Behind the Steel Curtain
The Steelers have one of the worst receiving corps in the league, according to PFF
For the second straight season, the Pittsburgh Steelers have done a lot of remodelling to their receiving corps, and they will be on their third WR1 in three seasons. In 2023, Diontae Johnson was atop the depth chart. The Steelers traded him to the Carolina Panthers last March, making George Pickens their top receiver. Pittsburgh then dealt the polarizing receiver to the Dallas Cowboys in May, making newly-acquired DK Metcalf the unquestioned No. 1 target in the offense.
Outside of Metcalf, though, the Steelers are incredibly thin. Their lack of depth earned them the No. 29 spot on PFF’s power rankings of wide receiving corps.
“The Steelers traded for D.K. Metcalf in the offseason but then shipped off George Pickens,” Trevor Sikkema writes. “That profiles as only a slight upgrade for a team that finished 20th in PFF receiving grade in 2024. Pittsburgh should get more out of second-year receiver Roman Wilson, who was largely injured last season, and the backfield combination of Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell brings some third-down, pass-catching ability.”
The Steelers will need to add a legitimate No. 2 receiver before the season begins, but those options are far more limited than they were at the beginning of the offseason. However, signing a veteran like Amari Cooper would be far more beneficial than just digging their heels in the sand of a poor group.
