Steelers WR Ryan Switzer makes most of chance in 2-minute drill

Ryan Switzer showed what he could do Wednesday when he’s healthy and in sync with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

With the Pittsburgh Steelers utilizing a two-minute drill to start practice at Heinz Field, the 25-year-old slot receiver made two of the biggest plays on a 57-yard march that began with 1 minute, 27 seconds on the clock and resulted in a touchdown as time expired.

Switzer had a catch along the sideline on a third-and-12 play, and he capped the drive with a 3-yard touchdown grab in the back of the end zone. Roethlisberger eluded pressure from T.J. Watt before spotting Switzer open in the back of the end zone.

“I was fortunate enough to be out there with the No. 1s and get those reps, which I never take for granted,” Switzer said.

On a team that includes starters JuJu Smith-Schuster, Diontae Johnson and James Washington, plus 6-foot-4 rookie second-rounder Chase Claypool, Switzer tends to be overlooked — and not just because of his 5-foot-8, 185-pound frame.

Switzer struggled in in 2019 while Roethlisberger sat out the final 14 games with an injured right elbow. Switzer caught just eight passes for 27 yards in nine games before he ended up on injured reserve with a back injury.

Switzer has a build that makes him a fit in the slot, and the Steelers kept him over Eli Rogers when the preseason ended last year. Switzer was hoping to build off a 2018 season when had 36 catches for 253 yards and a touchdown while playing more than a quarter of the offensive snaps. It helped that Roethlisberger was the one throwing him passes that season.

Roethlisberger arguably has been Switzer’s biggest ally.

“In my mind, there’s no limit on what I believe I can bring to this offense,” Switzer said. “I pushed myself really hard this offseason because I believe I can help this team win a championship. I have to prove No. 7 right. I have to prove a lot of people right. That’s what I’ve been focused on. I haven’t focused on the people I’m trying to prove wrong. I’m trying to prove Coach Tomlin, Mr. (Kevin) Colbert and Mr. (Art) Rooney right.

“I’m trying to prove all of the people who believe in me right, No. 7 being one of them. He trusts me in those situations.”

The Steelers spent several practice sessions working on two-minute and hurry-up situations. At one point, Tomlin summoned the players and impressed upon them the importance of those drives to the Steelers offense.

“The essence or the emphasis in the two-minute are the plays that are made down the field, the game mechanic things on both sides of the ball, the giving and receiving of information,” Tomlin said. “The rush and the protection are less significant and are really tapered in that drill. Whether or not somebody is sacked or pressured is less relevant. It’s about the other elements of the drill.”

On the second hurry-up simulation, Roethlisberger completed all of his passes. Backup Mason Rudolph entered but did not have a completion. Another two-minute drill also fizzled quickly.