The Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2023 offseason practices concluded in the middle of June and next up is their annual training camp, which gets underway in late July at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe. Ahead of training camp, we will preview the team’s offseason roster three players at a time for you as part of a 30-post series. This Steelers roster preview, which includes outlooks for every player, will be done alphabetically by last name to make it easy to follow.
The next three players we will preview ahead of Steelers 2023 training camp are Miles Boykin, Ja’Marcus Bradley, and Hakeem Butler.
WR Miles Boykin: The Steelers added Boykin to their roster in April 2022 after claiming him off waivers from the Baltimore Ravens, who originally selected him in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft out of Notre Dame. After securing a 53-man roster spot last summer, Boykin mainly played on special teams and he logged a career high 207 total snaps in that phase of the game on his way to registering 10 total tackles, the third most on the Steelers.
As for Boykin’s 2022 output for the Steelers on offense, there’s not too much to talk about. In total, Boykin played 132 offensive snaps on his way to registering just two receptions for 11 yards on three total targets. That’s not great target numbers for a wide receiver who played more than 130 offensive snaps. He missed one game last season to an oblique injury as well.
Outlook: When it comes to Boykin’s chances of making the Steelers 53-man roster, they are strong overall and mainly because of his ability to produce on special teams. With the turnover that the Steelers have had this offseason on special teams, Boykin should have a leg up, so to speak, when it comes to that part of his chances of making it to Week 1. Any improvements that Boykin can show as a wide receiver this summer will make him that much more valuable to the Steelers. Showing position flexibility at all three wide receiver spots wouldn’t hurt him either. Boykin will have plenty of competition to fend off this summer but assuming he stays healthy and productive on special teams, he figures to make the initial 53-man roster again.
WR Ja’Marcus Bradley: After ending the 2022 season on the Steelers’ practice squad, Bradley, a Louisiana product who entered the NFL in 2020 with the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent, was re-signed to a Reserve/Future contract in early January. In his first two seasons with the Browns, Bradley played in eight regular-season games and registered nine total receptions for 124 yards in 171 offensive snaps played. He has also logged 54 special teams snaps to date on his way to being credited with three total tackles. Bradley also has some extremely limited returner experience as an NFL player with two kickoff returns for 49 yards.
Outlook: If we’re being really honest, Bradley has virtually no shot at making the Steelers’ 53-man roster this year. A lot of things would need to happen for him to do that. Those things include injuries to a few wide receivers on the 90-man roster. At best, Bradley will likely be fighting this summer for a spot on the Steelers’ practice squad to start the 2023 regular season.
However, to get that far, he must stay healthy and on the offseason roster. Depending on how injuries go once training camp gets underway, Bradley could be let go through no fault of his own due to short lines and needed bodies at other positions. To his credit, however, he’s been able to stick around all offseason so far. That is quite an accomplishment in and of itself.
WR Hakeem Butler: The Steelers signed Butler in the middle of May after he posted a nice 2023 season in the XFL as a member of the St. Louis Battlehawks. On his way to earning All-XFL honors with the Battlehawks, Butler, a fourth-round selection of the Arizona Cardinals in 2019 out of Iowa State, registered Butler 51 receptions for 599 yards and eight touchdowns. Most of his playing time in the XFL came in the slot. As for Butler’s NFL experience to date, he hasn’t done much of anything. He’s yet to register a reception in the NFL and has played in just two games with just one offensive snap on his resume. Butler also has played just 29 total special teams snaps in the NFL so far.
Outlook: Butler has a more than decent chance of making the Steelers’ 53-man roster later this summer as a big slot wide receiver. To do that, however, he’ll need to show that he has moved past his draft bust label. He’s a big, physical wide receiver, one who can not only stretch the field vertically on occasion, but also block as part of a running attack. Butler has exhibited a drop problem over the course of his football career. That’s an important aspect of his game that he must improve this summer.
Additionally, Butler showing the Steelers this summer that he can play some on special teams is imperative when it comes to his chances of making the Week 1 53-man roster, which probably sits right now at around 50 percent.
Previous Posts In This Series:
90 In 30: Steelers 2023 Training Camp Preview Series: Montravius Adams, Spencer Anderson, Calvin Austin III
90 In 30: Steelers 2023 Training Camp Preview Series: Luq Barcoo, Keeanu Benton, Chris Boswell
