The Pittsburgh Steelers’ 4-1 start, coupled with the early shortcomings from the rest of the division, has a lot of people in Western Pennsylvania excited. If the Steelers knock off another divisional rival in Cincinnati on Thursday, it’s going to be impossible for fans to stop looking forward to potentially the first playoff game at Acrisure Stadium since 2020. Former Steeler Ryan Clark thinks the Steelers could reach heights even higher than just winning a playoff game. If they acquire the right receiver, Clark thinks the Steelers could make a run to a Super Bowl
“The reason they could be all-in is because the AFC is not what we thought it would be,” Clark said Thursday on ESPN’s First Take. “That [offseason] told me you were all-in already. Right now, you have the opportunity to be the team that hosts every single playoff game at your stadium. Go make another deal, get that number two wide receiver. That doesn’t just put you in a situation where you can represent the AFC, you can win the Super Bowl.”
Clark is right that the AFC is very wide open. The Colts, Steelers, Chargers, and Patriots all lead their divisions, and there’s a legitimate argument that none of those teams were expected to win their division before the season. The Steelers are currently the second seed at 4-1, but the first-seed Colts are the only other team with one loss. Those two teams also play in Pittsburgh in a couple of weeks. Thus, if the Steelers just keep winning games, they’ll eventually control their destiny for that first seed.
Of course, anything can happen as the rest of the year develops, and things could play out in a million different ways. But with how open the conference is, it’s hard not to wonder how good this Steelers team can be. But are they really that likely to add another receiver? Calvin Austin is expected to return in Week 8, so the Steelers will be healthy at that position soon. Austin’s been solid, with 129 receiving yards in four games.
It’s hard to argue against needing another receiver. Outside of Austin and DK Metcalf, the next leading receiver is Ben Skowronek with 22 yards. That’s not ideal at all heading into Week 7. On the flipside, you could argue the Steelers already have enough pass catchers in their tight ends and running backs. Jaylen Warren, Jonnu Smith, and Darnell Washington have all had nice moments. And Pat Freiermuth is still looking for more opportunities as well.
If the Steelers were to make a move, a few candidates come to mind. Those include Chris Olave, Jaylen Waddle, and Jakobi Meyers. All three of those names would be excellent additions to the roster, but the Steelers already have some mouths of their own that aren’t being fed. Regardless, Clark thinks a potential move could vault the Steelers into Super Bowl contention.
