Van Jefferson has a simple answer to the question of who the Pittsburgh Steelers’ No. 2 wide receiver is. It’s him. That’s why he signed here, and he believes that he is capable of stepping into those shoes. With a full season immersed in Arthur Smith’s system, he sees a career year ahead of him.
“Oh yeah”, Teresa Varley quoted him as saying yesterday, via the team’s website, when asked if he can be a 1,000-yard receiver. “You always think highly of yourself, always think you can do those things. So, I definitely I can do that. You’ve got to put in the work now in order to get that result. I am just taking it one day at a time, be where my feet are. I’m enjoying the moment now and the results take care of themselves”.
A former second-round draft pick, Van Jefferson has 113 career receptions for 1,600 yards and 10 touchdowns. The fifth-year veteran had his best season in 2021 with 50 catches for 802 yards and six scores. He helped the Los Angeles Rams win the Super Bowl that season, but the rest of his career hasn’t been the same.
Jefferson missed six games due to injury a year later, limited to under 500 snaps. Amid quarterback injury, he caught just 24 passes for 369 yards and three touchdowns. The Rams traded him to Arthur Smith’s Atlanta Falcons during the 2023 season, but he contributed sparsely.
He enjoyed his time playing for Smith, however, and echoed many of the things other players have said about him. He looks for perfection out of his players and gets the most out of them. Jefferson is looking forward to having a full season to work within his system rather than learning on the fly. And he is looking forward to proving he can live up to his potential.
“Obviously I have a lot of confidence in myself”, he said. “Like I said, I’ve got to put in the work to get that opportunity. Nothing is given, nothing is going to be handed to me. I’ve got to work for that spot and I’m comfortable doing that”.
Jefferson is right in the mix for a starting wide receiver position behind George Pickens. The job is wide open after the Steelers traded Diontae Johnson, having yet to make a big-splash replacement move.
Using a third-round draft pick on Roman Wilson is the biggest move that they made. The rest of their moves at the position are on par with signing Van Jefferson. They also signed veterans Quez Watkins and Scotty Miller, who are in a relatively similar boat.
While he is looking forward to playing under Arthur Smith, Jefferson was also drawn to Pittsburgh by head coach Mike Tomlin. But he might want to temper his expectations, as Smith isn’t exactly known for producing multiple 1,000-yard receivers.
