Buy Or Sell: The Steelers must replace Diontae Johnson’s skill set at wide receiver in the draft.
Explanation: After trading Diontae Johnson earlier this offseason, the Steelers have no polished route runners at wide receiver. Some believe George Pickens needs that type of attention-grabber opposite him to maximize his effectiveness. And the Steelers arguably don’t have a consistently reliable “open” target” guy without him.
Buy:
You can’t have a functional, high-level wide receiver room without a technician or two. George Pickens is many things, but he’s not what I would call a technician. Yes, he made strides in such areas in his second season, but that was more expansion than refinement. He runs more varied routes, but he has to learn how to manipulate and set them up.
You’re not going to get that from Calvin Austin III, Van Jefferson, and especially not Quez Watkins. The Steelers need a premium talent who can come in and win off the line from Day 1. Zay Flowers had a big impact on what the Ravens could do in the passing game last year off the bat. The Steelers function best with a Diontae Johnson, an Antonio Brown, a Hines Ward, even a JuJu Smith-Schuster. Pickens is your big-play, dynamic talent, but while he can dominate independently in spurts, you unlock his consistency by pairing him with a technician—ideally one with fewer warts than his predecessor.
Sell:
The idea that you need specific types of wide receivers in order to win is, largely, I believe, a myth. What you need are complementary pieces throughout your offense that keep your options open. As long as you can play a three-dimensional game, you can scheme players open without relying on individual skill.
I don’t think George Pickens is ever going to be an elite route-runner the way Diontae Johnson is. But he is the better player and wins in different ways. With better quarterback play in a better offensive system, the 2024 season will make that readily apparent.
The Steelers may well replace Johnson with another polished route-runner in the draft, but they don’t need to. They can pair Pickens with another dynamic playmaker and utilize the skill positions for more nuance. Or they can take a more physical approach—which is likely. You don’t need to be elite to win on your routes, especially if you can win even when you’re not “open”.
And let’s not forget, it’s only April. There are still free agents out there who know how to run routes. A name that immediately jumps out to me is Hunter Renfrow, who is still unsigned. You’re not getting a one-for-one exchange for what Diontae Johnson did, but you get enough in terms of a guy who can consistently separate when you need an open man. Bottom line, there are far too many alternatives to pigeonhole yourself to one type of draft pick.
With the Steelers’ 2023 season in the rearview mirror following a disappointing year that came up short in the playoffs once again, it’s time to start asking more questions. Questions about the team’s future in 2024 and beyond. Questions about The Standard.
The rookie class of a year ago was on the whole impressive, but they need to step up into staple starters in 2024. And they likely need a strong influx of talent in both free agency and in the 2024 NFL Draft yet again. In addition to a revisitation of the coaching staff.
These sorts of uncertainties are what I will look to address in our Buy or Sell series. In each installment, I will introduce a topic statement and weigh some of the arguments for either buying it (meaning that you agree with it or expect it to be true) or selling it (meaning you disagree with it or expect it to be false).
