The Pittsburgh Steelers’ vast receiver group has been below intense scrutiny this offseason, particularly after the Steelers traded Diontae Johnson as a consequence of some perceived maturity points and by no means adequately changed the expertise on the sphere, even with the choice of Roman Wilson within the 2024 NFL Draft.
Although GM Omar Khan, offensive coordinator Arthur Smith and receivers coach Zach Azzanni have all downplayed the WR2 want, praising the general group and saying that the pecking order doesn’t matter, on the surface the priority continues to develop on the place.
For The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly, that concern is nice sufficient that he believes a “large swing” on the receiver place is imminent for the Black and Gold forward of the 2024 season.
“The shock is that the Steelers appear completely glad watching how the WR2 place performs out in camp amongst a bunch of middle-of-the-road receivers,” Kaboly writes for The Athletic in an offseason commentary piece for all 32 groups. “Van Jefferson, Quez Watkins, Calvin Austin III, Scotty Miller, Denzel Mims, Marquez Callaway and Dez Fitzpatrick all have various levels of expertise behind George Pickens. Whether or not they handle the place earlier than the season might hinge on the play of rookie Roman Wilson.
“However your complete group has been underwhelming sufficient {that a} large swing seems imminent.”
The Steelers have the monetary flexibility to doubtlessly make a transfer on the receiver place, however Kaboly saying a giant swing seems imminent looks as if fairly a little bit of a stretch.
Possibly they do take a giant swing on the receiver place, possibly they don’t. On paper, the receiver room is a little bit of a priority behind George Pickens, however the Steelers actually are saying the precise issues concerning the receiver room.
Calvin Austin III has had a robust offseason and seems poised to take a big step ahead, incomes reward from Azzanni within the course of. Jefferson brings loads of expertise, each in Smith’s scheme and within the NFL, too. He’s simply 26 years outdated and had a 50-catch, 802-yard season with six touchdowns in 2021, serving to the Los Angeles Rams win the Tremendous Bowl.
Scotty Miller brings an excessive amount of expertise to the desk, too, and might be that veteran who surprises many this offseason.
Whereas it might be nice to see the Steelers swing large at receiver and land a kind of guys like Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel, DK Metcalf or Courtland Sutton through commerce, they appears content material with what they’ve on the place at the moment, particularly after touchdown Roman Wilson within the draft.
Persistence is a advantage, and the Steelers are working towards that endurance. It received’t be the top of the world in the event that they don’t make that large swing and land a confirmed commodity to play reverse Pickens. Belief must be positioned within the arms of Smith, who has had fairly a little bit of success within the NFL as a play caller with out a nice No. 2 receiver behind his star.
