Steelers' 2nd Best Wide Receiver Is Apparently "Somewhere Else"

The Pittsburgh Steelers completely revamped the quarterback room early on in the 2024 offseason. It was clear that Mitchell Trubisky and Mason Rudolph weren't cutting it, but moving on from 2022 first-round pick Kenny Pickett was rather surprising given the franchise's reputation of committing to players that were taken in the draft out of college. There has been a ton of distraction surrounding the quarterback situation in the Steel City, but the most overwhelming offensive problem comes with the wide receiver spot. George Pickens is the unquestioned top pass-catcher, but after him, no one is sure which receiver will be the next best target.

The Steelers drafted Roman Wilson after over a month of speculation surrounding the team potentially trading for a top-tier wide receiver such as Brandon Aiyuk. Despite Wilson's ability to be effective at the professional level, not everyone in the Steel City is sold on the organization's plans regarding the wide receiver position. 

Jeff Hathhorn, the Sports Director for 93.7 The Fan, joined Andrew Fillipponi and Chris Mueller on The PM Team w/ Poni & Mueller on Wednesday evening to discuss the city's sports and the duo asked him about the Steelers' second wideout behind Pickens. The answer from Hathhorn wasn't very promising, as he seemed to confirm what everyone is thinking.

"Uh, somewhere else," Hathhorn said. "It's really hard because they haven't done a ton of work. I would say the second best receiver on the team right now, Calvin Austin is fighting for it and I would say Van Jefferson I guess."

No disrespect to Calvin Austin III or Van Jefferson, but Pittsburgh needs a lot more help at wide receiver. Hathhorn didn't give any kind of hint that the team might trade for a big name, but he certainly made it clear that the position is desperate for help. With plenty of time left remaining until the 2024 season kicks off, no one is quite sure which target will be at the top of any quarterback's list aside from Pickens.

The Steelers offense struggled under the direction of Matt Canada. The former play-caller was fired in an uncharacteristic move by the franchise during the middle of the 2023 season. Now, Arthur Smith will take over and is expected to have a run-centric offense that has an emphasis on play-action passing. Pat Freiermuth could certainly play a big part after a low-key 2023 campaign, but the receivers aren't as intimidating as a coaching staff would like them to be.

A lot will transpire throughout the NFL as the summer progresses and training camp begins to ramp up. Some players from other teams looking for new contracts will decide to hold out. Those organizations may decide that it is more feasible to gain draft capital and move on from those disgruntled players. The Steelers will be one of the more popular teams looking to swoop in and trade for someone looking for a new home.

General Manager Omar Khan has proven that he likes to be aggressive and it still seems as if that he is preparing to make a big move ahead of the 2024 season, especially given the fact that there is no clear-cut number two wideout on the team.

Steelers' Offense Close To Breaking Through After Quarterback Switches

Teams need a signal-caller to succeed in today's NFL. Pittsburgh wasn't getting much promising play from Pickett in 2023, and Trubisky wasn't much better. Rudolph had a great stretch at year's end, but Khan and co. were very transparent throughout the offseason. The goal was to completely mix up the quarterbacks room and that has come to fruition. Fans will continue to hold out hope until proven otherwise as a tough schedule awaits.

Do you think that a trade for a top wide receiver is coming for the Steelers? Let us know in the comments below!

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