Will Kaden Wetjen prove the Steelers right?
The Steelers’ decision to draft Kaden Wetjen in the fourth round raised some eyebrows, but he has the chance to make them look smart. And I’m not talking about the notion of him becoming some significant contributor on offense either. If he develops into the returner they believe he can be, a fourth-round pick is a fine price to pay.
In my opinion, anyway, and of course many will disagree. For some, no level of contribution on special teams could justify that high a draft pick. At least, perhaps, outside of a generationally-good kicker. But how much can a really good kick and punt returner be worth—and how good can Kaden Wetjen be?
It’s hard to have this conversation without considering some of the greats, like Devin Hester. A Hall of Famer, he was a second-round pick, but he was never supposed to be just a returner. And he did produce 17 offensive touchdowns. But most will remember him for his more than 10,000 return yards and 19 touchdowns. That’s why he’s in the Hall of Fame—not that that’s the standard Wetjen has to reach.
The Steelers haven’t had a very good return game since Antonio Brown’s time there. There has been a decent season here or there, and some isolated plays. JuJu Smith-Schuster, Diontae Johnson, and Calvin Austin III have scored return touchdowns within the past decade. But Kaden Wetjen could be their first great return man in a decade and a half. And unlike Antonio Brown, he might actually make a career out of it.
Not that anybody would be disappointed if Wetjen also carved out a role on offense. In theory, he can catch passes and take handoffs, and some of his skills on returns are transferable. I would hope, though, that nobody is under any illusion that he’ll be a starting receiver one day.
Kaden Wetjen is here to return kicks and punts, plain and simple. If he does that at a high level, I think that justifies the fourth-round selection. Given the investment and his general limitations, it’s hard to imagine the Steelers won’t hand him the opportunity to prove himself, rather than forcing him through the process of earning it. Unless he misses the 53-man roster altogether, of course, which isn’t impossible. It’s been a while, but they’ve cut fourth-round rookies before.
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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