-yard dash speed makes him near impossible for linebackers to cover.

So when Heath Miller decided to call it quits after lining up at tight end for 11-consecutive seasons in Pittsburgh, the team had an opening that Green seemed destined to fill.

A four-year, $20 million deal was given to the former Charger, a contract that in all likelihood he’ll greatly outperform. It’s simply a steal for a team loaded on offense with some of the most talented players in the league. To Green, the decision was a no-brainer.

"“I had some [offers], but everyone knows the Steelers, the history behind the team,” Green said Mar. 10, via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “Everybody has seen the offense as well. It wasn’t too hard of a choice.”"

The only problem now in Pittsburgh will be finding a way to keep all of their stars on offense happy. When asked about the number of looks he’ll get with so many playmakers around him, Green wasn’t worried.

"“Even if there is not [enough footballs to go around], you just want to be a part of something great,” Green said. “No matter who gets the ball, as long as somebody makes a play, you are there to congratulate them, or you’re there to make the next play if you can.”"

While Green is a solid blocker, you can bet the Steelers will make use of his receiving abilities far more often than they ever did with Miller. Based on what head coach Mike Tomlin said prior to the team’s Week Four meeting with San Diego last season, the newly acquired tight end will play a major role in Pittsburgh.

"“Ladarius Green is a talented and vertical threat-like tight end,” Tomlin said, according to SteelCityInsider.net. “He is an oversized wide receiver. He is adept at getting up the field. He has logged a lot of quality reps here in the first four weeks of the season and he has built a nice rapport with [quarterback Philip] Rivers. I would imagine that would continue even as [Antonio] Gates comes back, and I would imagine their two tight end set is going to be one that we have to contend with.”"

It’s safe to assume that you can expect to see a good amount of Roethlisberger-to-Green connections, even more so now that emerging receiver Martavis Bryant has been suspended for all of the 2016 season.

Going forward, there’s no telling what Green is capable of in Pittsburgh. In what seems to be the perfect situation, he’ll be able to maximize his underutilized talents, something that wasn’t a possibility in San Diego.

So does Green benefit more from the Steelers star-studded offense, or will their offense benefit more from the presence of Green? Though the tight end’s team-friendly deal may indicate the former, it’s difficult to tell at this point.

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Pittsburgh Steelers Newly Signed TE Ladarius Green Ready to Break Out

By Kyle Sumner McKinnon | Mar 20, 2016

After playing under the overarching shadow of Antonio Gates in San Diego for years, Ladarius Green joins the Steelers ready to break out.

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