Player: WR Van Jefferson
Stock Value: Purchased
Reasoning: After trading Diontae Johnson, the Steelers took a small step toward replenishing the wide receiver room in signing Van Jefferson. A former second-round pick of the Los Angeles Rams, the Atlanta Falcons traded for him last season. There he played under current Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. Though only in Year 5, Jefferson is already turning 28. Nobody has reported Jefferson’s contract details yet but it could be a Veteran Salary Benefit deal.
How much does the signing of Van Jefferson move the needle? Perhaps not very much in terms of re-establishing depth in the wide receiver room. A veteran with decent size, Arthur Smith can find uses for him—he played 356 snaps in 12 games for him in Atlanta last season following an in-season trade. But don’t count on him emerging as a significant starter.
Drafted in the second round in 2020 by the Los Angeles Rams, Jefferson had his best season the year they won the Super Bowl in Year Two. He caught 50 passes for 802 yards and 6 touchdowns, but he hasn’t matched those numbers in his other three seasons combined. At least not the yardage and touchdowns. He has 1,6000 career receiving yards and 10 receiving touchdowns, in additions to 113 receptions.
With decent size at 6-1 and 200 pounds, Jefferson can contribute as a blocker in Smith’s offense. He may find similar role as Allen Robinson II served last year, only at a budget price—and budget results. Or perhaps the Steelers think they can unlock him after two unsteady seasons. He missed six games in 2022 for the Rams, a year in which Matthew Stafford played hurt. Last year, the Rams traded him in-season to a run-first offense. With both teams combined, he caught just 20 passes for 209 yards and 0 touchdowns in 2023.
The problem is, the Steelers need another wide receiver who is going to put up some numbers after trading Diontae Johnson. They can perhaps get 1,300 or so out of George Pickens, perhaps even double-digit touchdowns. But will they get much of anything out of the rest of that depth chart, out of Calvin Austin III? They may still be at least two more wide receivers away from completing this room, even consideration Smith’s 12-heavy personnel.
As the season progresses, Steelers players’ stocks rise and fall. The nature of the evaluation differs with the time of year, with in-season considerations being more often short-term. Considerations in the offseason often have broader implications, particularly when players lose their jobs, or the team signs someone. This time of year is full of transactions, whether minor or major.
A bad game, a new contract, an injury, a promotion—any number of things affect a player’s value. Think of it as a stock on the market, based on speculation. You’ll feel better about a player after a good game, or worse after a bad one. Some stock updates are minor, while others are likely to be quite drastic, so bear in mind the degree. I’ll do my best to explain the nature of that in the reasoning section of each column.
