The last time that we took a look back at the Pittsburgh Steelers’ roster in review, it was weeks before the 2023 NFL Draft took place. It would be safe to say that quite a bit has changed since then. The changes apply to almost every position on the roster. Some are major changes and some minor, though some have remained largely if not completely static.
We are closing in on the opening of the Steelers’ several weeks of training camp. This year, we expect to see quite a bit of competition in Latrobe. It would be a good time to pause and take stock of where the team stands at each position as we head into the most critical process of the offseason.
Position: Wide Receiver
Total Positional Figure: 12
Additions: 2
Deletions: 1
Players Retained:
Diontae Johnson: The 2021 Pro Bowler is coming off an inauspicious season in which he set an NFL record for the most receptions in a season in which he did not score a touchdown. A bounce-back season is crucial for both the Steelers and for his future with the Steelers.
George Pickens: The second-year receiver is poised, many believe, for a breakout season. His playmaking ability has teased out at elite levels already, but there is much work to be done on his craft, which, to his credit, he’s reportedly been addressing.
Allen Robinson II: The veteran wide receiver was added via trade earlier this year and should be their primary slot option. He’s also been a leader in the locker room already, providing valuable insight not just to the younger receivers but to the young offense in general.
Calvin Austin III: A fourth-round pick last year, the speedy Memphis product spent his rookie season on IR, but his coaches and teammates have really been talking him up this offseason. If healthy, and if offseason chatter is anything to go by—and it’s often not—he’ll have a decent-sized role this year.
Gunner Olszewski: Benched as the return man early last year, Olszewski is eager to win it back. It’s easier to do with no incumbent, Steven Sims no longer on the roster, but his margin for error is slim.
Miles Boykin: Primarily a special teamer last year, Boykin was not re-signed until late April. Opinions seem to vary on how secure his roster spot is or should be.
Cody White: Now in his third season with the organization, White is becoming a practice squad veteran, always on the fringes of the 53-man roster. He’s got size, smarts, and physicality, but the overall talent level is simply limited, as is his athletic ability.
Dan Chisena: Like Boykin, Chisena should be viewed primarily, if not exclusively, as a special teams contributor. A veteran in the league, his early addition could have been seen as Boykin’s replacement—and it still could end up that way.
Dez Fitzpatrick: A productive college wide receiver, Dez Fitzpatrick has all of five NFL receptions. His lack of experience on special teams won’t do him any favors.
Ja’Marcus Bradley: Nearly doubling Fitzpatrick’s career reception total, Bradley also has the advantage of having spent last season on the Steelers’ practice squad. He will have a hard time standing out in a tall group of receivers in training camp, however.
Players Added:
Hakeem Butler: Yet another tall wide receiver formerly of pedigree, Butler’s only professional success came earlier this year in the XFL. While he looked good in OTAs, that’s what big bodies that catch passes are supposed to look like.
Jordan Byrd: A rookie return specialist, Byrd’s only chance of making the team is to return a couple of kicks for touchdowns during the preseason.
Players Lost:
Anthony Miller: The veteran wide receiver was released a few weeks back for reasons that are unclear. A former second-round pick, he’d been around the team for the better part of the last two seasons, though last year it was on IR. Evidently, the Steelers grew tired of waiting.
Note and Camp Outlook:
As a housekeeping note, Cody Chrest came and went out of the group in a two-week span between May and June, so otherwise did not register during our positional review installments this offseason.
For most, the focus this year will be on Pickens and whether or not he can emerge as not just the Steelers’ top receiver, but as a true ‘number one receiver’ as most conceive of it. As for me, I’m more interested in seeing how the building chemistry with Kenny Pickett affects Johnson and if he can get back on the right track.
Robinson should be a steady slot presence, but the real wrinkle is Austin. The Steelers shouldn’t count on getting anything out of him, but if he proves to be a player, he can add a really colorful dimension to this offseason with his shiftiness and speed.
After that, the depth chart is pretty wide open. The group is unremarkable enough that the team will really have to consider only carrying five wide receivers, quite frankly, as they could just as easily house three or four of the losers on the practice squad with little to no difficulty. They may even want to swap some of those out with others from roster cuts on other teams.
