Steelers Not Guaranteed A Day 1 Difference Maker If They Use Their First Pick On A Top Receiver

The Pittsburgh Steelers proved during their last five games that they are further away from a Super Bowl than many realized. They fooled many by starting out the season 10-3, but when they faced the most elite teams in the league, they couldn't perform. Their biggest weakness appeared to be their failure to secure playmakers on offense. While the defense had shortcomings, the offense was unable to move the ball consistently and put points on the board. 

While some of that is a result of errors made by the players, most of the blame belongs to the organization. They knew when they traded Diontae Johnson away, they would need to replace him, and despite their platitudes, all the Van Jeffersons and Mike Williams in the world couldn't equal a solid number two receiver. It left George Pickens on an island as the lone playmaker, and opposing defenses were able to shut him down.  

Mark Kaboly from The Pat McAfee Show recently spoke with the crew on The Fan Morning Show on 93.7 The Fan and said that he believes the decision about Pickens is the hardest one they will make. While his behaviors have been a distraction, he is such an incredible talent on the field that you hate to waste that. The other problem about just trading away Pickens is that they do not have any guaranteed talent in the pipeline, and no matter what they do in the 2025 NFL Draft, they know that there is no guarantee.  

"Even if you draft the Ohio State guy, [Emeka] Egbuka, you can't guarantee he's going to come in and be a difference maker day one," explained Kaboly.

The Steelers are already living a version of that situation with Roman Wilson. He was their first third-round selection in 2024 and has yet to see any significant playing time. Wilson's rookie season was plagued by injuries that prevented him from playing. Wilson was praised for his speed and sure hands in college, but a third-round pick usually needs some development. The Steelers also experienced something similar when they drafted Calvin Austin III in 2022, and he missed his rookie season with an injury. 

Fans were frustrated Wilson wasn't given a shot last season, considering the receivers on the field did not meet expectations. If nothing else, they felt that Wilson could be a better blocker than some of the players Arthur Smith was using. Many felt that what they were seeing from Wilson in practice was positive, leading them to speculate that there might be something else going on. 

Kaboly added the team also has to make sure they have veteran players available to help guide those young players. If they only have veterans like Jefferson on the roster again, that wouldn't be good enough for Emeka Egbuka's or another rookie's development.

Steelers Will Have To Invest Heavily In Playmakers

The team will need to decide whether or not they want to offer Pickens an extension before the 2025 season starts. If they choose to trade Pickens and hope they net significant draft capital, they will have to replace him and find that new receiver a solid number two. 

It is hard to imagine that just replacing Pickens with someone new would garner better results; after all, Pickens' talent is not what is being disputed. As Kaboly pointed out, they could select multiple receivers in the draft, but it's a big ask to expect them all to be pro-ready in Week 1 without a strong veteran to help guide them.  

Do you think there's a receiver the Steelers could draft who could be an immediate difference maker? Tell us what you think below!

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