Do the Steelers have enough quality depth at the wide receiver position?
The Steelers addressed the wide receiver position this offseason, certainly, but did they do enough to insulate the room? While they still have DK Metcalf, and they traded for Michael Pittman Jr., the rest of the group is unproven. And one-third of the room likely to make the roster won’t figure much into the offense at all.
Metcalf and Pittman will start at wide receiver, of course, but the Steelers need to figure out the third receiver. Behind them, the primary contenders are third-year Roman Wilson and rookie Germie Bernard. While Bernard seems to have a professional mindset and is a fast learner, how much can he contribute right away?
The Steelers want to use more three-receiver sets this year, but it only makes sense if it constitutes their best package. Right now, they have two tight ends making eight-figure salaries, after all. How often will Bernard or Wilson be a better option than Pat Freiermuth or Darnell Washington? Part of the goal is to be less predictable, so the Steelers value blocking at the wide receiver position.
Frankly, we don’t know exactly how Wilson or Bernard would fare in a bigger role doing that. In theory, both Metcalf and Pittman should be able to block when asked to, simply given their size. But if you have two tight ends who can catch, that provides its own advantages.
Then there’s the other issue with the Steelers’ wide receiver room: the wide receivers in name only. That might be going too far, but they won’t want either Kaden Wetjen or Ben Skowronek logging dozens of offensive snaps per game if there were an injury. Now, you can only have so much depth, and most teams have wide receivers as return men. But most of them can play the wide receiver position, too, which Wetjen is basically learning now.
Last year, the Steelers only had one wide receiver produce 500-plus receiving yards or four receiving touchdowns. With the acquisition of Pittman alone, they should at least double that figure. But can either Germie Bernard or Roman Wilson make it three, or even come close, in either category?
The Steelers have a long road ahead of them under Mike McCarthy, along with his cadre of quarterbacks.With seven consecutive postseason losses, and no wins in nearly a decade, they are under fire for their repeated playoff failures. While we have seen many changes, none could dream of topping Mike Tomlin resigning.
We’re already deep into the offseason, with free agency and the draft already reshaping rosters. The Steelers, of course, are used to early offseason mode as a team thatloses by the middle of January all the time. Enjoy the ride, even the turbulence, because it’s the only way we know how to travel anymore.
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