The Pittsburgh Steelers are most of the way through the first part of the offseason leading to the draft. Before we get there, we’re going to take stock of how the roster has evolved over the past several weeks. Position by position, we’ll break down who’s coming and going and what’s next for those rookies and those already here.
Position: Wide Receiver
Total Positional Figure: 9
Offseason Additions: 2
Offseason Deletions: 3
Players Retained:
George Pickens: All eyes are now on George Pickens as he ascends to the throne of undisputed number one receiver. The Pittsburgh Steelers need him to be exactly that because, well, they have nobody else.
Calvin Austin III: No disrespect to Calvin Austin III, but he’s proven next to nothing so far in his career. Granted, he hasn’t had a ton of opportunities to make plays yet. Perhaps this season, he will prove capable of that third-receiver role.
Denzel Mims: A former second-round draft pick, Mims has lots of talent but little accomplishment. He spent last season on practice squads, including the Steelers’.
Duece Watts: A rookie college free agent, Watts spent nearly all of the year on the Steelers’ practice squad. However, he signed with the Packers after the draft and lasted through training camp, so we haven’t seen him yet.
Dez Fitzpatrick: A bit of a camp darling, Fitzpatrick spent most of the year on the practice squad but played in one game on special teams. That is where he has the most value.
Marquez Callaway: Callaway has the largest NFL resume behind Pickens. He caught 46 passes for 698 yards and six touchdowns in 2021 for the Saints. However, his role diminished in 2022, and he played just 28 snaps last year. At 6-2, he offers some intrigue but faces an uphill battle.
Players Added:
Van Jefferson: Another former second-round pick, Jefferson contributed ably to the Rams’ Super Bowl team a few years ago. However, he hasn’t done too much since then. Can he get back on the right track with the Steelers?
Quez Watkins: A speedster with little in the way of accomplishment other than that, Watkins is the proverbial one-trick pony. He’d better hope Russell Wilson hits him on a couple of deep balls in training camp.
Players Deleted:
Diontae Johnson: The Steelers traded away veteran wide receiver Diontae Johnson in a move that still surprises me. We’ll probably never know all the true details of the back story, but the bottom line is they have a big hole at wide receiver now.
Allen Robinson II: Rather than rework his contract for the $10 million they owed him, the Steelers released Allen Robinson II. He is still available, so perhaps they revisit him after the draft.
Miles Boykin: A core special teamer for the past two seasons, Miles Boykin just signed with the Giants recently. While he didn’t contribute much on offense, they now have another hole to fill on special teams.
Notes And Draft Outlook:
Another starting wide receiver is one of the Steelers’ biggest priorities. There has been rampant speculation that they could trade for one, connected to names like Brandon Aiyuk and Tee Higgins. Barring such a development, however, they will need to address the position early in the draft.
A first-round pick at wide receiver isn’t out of the question, but an offensive lineman is more likely. However, with three Day Two selections, including two third-round picks, the Steelers likely draft one there. They may even draft two wide receivers after taking none last year, including a late-round flyer. Luke McCaffrey, whom they brought in for a pre-draft visit, would be one such target.
