How many starting wide receivers do the Steelers need to add this offseason?
The Steelers admit they have a wide receiver problem, and admission is the first step to recovery. They know they don’t have enough talent there; they also know that they have George Pickens. What we don’t know is what they plan for Pickens, and how that relates to the rest of the room.
Depending on how the Steelers envision their offense, they could need to add anywhere from one to three starting wide receivers this offseason. At this point, I’m assuming a George Pickens trade is unlikely barring a drastic offer. Perhaps short of a second-round pick or a trade involving the Bengals’ Tee Higgins; that’s about it.
But even assuming the Steelers keep Pickens, they still need more wide receivers. They need at least one other starter because Van Jefferson and Mike Williams aren’t going to cut it. Calvin Austin III’s absolute ceiling is the third receiver, and if he is your third, you’re playing less 11 personnel. But they may have a higher opinion of Roman Wilson going into his second season, offering one potential option.
It seems the popular number for most people is two, meaning the Steelers need two more starting wide receivers—in addition to George Pickens. The most logical approach in that case would be to sign one in free agency and draft one. Given the situation, it feels possible the Steelers draft a wide receiver in the first round for the first time in nearly two decades, since Santonio Holmes in 2006.
In the interim, the Steelers have used a lot of Day-2 draft picks on wide receivers with mixed results. They have had some hits, even if some hit harder with other teams. There were Mike Wallace and Emmanuel Sanders, for example, but also Sammie Coates and James Washington. Then there is Diontae Johson, and most recently, George Pickens himself.
Most recent in terms of actual contributions, of course. The Steelers, yet again, drafted a wide receiver on Day 2 last year with Wilson. We’ll see what is to become of him, but for the time being, they can’t act as though he is guaranteed to work out.
The Steelers’ 2024 season has come to its predictably inauspicious end, with yet another one-and-done postseason for HC Mike Tomlin. The offense faltered, and the defense matched it blow for blow, leading to a 21-0 first-half deficit.
Just like last year, the biggest question hanging over the Steelers is the quarterback question. Do they still believe in Russell Wilson, and/or Justin Fields, or do they want another solution? There are other major decisions to make, as well, such as what to do with George Pickens. Do you sign him to an extension, try to trade him, or let him play out his rookie contract?
The Steelers started the 2024 season 10-3, with Mike Tomlin in the Coach of the Year conversation. Wash, rinse, and repeat, and we have another late-season collapse. This may be the worst yet, a four-game losing streak presaging a one-and-done playoff “run”. Welcome to Steelers football.
