Though the Pittsburgh Steelers continue to be plagued by uncertainty at quarterback, one analyst doesn’t consider it to be the franchise’s most urgent need. After all, even if a franchise arm falls out of the sky and into the team’s lap, He will need someone to throw to. Listing each team’s “highest priority” fix this offseason, NFL.com analyst Matt Okada focused on Pittsburgh improving at receiver.
“Yes, the top priority for Pittsburgh is technically to figure out what’s happening with Aaron Rodgers" data-link="/players/aaron-rodgers/" data-slug="aaron-rodgers">Aaron Rodgers. But pending the 42-year-old’s decision on retirement, the front office can’t really do much about that. In the meantime, they need to build up the receiving corps for whoever slots in under center moving forward. DK Metcalf" data-link="/players/d-k-metcalf/" data-slug="d-k-metcalf">DK Metcalf recorded a career-low 850 receiving yards on just 59 catches, but it didn’t help that he saw an average of just 9.8 air yards per target (also a career low), per NFL Pro. In fact, Pittsburgh’s entire receiving corps averaged just 5.8 air yards per target in 2025, lowest by any team in any season in the Next Gen Stats era (since 2016).”
None of the stats speak glowingly of Pittsburgh’s wide receivers. Metcalf’s numbers regressed across the board, and he was too often forgotten about in the passing game in favor of short passes to tight ends and running backs. Calvin Austin III provided three game-winning touchdowns but is a pending free agent and worthy of an upgrade. Roman Wilson logged over 250 offensive snaps but caught just 12 passes and had fallen out of favor by year’s end.
Under Mike McCarthy, Pittsburgh must reset its wide receiver depth chart. Metcalf will still sit atop it but there must be more complements. That can be done through free agency, the draft, or, likely, both avenues. With or without Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers WR Romeo Doubs is an attractive candidate who won’t break the bank. The draft is deep at the position with Washington’s Denzel Boston, USC’s Makai Lemon, and Texas A&M’s KC Concepcion just three early candidates to consider.
Okada tasked GM Omar Khan to make the upgrades they failed to do the past two seasons. It’s arguably Khan’s worst mark in the role, neglecting the position in 2024 and 2025 while maintaining a public posture that the team had enough pieces. All while still trying to add more talent behind the scenes (or in the case of Brandon Aiyuk basically out in the open).
Solve that problem and whoever is starting at quarterback will find more success.
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