Will Desperation Lead Steelers To Swing Big For Wide Receiver?
Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports
Coming into the 2024 season, The Pittsburgh Steelers have a lot of excitement, especially on the offensive side of the ball. Gone is the putrid offense of Matt Canada and the lackluster quarterback play from Kenny Pickett, Mitchell Trubisky, and Mason Rudolph. Insert the imaginative play-calling from new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, along with new quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. Talk about a glow-up.
Yet there is still a glaring weakness that to this point, has not been addressed. George Pickens is the clear No. 1 wide receiver, and whoever plays opposite of him is still a mystery.
Diontae Johnson, a third-round pick in 2019, manned one side of the field for the last four seasons as a starter. The Steelers traded him this off-season to the Carolina Panthers for cornerback Donte Jackson. While Pittsburgh drafted Roman Wilson in the third round of the 2024 Draft, they did not sign a starting caliber outside receiver in free agency. Van Jefferson, Scotty Miller, and Calvin Austin III are in the mix, but they’re not established outside receiving threats.
The hope is that Wilson will develop quickly into a quality outside target. Wilson appears to be the type of receiver the Steelers’ have a reputation for drafting and developing receivers. But as we know, nothing is a sure thing with rookies in the NFL. Wilson also spent a lot of time working out of the slot at Michigan, so getting up to speed out the outside might take some time. With all this staring the Steelers directly in the face, acquiring help on the outside is paramount.
Free agency, while still an option, is pretty slim Pickens (pun intended) at this point. Michael Thomas is still available and could be a welcome veteran presence with a proven ability to play outside and get open. The problem with Thomas is his recent injury history. He has only participated in 20 games since the 2020 season. He missed the entire 2021 season due to injury. So there would be a huge concern with his week-to-week availability.
On the other hand, speed was never Thomas’ game. Even at 31, he possesses the ability to get open and make tough catches. His hands have always been outstanding, so catching the ball over the middle shouldn’t be in question.
Hunter Renfro is another name out there in free agency. But Renfro is a slot receiver. Pittsburgh is set at that position so he wouldn’t help the No. 2 receiver dilemma.
Rumors have been flying around since Pittsburgh traded Johnson that the Black and Gold are looking to trade for a receiver. Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel from the San Francisco 49ers are two names that have been thrown out there. Aiyuk is looking for a new contract and the 49ers have been slow in meeting his contract demands, which are reportedly around $30 million a year. While Aiyuk is great, that’s a price tag that might be too high for the Steelers. Not to mention, he is a No. 1 option and would want to be treated as such. That would be tough with Pickens on the roster and his maturity issues.
Samuel is actually a much better fit as a second receiver. While his salary for this season is high, there is a potential out for the 2025 season, but would require $15 million of dead money. So the risk wouldn’t match the reward.
Aiyuk or Samuel would be headliner names, but Courtland Sutton might make the most sense. The seventh-year wideout for the Denver Broncos is coming off another solid season, hauling in 59 catches for 772 yards and 10 touchdowns. His contract comes in at a manageable $13 million per year. Yes, he is asking for a raise for the final two years left on his deal, but the Steelers can afford a small bump.
Sutton also has chemistry with Wilson, connecting on 12 of Wilson’s 42 touchdowns in Denver (the most of any Broncos receiver), so the familiarity is there. He could be a great mentor to Pickens while also not taking the shine away. Though to this point, Denver has been reluctant to move Sutton, as they are trying to break in new young quarterbacks themselves.
So the problem still exists as Pittsburgh wraps up minicamp. Everyone in the organization would breathe a huge sigh of relief if Wilson was able to lock down that No. 2 receiver gig. If the learning curve takes longer than anticipated, the Steelers may be forced to make a deal. With so much buzz going towards a re-made offense in Pittsburgh, making a risky deal just might be worth it.
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