The Pittsburgh Steelers are looking to the XFL to get Kenny Pickett some more help for the 2023 NFL season. St. Louis Battlehawks wide receiver Hakeem Butler has signed a contract with the Steelers.
If Butler can be nearly as productive with the Steelers as he was with the Battlehawks, Kenny Pickett will have another legitimate weapon next season. Butler ranked second in the 2023 XFL season with 51 receptions and 599 receiving yards in 10 games. Butler led the entire league with eight touchdown catches and 10 catches of 20 yards or more.
Butler was a fourth-round pick out of Iowa State in the 2019 NFL Draft. He missed his entire rookie season with a broken hand and was released by the Arizona Cardinals before the start of his second year. Butler is still searching for his first catch in an NFL game.
The Steelers have high hopes for Pickett after an encouraging rookie season. Pickett was the only quarterback selected in the first round of last year's draft. The Steelers' quarterback went 7-5 as a starter.
Pickett completed 63% of his passes for 2,404 yards, seven touchdowns and nine interceptions.
Pittsburgh doesn't exactly have one of the deepest receiving corps in the NFL. Dionate Johnson led the Steelers with 882 receiving yards a season ago. Allen Robinson III was Pittsburgh's biggest wide receiver addition in free agency. Robinson has totaled just 749 receiving yards in 22 games over the last two seasons.
George Pickens had 52 catches for 801 yards during his rookie season in Pittsburgh.
The Steelers' biggest free agency additions have come on defense. Pittsburgh didn't select any wide receivers in the 2023 NFL Draft.
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