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Mike Tomlin and the Pittsburgh Steelers had to make a tough decision when they chose Russell Wilson as their starting quarterback for the season. It was important to make that decision quickly, so Wilson could get acclimated with the receivers on the team and build chemistry with them. When it comes to the receiving room, the Steelers have potential, but Tomlin wasn't so sure about the group at first.
Tomlin spoke about his thoughts on the wide receiver room going into the season.
“I’m comfortable with the performance of these guys,” Tomlin said. “[I] had some questions, even dating back to spring, and to be quite honest with you, I probably went into the receiver room a couple weeks into camp and told them that. I just believe in being really transparent. But the consistency with which those guys performed in Latrobe and with team development has made me more comfortable, and specifically I’m talking about Scotty Miller and Van Jefferson. I just can’t say enough about the consistency with which they’ve performed, their floor. They behave like veteran NFL players, and that’s provided some comfort in the midst of the transition that comes with dealing with new people and getting acclimated in that way.”
What will the Steelers wide receiver room look like this season?
The Pittsburgh Steelers have a mixture of youth and veterans in their wide receiver room, and there are questions on whether the group can get the job done with Russell Wilson.
George Pickens is coming into his third year in the league, and will most likely be the top receiver on the team. Last season, Pickens caught 63 passes for 1,140 yards and five touchdowns. There's no doubt that his production will rise with a proven veteran like Wilson, and he should have another 1,000-yard season.
Calvin Austin is coming into his second season in the league and will see a bump in his production too, since he and Pickens are the two receivers returning for the Steelers from last year.
The Steelers went out and got some receivers in free agency, adding two veterans in Van Jefferson and Scotty Miller, and drafting another in the third round, Roman Wilson. With an almost new receiving core, there will definitely be questions surrounding what their production will look like, and hopefully, as the season progresses, the chemistry will begin to improve.
The Steelers tried to make a big move to their receiving room by trading for Brandon Aiyuk, but he ended up signing a contract extension with the San Francisco 49ers. If Aiyuk was dealt to the Steelers, they would have had another dynamic receiver next to Pickens who can make big plays on offense. The Steelers will have to hope that another receiver takes a leap outside of Pickens.
