Steelers' Mike McCarthy Has A Tempting Shortcut As Receiver Injuries Pile Up

The Pittsburgh Steelers have reached the point where keeping track of available receivers requires almost as much attention as the playbook. Now an international game is approaching, and the conversation has turned to who can line up without requiring an extended introduction to the offense. The coaching staff has a potential shortcut, although trusting it on Sunday would come with a decision that can't be made on nostalgia alone.

Head coach Mike McCarthy offered an encouraging update Friday on Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who rejoined Pittsburgh's practice squad Tuesday. The veteran looked comfortable during Thursday's work before the team left for Paris, and McCarthy sounded impressed by how naturally he reentered the building. The unresolved part is whether that familiarity can translate into an actual role against the New Orleans Saints on October 25.

There is a reason the Steelers are entertaining such a quick turnaround. Michael Pittman Jr. and Roman Wilson remain on injured reserve, while Ben Skowronek has been ruled out with a calf injury. That's three established options missing from a group whose depth has already been tested repeatedly this month. A new arrival ordinarily gets time to study and settle in. Pittsburgh has neither luxury nor many excuses to wait.

During his Friday media availability, McCarthy described what he saw from the receiver in Thursday's practice and left the door open for Sunday. He wasn't being asked for a sentimental review of an old teammate; Pittsburgh needed to know whether the reunion could turn into actual snaps.

“Looked good. Looked good in practice yesterday. So, you know, it was great to see him. It's been a while. But yeah, we'll see. But I definitely... he's off to a good start. Looked like he stepped right in like he never left. And you just see the way the guys reacted to him,” McCarthy said.

The reaction from teammates is a useful detail. Valdes-Scantling isn't walking into a room full of strangers and asking everybody to remember his name. He played five games for Pittsburgh last season, catching 10 passes for 80 yards and a touchdown after being promoted from the practice squad. He also spent four seasons catching passes from Aaron Rodgers with the Green Bay Packers, including his 2018 rookie year under McCarthy. Few emergency signings arrive with that much shared history with both the coach and quarterback.

None of it automatically puts him on the field Sunday. Valdes-Scantling is on the practice squad, so Pittsburgh must elevate or sign him before he can dress. Friday's planned Paris walkthrough was canceled by weather, reducing the time available to assess him. Coaches generally prefer players knowing their assignments, regardless of how warmly everybody greeted him.

Still, there is football value in a receiver who can absorb a limited package without forcing Rodgers to explain the basics. Familiarity can help with route adjustments, coverage-based decisions and the precise landmarks a passer expects. Those details are especially important when the offense has already lost regular contributors. One mistimed adjustment can turn a perfectly reasonable throw into the sort of turnover people argue about for the next three days.

Last Sunday's 26-19 overtime victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers showed how concentrated the passing game has become. DK Metcalf and rookie Germie Bernard each caught 11 passes. Bernard finished with 87 yards and the winning touchdown, while Metcalf supplied a late surge after Pittsburgh spent most of the afternoon struggling to move the ball. Both earned those opportunities, and Bernard's expanding role has given the staff something to build around, but an offense cannot expect two receivers to carry virtually everything indefinitely.

Valdes-Scantling has traditionally offered a different tool: straight-line speed that can threaten a defense vertically. Even if he receives only a handful of snaps, asking a cornerback to respect the deep route can create room underneath for established targets. That doesn't guarantee a 40-yard bomb in Paris, and his two receptions for 22 yards in three games with the Los Angeles Chargers this season are a reminder that his recent production has been modest. The argument for playing him is about useful assignments, not pretending a 32-year-old reserve is suddenly a No. 1 receiver.

There's another complication beyond learning formations. Skowronek's value includes special teams, and simply replacing his offensive snaps does not cover everything Pittsburgh loses when he sits. A limited Valdes-Scantling package could help Rodgers without solving the game-day numbers elsewhere. McCarthy must decide whether those passing-game benefits outweigh the value of a different practice-squad elevation.

Steelers Shouldn't Confuse Familiarity With A Free Pass

Pittsburgh should dress Valdes-Scantling on Sunday if its final preparation confirms Thursday's progress. There is nothing noble about keeping useful speed on the practice squad just to give a veteran another week with the binder. Give him a manageable assignment, test his command of the terminology and let Rodgers work with someone who already understands how he thinks.

But McCarthy would be making a mistake if the reunion itself became the evaluation. A friendly reception in the locker room won't beat coverage, and a shared history in Green Bay doesn't erase years of changes to terminology and scheme. Sunday's decision needs to come from current execution and the complete game-day roster, not the comfort of seeing an old face.

The coach has already seen enough to be encouraged. With Paris looming and three receivers unavailable, the only unanswered question is whether he trusts that first impression enough to put it on the field. His next roster decision will tell everyone how much of that enthusiasm was real.

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