Steelers Release Savvy Veteran Wide Receiver After Disappointing Preseason

The Pittsburgh Steelers had to trim their roster down to the final 53 players on Tuesday, which meant General Manager Omar Khan and the coaching staff had to make some difficult decisions. Some of the position groups in Pittsburgh were fairly clear cut, but others had some more questions about them. One of the murkier groups was at wide receiver, as a lot of players took steps in the right direction during training camp and the preseason, while others regressed or didn't make much of an impact at all.

One of the wide receivers who struggled to make a name for himself in Pittsburgh throughout the preseason and training camp was veteran Robert Woods. Pittsburgh signed Woods to a one-year deal in free agency, but he struggled to standout from the rest of the group at wide receiver. He was playing deep into preseason games as an established veteran in the NFL, which typically is not a good sign. The team officially released him on Tuesday, but according to Ian Rapoport there is a chance the veteran could return to western Pennsylvania.

Woods has accomplished a lot throughout his NFL career after being selected back in the 2013 NFL Draft. He is most known for his time with the Buffalo Bills and the Los Angeles Rams, but he also suited up for the Tennessee Titans and the Houston Texans. He is struggling to extend his career, but he plans to play during the 2025 season. It sounds like Pittsburgh is open to him returning, but that is going to depend on how the rest of the wide receiver room shakes out.

Steelers Had Good Reason To Release Robert Woods

Woods was not expected to come into Pittsburgh and put up 1,000 yards, but it felt like he would be able to make some sort of impact so that he at least wouldn't be playing in the second half of preseason games. That was not the case, as he was outplayed by other wide receivers like Scotty Miller and even Brandon Johnson. 

Wide receiver is a position that Pittsburgh could be interested in upgrading, and some players from the outside could be brought in prior to the season opener against the New York Jets. The Steelers have experimented with veteran wide receivers over the last two seasons in Allen Robinson II and Van Jefferson, and neither one of those players were able to do much. The Steelers seem to be learning from their mistakes, and a sign of that is cutting ties with Woods before finalizing the roster.

Where do you think Woods will land? Could he come back to Pittsburgh? Let us know in the comments below!

#SteelerNation