The best way to help insulate and protect a young, developing quarterback in the NFL is to surround him with a strong offensive line and experienced, interchangeable pass-catching options, not to mention a strong running game.
That’s much, much easier said than done, but entering the 2023 season the Pittsburgh Steelers seem to have done just that around second-year quarterback Kenny Pickett.
It’s well-known the work the Steelers have done in the trenches in recent offseason, adding the likes of Mason Cole, James Daniels and Isaac Seumalo, as well as rookie first-round pick Broderick Jones to protect Pickett and improve a run game with Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren.
The strength of the offense though could be the pass-catching weapons in the Black and Gold.
Diontae Johnson and George Pickens are poised for big seasons in 2023 with Pickett now entering his second season as the starter after playing in 13 games last year, while Calvin Austin III returns from an injury that knocked him out of his entire rookie season. Then there’s the addition of veteran Allen Robinson II via trade from the Los Angeles Rams, giving Pittsburgh an experienced, versatile No. 3 receiver for Pickett, along with a loaded tight end room featuring Pat Freiermuth, Zach Gentry, Connor Heyward and rookie Darnell Washington.
For Robinson, who is still getting his feet underneath him with the Steelers, he’s excited to be part of a “well-rounded group” of passing game weapons in the Black and Gold, and sees good balance overall offensively with what the Steelers have at their disposal.
Co-hosting “The Opening Drive” Friday morning on SiriusXM with Solomon Wilcots, Robinson spoke glowingly of the arsenal of weapons he’s now part of in Pittsburgh.
“I think we have a well-rounded group of different skill sets than just different things that guys bring to the table. I even think when you look at our tight end room, we have a very strong room in that group. A lot of different shapes and sizes of tight ends,” Robinson said to Wilcots, according to audio via SiriusXM.com. “Even in with the running backs as well, you look at Najee [Harris] and some of our other backs, we have a very good balance of skill and power at a lot of these positions. So when you have a group around a quarterback and around a young quarterback like that who are able to do a lot of different things… you have a well-rounded group.”
On paper, the Steelers definitely have a well-rounded group of weapons.
At receiver, Johnson is the elite-level route runner, one that profiles as a true No. 1 X receiver. Though he’s coming off of a down 2022 season in which he set a record for most receptions without scoring a touchdown, he remains a superb talent at the position. Pickens, entering his second season in the NFL, is coming off of a terrific close to his rookie season, has great chemistry with Pickett and could really break out in 2023.
The addition of Robinson gives the Steelers a legitimate slot receiver to work with now, though he is versatile enough to slide back outside in some situations as the Steelers will search for mismatches. Don’t forget about Austin, too. He has elite speed and should have a decent role offensively in his first season in the NFL.
At tight end, the combination of Freiermuth, Gentry and Washington will be very interesting to watch as Gentry and Washington are more of the in-line blocking tight ends, which should help Pittsburgh pound the rock on the ground with Harris and Warren, while Freiermuth will be able to move around and develop as more of a pass catcher moving forward.
Connor Heyward can’t be overlooked, either. He closed his rookie season in impressive fashion and looks like another solid weapon moving forward for the Steelers.
On paper, Pittsburgh is well balanced offensively. How it plays out on the field remains to be seen in Year 2 under Pickett, but the anticipation and expectations are high overall.
