The Pittsburgh Steelers have a well-earned reputation for finding top-end wide receiver talent. It started when the Steelers selected Lynn Swann and John Stallworth in the historic 1974 draft class, and both ended up in the NFL Hall of Fame. Pittsburgh has added multiple Pro Bowl wide receivers in the decades since Swann and Stallworth. This includes Super Bowl XL MVP Hines Ward and one of the best receivers of the 21st century, Antonio Brown, who will hopefully join them in Canton, OH in the future.
The fact that the Steelers are so good at stocking the position historically makes the current wide receiver room a particularly troubling conundrum. George Pickens has tremendous talent and, on most NFL rosters, would be the clear-cut number-one receiver. Pittsburgh has underutilized the former Georgia Bulldogs star over his first two seasons. Still, Pickens did manage to top 1,000 yards receiving in 2023, despite disappearing for large stretches of his very young career. Pickens has not helped his cause with several incidents that showcased his immaturity.
Diontae Johnson was talented enough to earn a second contract in Pittsburgh. He has one year remaining on his current deal and has battled doubts about his effort and attitude in 2023. Pittsburgh has two highly talented wide receivers under contract in 2024, but both come with baggage. There are serious questions on the rest of the depth chart. The best part of Allen Robinson’s career looks to be over. Calvin Austin III has not flashed as anything more than the gadget player, and Miles Boykin is a solid blocker, but not much of a threat in the passing game.
Omar Khan has work to do at the position, and here are three options the Steelers could turn to in 2024 to bolster the room through free agency and the NFL Draft.
Option 1: Throw The Kitchen Sink At Tee Higgins
The Cincinnati Bengals have an impossible decision to make between Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase. Joe Burrow will not be happy with losing either of his premiere weapons and his third wide receiver, Tyler Boyd, is also on his way out of town. Patrick Mahomes had to sacrifice Tyreek Hill to the salary cap, and Burrow will have to live with losing Higgins, barring something bizarre happening. The Steelers would have to trade Johnson to make this happen.
The wide receiver free agent market is very expensive. Still, if the Steelers can swap out Johnson’s contract and get Higgins in the $23 million range to pair with Pickens, they should seriously consider it. It would give Arthur Smith an embarrassment of weapons on offense and weaken the Bengals at the same time. This move would take a serious commitment from Cam Heyward, TJ Watt, and Minkah Fitzpatrick to radically restructure their contracts to free up enough money to sign Higgins.
Option 2: Roll The Dice And Pick Brian Thomas Jr. in The First Round
The idea of Pittsburgh selecting the first wideout this high since Plaxico Burress in the first round of the 2000 NFL Draft seems farfetched. The real question is, can you pass on the next great LSU Tigers wide receiver after watching Chase and Justin Jefferson rise to the top of the NFL at the position? Thomas is not guaranteed to be Chase or Jefferson, but there is a lot to like about his skill set, and it is worth the risk.
Thomas is a smooth route runner who is deceptively fast. He is 6’4″ and scored 17 touchdowns last year. Thomas was Jayden Daniels’ top target and one of the SEC’s best receivers in 2023. The Second Team All-SEC wideout is not as good with combat catches as Pickens, but who is? Selecting Thomas gives the Steelers cap flexibility and would allow them to hold onto Johnson while Thomas learns the ropes in the NFL.
Option 3: Dip Into The Bargain Bin For Nick Westbrook-Ikhine
Steeler Nation has produced a strong undercurrent of support for possibly signing the former Pitt Panthers receiver Boyd from the Bengals as a mid-range wide receiver free agent. Signing Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, who is almost three years younger, feels like a more innovative option for the Steelers. If Pittsburgh is shopping for bargains at the wide receiver position, it means they are committed to trotting out Johnson and Pickens in 2024.
Westbrook-Ikhine is familiar with Smith’s offense and averages over 20 yards per catch for his career. He had his best year under Smith in 2021 with the Tennesse Titans and is likely to cost half as much as Boyd or Curtis Samuel in free agency. Westbrook-Ikhine is a bona fide deep threat and could blossom in a reunion with his former offensive coordinator.
