The Pittsburgh Steelers have a wide receiver conundrum, and there may not be an obvious solution. After trading Diontae Johnson, they never replaced him with a concrete alternative. Instead, they invested in journeymen and a third-round pick, leaving the position behind George Pickens in an uninspiring state.
It is precisely for this reason that every mention of the Steelers follows a discussion of Brandon Aiyuk. It would cost a lot to trade for the 49ers wide receiver, but it sure would fill a hole in a big way. It’s probably not realistic, though—and it may not even be realistic to find a “legit” No. 2 receiver, period. That might not be the end of the world, at least to start with, Mark Kaboly suggests.
“I think Roman Wilson will eventually be that guy, but he might be a guy from, like, November on”, he said about the Steelers’ second wide receiver on 93.7 The Fan recently. “He might need some more seasoning. Early on, it’s anybody’s guess. There’s not a lot to choose from”.
Calvin Austin III is the only other wide receiver returning from last year’s roster, and he lacks size. Van Jefferson is arguably the most accomplished of the Steelers’ collection of journeymen. Quez Watkins, Scotty Miller, and Marquez Callaway round out the group, and don’t worry if you’ve never heard of them.
“I guess you can go Van Jefferson right now. Calvin Austin [III], I don’t know if they can use him inside, outside”, Kaboly added in discussing the Steelers’ current best options for a No. 2 wide receiver. “Honestly, I don’t think they’re gonna have a legit No. 2. I think they’re gonna have about four of them that they just bring in and out … I think it’s gonna be a group effort until somebody emerges. And if nobody does emerge, then they’re gonna have to go with what they have”.
In other words, the Steelers do not and will not have a primary second wide receiver, or at least it doesn’t seem likely that they will. And there is some credence to this theory, based on offensive coordinator Arthur Smith’s history. His offenses historically have tended to spread the ball around beyond one primary target, in this case Pickens.
Both Jefferson and Miller spent time playing under Smith last year with the Atlanta Falcons, if that’s any leg up. Austin reportedly had a good spring, but the Steelers knew when they drafted the wide receiver he has a limited ceiling. Roman Wilson does feel like their best odds of striking with a long-term solution.
But Kaboly is probably right in suggesting that the rookie will likely need some time. He has talent, but he has a lot to learn, and the transition from college to the NFL is rough. It’s not like he’s some 6-4, 220-pound monster who can body his way through cornerbacks. He will have to learn how to literally navigate through an NFL secondary, and that will take time. In the meantime, the Steelers will just have to mix and match based on the circumstances at the time. If somebody ends up having a hot hand, then all the better.
