The most important query mark for the Pittsburgh Steelers is their No. 2 extensive receiver, with no legit possibility behind George Pickens. Whereas Calvin Austin III, Van Jefferson or somebody like Quez Watkins or rookie Roman Wilson may attempt to step into that position, none of these names are tremendous intriguing they usually actually aren’t confirmed. Showing on 93.7 The Fan, The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly stated that not addressing the extensive receiver place higher would possibly wind up being a mistake for the Steelers.
“The free company market’s rubbish proper now,” Kaboly stated, including that bringing in somebody like Michael Thomas is simply “throwing one thing towards the wall.”
Whereas noting that including a participant who will get lower late within the course of is a risk, he’s skeptical about simply how good that participant can be.
“I assume there’s time to see if anyone will get lower, however even when someone will get lower September 1 or August 29, every time that ultimate lower day is, that man’s most likely not gonna be higher than what you have already got,” Kaboly stated. “So except they’ll someway pull off the commerce on the finish of coaching camp, I believe they could’ve have made a bit of little bit of a mistake right here. They tried to get a No. 2, but it surely hasn’t labored out in addition to they anticipated, and we may very well be wanting again on this in a few months and saying that was the distinction proper there. They wanted that quantity two to get George Pickens free, and proper now I don’t suppose they’ve that.”
Anyone who will get lower most likely received’t be a lot of an improve late within the course of. Whereas a veteran like Robert Woods may get squeezed out from a loaded receiving corps in Houston, he’s actually solely a barely higher possibility than what Pittsburgh has. It doesn’t appear to be the workforce will make a commerce for a legit No. 2 receiver at this level. Come coaching camp, issues may warmth up there, though it nonetheless simply doesn’t appear probably the Steelers will add somebody like Brandon Aiyuk or Courtland Sutton.
Actually, that leaves the in-house choices who’re going to must step up. Austin received some reward from Roman Wilson for being a pacesetter within the room. His velocity makes him an intriguing candidate though his catch radius wants to enhance, particularly given his lack of measurement. Jefferson appears the probably in-house candidate to be the workforce’s WR2. He had over 800 yards with the Los Angeles Rams again in 2021 though he’s come nowhere near that quantity since.
The WR2 battle will play out throughout coaching camp, and if the Steelers aren’t glad with what they’ve on the roster, then including somebody who will get lower or getting extra aggressive in pursuit of a commerce is probably going. The Steelers constructed their roster to win this season, and never having a dependable second receiver may very well be a significant crux because the workforce appears to be like to get again to the postseason.
Whereas tight finish Pat Freiermuth will probably see the second-most targets on the workforce, one other receiver possibility on the skin may help take protection away from Pickens, which might additionally assist bolster Pittsburgh’s passing offense. We’ll see within the coming weeks if somebody on the roster will step up, or if Pittsburgh goes to must go outdoors the group to discover a succesful second receiver.
