Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Calvin Austin III had four catches for 95 yards in Pittsburgh’s Week 3 win over the Los Angeles Chargers, which is by far the best game a non-George Pickens wide receiver has had for the Steelers this season.
Despite Austin’s big game, which included a 55-yard touchdown grab in the fourth quarter, former Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger doesn’t believe that Austin is a legitimate WR2 for the Steelers.
“Not Calvin. Calvin Austin, great play today. He can run. But he’s not your two,” Roethlisberger said on the latest episode of his Footbahlin’ podcast.
He also said he’s not sure Roman Wilson can be the Steelers’ “needle mover.” Wilson, a rookie out of Michigan, was a healthy scratch on Sunday, which suggests that the team isn’t quite comfortable with him yet.
Austin is a good player who can use his speed effectively when he gets the ball in space, but it’s hard to rely on him as a legitimate No. 2 guy. He has a limited catch radius, and while he is good for the occasional big play, as we saw yesterday, he isn’t consistent enough to be considered a No. 2.
The hope is that he continues to develop chemistry with quarterback Justin Fields and can become a more consistent contributor throughout the year, but his limitations due to his size will likely hold him back from developing into a second option this season.
I don’t think anyone expects him to get 90-plus yards each game, but the hope is that he can catch three balls or so a game. Obviously, those aren’t No. 2 numbers, but the breakout game on Sunday gives a better idea of what Austin is capable of, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Steelers look to get him more involved on a routine basis.
Right now, the team still doesn’t really have a reliable No. 2 pure receiver on the roster. TE Pat Freiermuth has primarily functioned in that role for the Steelers this season, while Van Jefferson, listed as the WR2 on the depth chart, has just three catches this year.
The Steelers also saw WR Scotty Miller make some plays yesterday, and maybe Miller can fill a bigger role.
But right now, the lack of a legitimate No. 2 option hasn’t hurt the Steelers thus far. The team is 3-0, and the offense has looked good with Justin Fields and Arthur Smith, so it might not wind up being a big issue the rest of the year, especially if Pittsburgh can continue to get the ground game going.
