The Pittsburgh Steelers’ offense should be improved over the 2023 season in which Kenny Pickett threw just six touchdown passes under the tutelage of offensive coordinator Matt Canada. But there is still one big question to answer – how is the passing game going to work? WR George Pickens has a chance to make a sizable third-year leap as the top receiving option, and TE Pat Freiermuth should be a large factor in Arthur Smith’s tight end-friendly offense, but who is going to step up outside of those two?
Trevor Sikkema of Pro Football Focus ranked all of the receiving corps around the NFL this morning, and the Steelers are understandably near the bottom at No. 26.
“George Pickens came in at No. 30 on PFF’s pre-season wide receiver list and leads the pack in Pittsburgh with Diontae Johnson no longer there,” Sikkema wrote. “Rookie receiver Roman Wilson should get a good amount of playing time this year, too.
“Tight end Pat Freiermuth is coming off a 68.8 PFF receiving grade, and running back Jaylen Warren posted a 72.9 mark in 2023. It’s a decent group with a lower ceiling after Johnson’s departure.”
If all goes well in the 2024 season with Russell Wilson at quarterback, Pickens should end up well above the No. 30 placement he received from PFF. Freiermuth should also have a much-improved grade after an injury-plagued 2023 season. I am not as sold as Sikkema on rookie WR Roman Wilson’s involvement this season. His experience at the college level came mostly in the slot, and Smith’s offense doesn’t historically make use of the position as much.
He didn’t even mention Van Jefferson, Calvin Austin III, or Quez Watkins, which perhaps tells us all we need to know about PFF’s expectations there. That being said, Austin received rave reviews throughout the spring practices and is in a make-or-break season entering the third year of his contract. This will be his best chance to seize control of a starting job, as the Steelers will certainly add to the position next offseason if they stay put with their group this year.
Jaylen Warren and Najee Harris could have bigger involvement in this area. Warren told the media after one of the OTA practices that the RBs will be “involved a lot” in the passing game in the new offense. Warren had 61 receptions for 370 yards last season. He has a chance to be one of the Steelers’ receptions leaders in 2024, and Harris figures to be much more involved in that area after having a career low of 29 receptions.
With Russell Wilson and Justin Fields both set to become free agents after the 2024 season, it would be a shame to have inadequate weaponry surrounding them. Will the Steelers add to the position with the much-anticipated trade that has been rumored all offseason, or will they stand pat and hope that Wilson, Austin, or Jefferson emerge as a WR2?
