It may have been a preseason game, but the Pittsburgh Steelers’ performance on the offensive side of the football has left many feeling pretty optimistic about this unit heading into the 2023 season. The passing game looked crisp right out the gate. QB Kenny Pickett was nearly flawless on the opening drive, having just one incompletion as he spread the wealth to his receivers, ultimately finding WR George Pickens for the score. WR Calvin Austin III also flashed later in the contest, hauling in a deep touchdown pass that Pittsburgh’s offense hasn’t had in years.
Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports gravitated to Pittsburgh’s passing game as well in his Preseason Week One takeaways article, stating that the Steelers’ receiving corps is ready to break out this season.
“George Pickens broke free for a nice TD against the Buccaneers and already profiled as a candidate to make a big leap,” Benjamin wrote. “But Calvin Austin also scored while showing off deep speed. Throw in veterans Diontae Johnson and Allen Robinson, and Kenny Pickett has the setup to do more damage through the air.”
The Steelers are loaded with skill-position players on the offensive side of the football. They run four deep at wide receiver with Johnson being the nuanced route runner who commands plenty of targets while Pickens has the qualities to become a true alpha wide receiver in the NFL. Robinson is a battle-tested veteran who has been a productive receiver in the league for nearly a decade while Austin brings the element of speed and explosiveness that has been missing from Pittsburgh’s passing game for some time.
Throw in the fact that Pittsburgh also is stacked at tight end with Pat Freiermuth, Darnell Washington, and Connor Heyward as legit receiving threats as well as RBs Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren in the backfield, and this passing game could be scary. It ultimately comes down to Pickett utilizing his weapons properly, being able to go through his reads and progressions to properly dissect opposing defenses.
Still, Benjamin is right in saying that the Steelers have the firepower to do damage through the air in 2023 as well as on the ground. For a passing game that struggled mightily last season, we should see a drastic improvement as this team can beat you with an assortment of receivers with varying skill sets.
