Should the Steelers pursue pending free agent WR Tyler Boyd to address their ongoing slot receiver production issues?
It hasn’t always been the case. But it has been lately. The Pittsburgh Steelers are simply getting pitiful production out of the slot position. And it wasn’t even so long ago that they had one of the best in the league in JuJu Smith-Schuster.
They went out and traded for WR Allen Robinson II last offseason to try to address the area. While it wasn’t entirely his fault, he didn’t exactly light up the stat sheet. Despite playing every game, he caught 34 passes for just 280 yards and zero touchdowns. Those are Ryan Switzer numbers.
Due $10 million in base salary in 2024, Robinson is unlikely to remain in Pittsburgh. The Steelers are bound to release him. But that still leaves a hole in the slot that you can’t count on Calvin Austin III to be able to fill all by himself.
So how about Clairton native Tyler Boyd? He is still 29 years old despite playing for eight years now. His production has been consistent, even if his role has not, sometimes being asked to do more or less. And he is coming off a bit of a down year, so his price may be lower.
Specifically, he caught 67 passes for 667 yards and two touchdowns in 2023. He has 513 catches for 6,000 yards and 31 touchdowns in 120 career games played, with two 1,000-yard seasons under his belt. In his two previous seasons, he has averaged more than 60 receptions for 800 yards and five touchdowns.
While he might not have always had the most congenial things to say about Pittsburgh, he surely wouldn’t mind playing here. Even if he said he was never a big Steelers fan. He’s already familiar with the home locker rooms, having played at Pitt. He would also replace the veteran presence you lose by cutting Robinson, likely for the same amount of money or less.
Perhaps the biggest question is whether the Cincinnati Bengals are committed to re-signing him. They will have to sign Ja’Marr Chase to a long-term deal in the very near future. In the meanwhile, Tee Higgins is one of the top free agents on the market. They may have to choose between Higgins and Boyd as a long-term pair for Chase, and Boyd isn’t getting any younger.
The Steelers’ 2023 season has been put out of its misery, ending as so many have before in recent years: a disappointing, blowout playoff loss. The only change-up lately is when they miss the playoffs altogether. But with the Buffalo Bills stamping them out in the Wildcard Round, they have another long offseason to look forward to.
The biggest question hanging over the team is the quarterback question. Is Kenny Pickett the guy? Will he get another season’s reprieve without a serious challenge? How will the team address the depth chart? Do they re-sign Mason Rudolph, one of few significant unrestricted free agents?
The Steelers are swirling with more questions this offseason than usual, frankly, though the major free agent list is less substantial than usual. It’s just a matter of…what happens next? Where do they go from here? How do they find the way forward?
