The wide receiver position has seen its fair share of turnover for the Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason. Some notable names came and went, including DK Metcalf and George Pickens. However, one of the under-the-radar signings at the position is Ke’Shawn Williams, who was brought in as an undrafted free agent (UDFA) this year.
On Thursday, Chris Trapasso with CBS Sports put together a list naming one UDFA to watch for each team as they go through minicamp, training camp and the preseason. For the Steelers, he chose Williams.
“Given their uncertain quarterback position, the Steelers absolutely could use a nimble, possession slot receiver,” Trapasso wrote. “And Ke’Shawn Williams has the goods to be that specialist as early as his rookie season. At 5-foot-9 and 188 pounds with a 40-inch vertical jump, this Indiana product is explosive in short areas and forced 23 missed tackles on just under 150 catches in his final three collegiate seasons. With George Pickens gone, there are no bad ideas at the receiver position in Pittsburgh.”
It’s hard to think of the position on the Steelers’ roster more open for opportunity than at receiver. After trading Pickens in early May, Metcalf, Calvin Austin III and Roman Wilson feel like the consensus top three options. After them, it’s wide open.
That doesn’t mean Williams will have a great chance to make the roster, though. Robert Woods was brought in this offseason, and although he’s not quite what he once was, his resume in the league is hard to ignore. There’s also Scotty Miller and Ben Skowronek, two players who are already familiar to the franchise. Then, there’s fellow UDFAs, including Roc Taylor and Montana Lemonious-Craig.
As Trapasso writes, though, the slot is an area where Williams could carve out a role for himself. Williams is a shifty route-runner who’s quick in and out of his breaks. There isn’t a route he can’t run. Thanks to his strong lower body and willingness to block, he can make an impact in that regard. All of these things make him a good slot receiver. They’re also qualities a UDFA will need to make the roster. Our own Josh Carney wrote a full scouting report on Williams, which you can read here.
At the end of the day, the opportunities will be there for Williams. There’s not a ton of quality depth at the position. No matter who the starting quarterback is, his skillset can be a nice compliment to the other receivers on the depth chart, as well. Williams certainly is a player to keep an eye on as the roster begins to trim down.
