Buy Or Sell: Van Jefferson will emerge as the Steelers’ No. 2 wide receiver.
Explanation: The Steelers traded a clear starter at wide receiver in Diontae Johnson, and they haven’t added a surefire replacement. Van Jefferson is arguably the most accomplished of their additions, but they also drafted Roman Wilson in the third round. They have the rest of the offseason to determine which of a large group of wide receivers fits the role best.
Buy:
Van Jefferson doesn’t have much in the way of competition for the job, which certainly helps. And if the Steelers were going to add a starter via trade, they probably would have done so by now. Jefferson has a better skill set than the likes of Quez Watkins. He’s basically a more experienced Roman Wilson, though less physical, but equally competitive in-route.
The Steelers need a complementary wide receiver to George Pickens who will get open reliably. Jefferson is probably the one who is best qualified to do that. He’s not going to knock people on their butts as a blocker, but he’s also a team player. After all, he has NFL bloodlines, and you know what that means for Mike Tomlin and the Steelers.
Sell:
First of all, the Steelers landed Van Jefferson for the veteran minimum. He is in the same boat as Scotty Miller and Quez Watkins, waving to Denzel Mims and Marquez Callaway. There is nothing that separates him from the pack—certainly not his deep speed.
While Jefferson is a nuanced route runner, he has struggled to turn that into reliable production. Granted, he was a midseason trade last year, but he did next to nothing when he played for Arthur Smith last year.
Roman Wilson will emerge for playing time by the start of the regular season. If the Steelers don’t add a more established veteran via trade by then, he is the most likely option as the second wide receiver.
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).
