In Pittsburgh, quarterback is the elephant in the room. The number one story until the Steelers provide clarity of who their 2025 starter will be. Until then, every quarterback conceivable will be connected to the team. From in-house candidates Russell Wilson and Justin Fields to all the external veterans and rookie draft picks, it’s one of the NFL’s top storylines. But it isn’t the only storyline in Pittsburgh. Steelers beat writer Brooke Pryor joined ESPN Radio to outline the next biggest topic.
“That is a wide receiver [number two],” she told the Joe & Q show Friday afternoon. “We know they pursued Brandon Aiyuk. He ultimately stayed in San Francisco, and they didn’t really get another option there. They traded for Mike Williams at the trade deadline. He was great for one game-winning touchdown catch and then kind of disappeared.”
After trading Diontae Johnson nearly one year ago, the Steelers never filled his role opposite George Pickens. They signed a trio of cheap veteran wideouts, Van Jefferson, Scotty Miller, and Quez Watkins, but the latter two had little or zero role while Jefferson ran more empty routes than virtually any other player in the NFL. Despite logging over 700 snaps, he caught just 24 passes and recorded only 12 first downs.
Rookie WR Roman Wilson briefly flashed early in training camp but spent most of the year injured, hurt in the summer and midseason as his campaign ended on injured reserve. As Pryor noted, Williams made a splash to beat the Washington Commanders in his first game as a Steeler. The rest of his season went with a whimper.
“So they need someone behind George Pickens not only to give this offense balance, but I think also to balance out the locker room,” Pryor said. “I mean we know that George Pickens is a crazy talented receiver, but we also know that he is pretty mercurial and just kinda a volatile guy. And I think that getting a wide receiver two, who is a veteran, who has been a mentor, who likes being a mentor would really do wonders I think for George Pickens’ development on and off the field.”
The idea of adding a veteran mentor sounds good but it hasn’t proven to help Pickens’ demeanor. Allen Robinson II in 2023 and Jefferson in 2024 did little to calm Pickens down. At this point, only Pickens himself can change, something even ownership seems unconvinced by.
Still, adding a secondary option at receiver is important. The passing offense faltered when Pickens missed three games last season and he, along with Calvin Austin III, are heading into the final year of their rookie deals. Free agency and potential trades should give Pittsburgh plenty of options to find a wide receiver.
