The Pittsburgh Steelers have 1,361 offensive snaps to make up for on the large receiver place from simply two gamers. That’s the complete variety of snaps Diontae Johnson and Allen Robinson II performed final 12 months mixed. The Steelers launched the latter as a wage cap casualty, whereas they traded the opposite away for a cornerback.
Whereas it’s clear that they intend to deal with the place in a major manner, the Steelers have additionally regarded to free brokers to search out reinforcements. Based on Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Submit-Gazette, that’s seemingly all they’ve deliberate for.
Each Quez Watkins and Van Jefferson signed Veteran Wage Profit one-year contracts for the minimal quantity. Dulac mentioned in a latest chat session that “they’ve their vet” large receivers already, referring to those two. He added that assuming they draft a receiver excessive, “I feel that would be the finish”.
Issues may have gone in another way, nonetheless, at the least in idea. They signed Jefferson very early in free company, however they’d completely different plans in between. “They’ve already signed two” veterans, Dulac identified, “although not the one they might’ve appreciated — Mike Williams”.
Williams is a former 2017 first-round decide by the Los Angeles Chargers. They launched him earlier this offseason, a slight shock addition to the receiver pool. The Steelers deliberate to carry him in for a go to, however he signed with the New York Jets earlier than the assembly.
Nonetheless, particularly in hindsight, one has to query how severe their curiosity was and the way far it might need gone. Williams signed only a one-year deal, however one price as much as $15 million. The Steelers have by no means paid that a lot for an out of doors free agent, and definitely not on a one-year deal.
Recall that by then the Steelers already spent large cash on ILB Patrick Queen. His three-year, $41 million contract already constituted by far the biggest deal they’ve ever given out to an out of doors participant. It’s the primary deal that ever reached an eight-figure wage per 12 months.
The Steelers have been extra seemingly doing their due diligence and hoping that Williams would possibly come comparatively low cost. Maybe they might catch him in a troublesome spot and get him to comply with some “prove-it” deal. I don’t suppose they anticipated to see his market attain $15 million. Accidents grew to become a significant issue after he signed a three-year, $60 million extension in 2022, restricted to only three video games in 2023.
And so the Steelers moved on and landed Quez Watkins. And now they’ve George Pickens, Calvin Austin III, Jefferson, Watkins and the also-rans. Denzel Mims and Marquez Calloway have one thing of an NFL resume, however there’s a cause each spent 2023 on the apply squad.
No, that is seemingly it, minus a excessive draft decide, even when they don’t have a transparent quantity two on this group. I don’t know that they also have a clear quantity three, however that’s much less essential in Arthur Smith’s system. However relaxation assured, rather a lot will fall on a rookie’s shoulders this 12 months. They don’t actually have another at this level.
