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After a valiant effort, the Pittsburgh Steelers have failed to trade for Brandon Aiyuk, even as they outlasted the New England Patriots and Cleveland Browns. In the end, Aiyuk signed a four-year, $120-million extension with the San Francisco 49ers, finally putting an end to a lengthy trade saga. Now, though, the Steelers have to adapt and try to find more depth at the wide receiver position who can play behind George Pickens. Former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger expressed his concern on his podcast.
In a recent episode of Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger, Big Ben commented on the team's probable lack of WR depth.
“My concern is what's behind George [Pickens] at wide receiver. Got a couple slot guys. Got some smaller guys that could do some really cool things. But, you know, you got rid of Diontae Johnson,” the former Steelers QB said.
The Steelers pivot from failed Brandon Aiyuk trade
While the Steelers could have used Johnson's services, they traded him for a reason. They sent him to the Carolina Panthers partly because of a lack of effort that rubbed off on Pickens, which in many cases is worse than inadequate skill. The former 2019 third-round pick thrived under Roethlisberger, making second-team All-Pro in his rookie season and a 2021 Pro Bowl selection with 1,161 yards.
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Still, the Steelers would have put themselves in a better position to pivot had they landed a proven No. 2 receiver. They haven't done that so far, forcing them to rely on the services of Van Johnson, who looked like he was on his way out of the NFL last season. While the Steelers still have promising receivers Roman Wilson and Calvin Austin, they haven't proven themselves on the field yet.
These holes in the roster might make themselves felt sooner rather than later, and head coach Mike Tomlin will have trouble on his hands, especially as the Cincinatti Bengals and Baltimore Ravens have become legitimate threats in the AFC North. Even Stephen A. Smith has lost faith in the Steelers, predicting them to miss the playoffs entirely in 2024.
What's next?
Still, Big Ben did find something to like in his team's offseason, particularly the Steelers' signing of Russell Wilson after his tenure with the Denver Broncos.
“Thank you, Denver, for paying. Denver paid Russ like $38 million to go away… And we're like, OK, we'll take him. Thank you,” Roethlisberger said. After coach Mike Tomlin named Wilson QB1 over Justin Fields, the Brandon Aiyuk-less Steelers will open their 2024 campaign against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.
