Third-year WR Calvin Austin III garnered positive attention during OTAs and mandatory minicamp. He is in the best position of his career to have a significant contributing role for the Pittsburgh Steelers. But will that translate into the regular season, and what will that take?
Ray Fittipaldo is hesitant to buy the May and June hype on Austin, having done it before. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette scribe pointed out on 93.7 The Fan that almost everybody looks good at this time of year. And for a player like Austin, so much of his success is contingent upon others.
“Calvin [Austin]’s been good. I’ve watched him. He’s improved,” Fittipaldo acknowledged. “I just go back to last year, and they couldn’t figure out a way to use him. He’s not big. To me, when you’re that size, you’ve got to find a niche within the offense. Hopefully for his sake, Arthur Smith can do that, because Matt Canada couldn’t.”
After spending his rookie season on the Reserve/Injured List, Calvin Austin III played in all 17 games last year. But he only received 30 targets all year, catching 17 passes for 180 yards and a touchdown. Of that production, 72 yards came on his lone receiving score in Week 3, but it was downhill from there.
“I put a lot of blame on Canada,” Fittipaldo said about why Austin didn’t have more success after that. “He sprung him in that Raiders game, and we didn’t really see that the rest of the season. Early in the season before they totally stopped throwing his way, they were trying to throw back-shoulder catches to a guy that’s 5-8 and weighs a buck 70. Those are plays you want your big receivers to make.”
He restated his blame for Canada, the former offensive coordinator, multiple times, and also faulted the quality of performance from the quarterback position. Ultimately, Austin would struggle to find a regular role, let alone a featured role, in any offense.
“I think Calvin [Austin]’s a good athlete, but he’s definitely a niche player,” Fittipaldo insisted. “I don’t think anyone in that front office thinks he’s like a top-two receiver. He’s gonna be a three, four, or five in this year, and hopefully this year he can do a little bit more.”
The Steelers are searching for a No. 2 receiver after trading Diontae Johnson. Based on your reactions, most fans don’t believe Austin is or should be in that conversation. Does he simply lack the size to be a full-time starter in an NFL offense? That seems to be the conclusion most have reached, and perhaps it’s true.
The Steelers have Austin’s draft classmate, George Pickens, as their top target. Behind him, though, things are pretty open. They signed veterans Van Jefferson, Quez Watkins and Scotty Miller as free agents. They also used a third-round draft pick on Roman Wilson.
Denzel Mims, Marquez Callaway and Dez Fitzpatrick all return from last year’s practice squad. That trio along with Austin and Pickens are all that remain from the receiving group of the Canada era. But are any of them starting material? Can Arthur Smith find ways to maximize Austin?
