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: Down
Reasoning: The second-year wide receiver was virtually non-existent amid the return of Diontae Johnson, a fact that is not even remotely coincidental.
The development of the 2023 season as a result of injury likely gave us inflated expectations for WR Calvin Austin III. Because of Diontae Johnson’s issues with his hamstring, Austin was given a much larger role than was intended for him this season.
That’s not to say that he didn’t do what he was supposed to with the opportunities in front of him. A 72-yard touchdown certainly didn’t hurt. But now that Johnson is back, the hierarchy is crystal clear. It’s Johnson and George Pickens at the top, and then it’s Allen Robinson II. Period.
Austin played all of seven offensive snaps on Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams. Pickens played 53 snaps, while both Johnson (returning from injury) and Robinson logged nearly 40 snaps apiece. Even with TE Pat Freiermuth out, there was little use for a fourth wide receiver.
So what does this all mean, exactly? Well, basically, we were given a reminder that Austin is a backup. And he’s going to get the snaps that a backup wide receiver would get when everybody else is healthy. At least that’s how the hierarchy currently stands.
He recorded 12 catches for 143 yards and a touchdown in the Steelers’ first five games, logging 211 snaps in the process. During his seven snaps against the Rams on Sunday, he was not even targeted once. He did record one rushing attempt for one yard. Of course, he was also the punt returner, though he did not have any luck this week.
In spite of his speed and quickness, it is worth acknowledging that Austin did not show any kind of great knack in-game for creating separation. That is an area of his game that remains in development. But one thing we don’t have to worry about is his willingness to put in the work that is required to continue to grow.
By all accounts, he seems to be a very willing and able student. But for now, he will have to wait his turn, it seems, to have a bigger impact.
