Now that the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2023 season is getting underway after the team finished above .500 but failing to make the postseason last year, we turn our attention to the next chapter of Steelers football and everything that entails. One thing that it means is that some stock evaluations are going to start taking on more specific contexts as we get into the season, reflecting more immediate plusses and minus rather than trends over long periods. The nature of the evaluation, whether short-term or long-term, will be noted in the reasoning section below.
Player: WR Calvin Austin III
Stock Value: Up
Reasoning: The 2022 fourth-round pick looked like the player fans hoped the Steelers had drafted during his NFL debut on Friday night. After missing his rookie season due to injury, he played in his first NFL game in Pittsburgh’s preseason opener, highlighted by a 67-yard touchdown catch.
How nice is it when things are just what you expect them to be? Sometimes it doesn’t feel like we get to experience that all too often in this life. But for Steelers fans, it had to be satisfying watching the second- and third-string offense on Friday night whenever second-year WR Calvin Austin III was on the field.
His draft selection drew buzz because of the allure of his defining trait, his speed, but a foot injury in the walkthrough practice the day before his rookie preseason opener put all plans on hold. He spent this offseason rehabbing from that injury but looked no worse for wear as a result.
In fact, based on what he showed out there, if there is another gear still left in him, it will feel like a bonus. He may not have been playing against All-Pros, but he sure looked plenty fast enough during his 27 snaps in the Steelers’ first preseason game.
In all, he was targeted four times, catching two passes for 73 yards and a touchdown in addition to drawing a defensive pass interference penalty. The highlight was a 67-yard bomb in the third quarter on which he squarely beat his man and could have virtually walked into the end zone.
It was a wonderful moment, which he got to share with his father in the stands, to whom he gave the football with which he scored his first-ever NFL touchdown. And that was with fans already being impressed by the sheer speed he displayed on a 17-yard jet sweep on which he simply gobbled up the edge of the defense and rushed upfield.
We’ve been hearing glowing reports about Austin all offseason, the only blip on the radar being a shaky start to Day One of training camp. Outside of that one day, it’s been a feel-good story rising to a crescendo on Friday night.
Also in line to be the Steelers’ primary return man, there seems to be no question over whether there is a spot for him on the roster. The only thing left to be determined is how they find ways to get him on the field.
