Player: Anthony Miller
Position: Wide Receiver
Experience: 4 Years
Free Agent Status: Unrestricted
2022 Salary Cap Hit: $530,000 (split salary from $1,035,000)
2022 Season Breakdown:
A former second-round draft pick, wide receiver Anthony Miller stood a real chance of finding a niche on the Pittsburgh Steelers’ roster last season. Originally added to their practice squad during the 2021 season, he found himself in a position group in the midst of change, as three of the top four wide receivers parted in free agency.
He seemed to be making real progress throughout the offseason, getting off to a fast start in training camp, though he also met with some inconsistency, including dropped balls. Before he could make a final charge, he suffered a shoulder injury that landed him on the Reserve/Injured List and ended his season.
Miller’s most successful season was as a rookie with the Chicago Bears in 2018, during which he caught seven touchdown passes working out of the slot. He caught 52 passes for 656 yards and two touchdowns in his second season, and had similar production a year later before being traded to the Houston Texans.
He didn’t last long there, released after playing only a couple of games (though he did catch a touchdown pass) and eventually found his way to the Steelers’ practice squad. He dressed for one game for the Steelers in 2021, catching one pass on one target for two yards.
Free Agency Outlook:
Pittsburgh already re-signed Miller, otherwise set to become an unrestricted free agent, to a new one-year contract at the end of the 2022 season. Like last year’s one-year deal, it is for the league minimum and includes no signing bonus, with a reduced cap hit.
This is the first pending free agent we have discussed who has already been re-signed, though that should not be a great surprise given that we’re still in February. They have also just re-signed long snapper Christian Kuntz, which we will discuss in a few days, though he was an exclusive rights free agent and not a pending unrestricted.
Back in the fold, and with Chase Claypool gone, Miller figures to have a shot at making a run at the primary slot receiver role. At least to open up the season. Pittsburgh would obviously like to see 2022 draft pick Calvin Austin III to return from IR himself and stake a claim to that role. But there’s nothing wrong with having more than one option. As he was a year ago, Miller provides them with a veteran depth option should more enticing alternatives fail to materialize.
