The Pittsburgh Steelers have been as open as an NFL team can be leading up to a draft; expect an offensive tackle and a cornerback early. This wasn't just in the way the staff did their due diligence on a slew of lanky cornerbacks or massive linemen, but also in the new, rather aggressive approach to free agency (the signing of Patrick Peterson, and Andy Weidl's influence on the offensive linemen signed). All this apparent transparency is rare, but if there is one sure thing when it comes to the NFL Draft, it is this: nothing is for sure!
Photo Credit: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Steelers assistant general manager, Andy Weidl speaks to the media.
So, what happens if the Steelers choose to avoid drafting a new wide receiver? Stranger things have happened, but what would that actually mean for the 2023 season? Let's break down the current WR position group with the assumption that when the first regular season game begins, they are it.
Same old, same old for Steelers
WR1: Thanks to a steal in last year's draft, the Steelers have a 1A - 1B situation at the top of the WR depth chart, but for consistency, we will keep Diontae Johnson as the WR1.
Johnson has the speed and separation to snag the top spot, but two large weights keep him from emerging as a true #1 receiver; his drops hurt, and a lack of field awareness creates backward movement without anything gained. Johnson was tied for 2nd in the league with 6 dropped balls, only one away from the undesirable lead. More than anything though is the timing of these mistakes. Chase Claypool showed talent, but his immaturity drastically overshadowed any upside, and while Johnson hasn't crossed into Claypool territory when games are won or lost based on your top WR's bad decisions, it puts a larger spotlight on what might have otherwise been lesser issues.
Johnson must be painfully aware that his WR1 is hanging by a thread, and I fully expect his offseason work ethic to bring a new element to his game in 2023, but it all comes down to how he performs when it truly matters.
Jordan Schofield, @JSKO_PHOTO on Twitter
Steelers wide receivers Diontae Johnson and George Pickens will be tasked to produce as the big dogs in the offense next year.
WR2: The biggest surprise of 2023 was the way George Pickens burst onto the scene, and what made it all the more impressive was that he did so with a minimal amount of chances given by Steelers' tone-deaf play-caller, OC, Matt Canada. The lack of plays that went his way only seemed to stoke the fire and as each game passed you could see the hunger that Pickens brought to the field - including a few sideline outbursts that I would say were more than appropriate considering the situation.
Pickens has shown that he can stretch the field, is never truly covered, and wants to be a centerpiece in this Pittsburgh offense; so what is keeping him from the WR1 spot? That is simple: time. Did he excel whenever the ball went his way? Yes, but that doesn't mean the serving size is enough to grade the entire meal. Unless Johnson finds another level to his game and brings it with the same consistency, expect to see the depth chart act with some fluidity until Pickens finds his full form and takes the #1 position.
WR3/WR4: Here is where the woods get darker and the path is harder to make out. Do the Steelers go with a player that has the veteran experience, but seems to have reached his potential ceiling? Or do they choose the player with nothing but potential? Gunner Olszewski was brought onto the team for his kick-returning abilities, but the now-departed Steven Sims took that role over. Olszewski has some slot experience, but what you see is pretty much what you get without further in-game proof to show otherwise; He is an NFL wide receiver that can provide some semblance of stability in short-term bursts.
His competition for the third spot? A talented, speedy, unproven young man named Calvin Austin III. Longtime Steeler fans may feel a bit of negative deja vu over this situation, as the way it played out for Limas Sweed who the team spent a 2nd round pick on, waited through injuries, and never got anything close to productivity in return.
Austin III was highly touted in the 2022 draft, but an early injury that ended up nagging throughout the season meant that he got a rare "redshirt" NFL season. It's difficult to gauge how a player of Austin's size and traits will transition into the NFL, but that process becomes infinitely more difficult after a full season without game-speed experience plus the back-of-the-mind worry that the injury will end up being what people end up remembering most.
Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (Twitter: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver, Calvin Austin III (#19) participates during training camp
WR Depth: The hope for any team that wants to make a deep run into the NFL playoffs is that when injuries strike, the necessary players will be there to step up. That is precisely what makes this reality a worrying scenario because as far as players signed to a contract, the list includes Anthony Miller - that's it. Miller was brought onto the team with a simple, one-year deal to see what he has to bring, and if this situation turns out to be more real than conjecture, a great deal more could be asked of the young receiver right out of the gate.
Granted, the Steelers have a collection of wide receivers signed to Reserve/Futures contracts (Ja'Marcus Bradley, Cody White, Dez Fitzpatrick, and Dan Chisena) but as of today, none have been given more than that ahead of the 2023 season.
What does it all mean?
Will it actually play out that way? Probably not, because even if the Steelers don't select a WR in the draft, there are more than a few capable free agents who would provide much more stability than those currently on some kind of contract. With all the conversation surrounding the plethora of other positional needs in Pittsburgh, the big question is whether WR will end up slipping through the cracks.
