Someone has to do the dirty work. In the Pittsburgh Steelers’ wide receiver room, that someone could be Robert Woods. Signed shortly after the draft with a role that looks more viable following George Pickens’ trade, Woods won’t be the big-play threat DK Metcalf brings. Instead, he’ll dig out safeties, move the chains, and do whatever he’s asked to put his hand in the pile.
“We’re gonna be physical in our room,” Woods told reporters following Thursday’s OTA practice via the Pittsburgh DSEN YouTube channel. “We’re gonna be grimy. We’re gonna be fighting to the end of the whistle, and just playing with and without the football, I think, is the biggest thing.”
Woods meshes well with Arthur Smith’s philosophy. One that cares about receiver blocking and the ability to do the little things beyond catching the football. It’s one reason why Van Jefferson received so much playing time last year. Despite catching only 24 passes all season, he was an asset as a blocker and found a role in the Steelers’ offense.
Moments like this from his 2024 season with the Houston Texans are what Woods can bring to Pittsburgh (bottom of the screen).
Of course, Pittsburgh needs more production from the position this year. That won’t come entirely from Robert Woods. Roman Wilson and Calvin Austin III will be counted on, but if Woods can offer what Jefferson did as a No. 4 receiver, the Steelers will benefit. Entering his 13th NFL season, Woods brings plenty of veteran savvy.
“Playing physical with and without the football,” he said. “If it is third and sixth and I’m four yards, we’re gonna find a way to get those extra two. If it’s without the football, blocking on the [outside], we’re making sure our running back gets in the end zone.”
Smith affectionately refers to those downfield blocks as “RBIs,” stealing the baseball term. Often, those third-level blocks are the difference between a good and great run. Pittsburgh’s run game is seeking chunk plays that have been missing for years; the Steelers’ ranking is lower the further out the chart extends. Since 2021, they’re last in runs of 40-plus yards with just one, Jaylen Warren’s long touchdown in 2023.
If Pittsburgh gets the production they’re confident in, Austin and Wilson will be the team’s No. 2 and No. 3 receivers. But Woods can still have an impact rotating in, and if his style rubs off on the rest of the group, the entire depth chart will benefit.
