Pittsburgh Steelers receiving core will feature plenty of names
Antonio Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster are the top dogs at wide receiver, but there is going to be a few names in the rotation for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
If Pittsburgh did anything correct this offseason, it was take care of the offense. No, they didn’t find a starter in any round. They didn’t need to, though. What they did find, was a bunch of players who add talent to this team now, next year, and towards the future.
One of the largest beneficiaries of this expansion is the wide receiver depth chart. Removing Martavis Bryant sounded like a problem for all but 60 picks. Then, the void was filled with a younger and possibly more talented rookie.
James Washington may not have the experience Bryant does, but after last season, we can only assume he’ll at least put up the same contribution as the veteran wideout. Playing both inside and outside, Washington adds speed and breakout play speed compared to any defensive back.
He’ll become one of Ben Roethlisberger’s top targets in no time. Whether he finds him in the middle of the field of flanking down the sidelines, the former Oklahoma State star is going to be a big play machine. Something Big Ben will fall in love with early.
He’s not the only addition, though. Fifth-round pick, Jaylen Samuels isn’t just a running back. The NC State product has experience all over the field. In Pittsburgh, he’ll likely get more reps at wide receiver than running back, so of course, he’s learning both positions.
Samuels adds another option in the middle of the field. You won’t find him streaking down the sideline, but you could see him with intermediate routes to spread the field. Again, an option Roethlisberger loves to use.
The rookie will be found all over the field, but whether he’s catching passes out of the backfield, or from the slot, he’s going to rack up receptions in his first year in the city.
Then, there are the returning guys. Brown and Smith-Schuster are a given. They’ll lead this team in catches, and be two of the top receivers in the league, again. But Eli Rogers isn’t going to disappear.
He may not be signed yet, but many, including Mike Tomlin, know he’s on his way back to Pittsburgh. As he recovers from an ACL injury, he’ll stay on the free agent market, but once the team feels he’s ready to contribute again, he’ll be back in black and gold.
As the fourth man up, Rogers is the best in the business. A reliable pair of hands at the slot who has chemistry with Ben and loves to grind. He won’t catch 100 balls, but he’ll be there whenever his name gets called, and nine times out of ten, he’ll come up with the pass.
Finally, the undrafted rookie. People don’t guarantee Quadree Henderson is going to make the final roster, but with his return game skills, he should. Coming out of Pitt, the Steelers wanted to keep Henderson in the city. They knew they didn’t need to call his name during the draft, so they waited, and found their guy as soon as Mr. Irrelevant was called.
Henderson won’t be a part of the receiving core from the start. His main job will be returning punts and kicks, but as the season progresses, he’ll work his way into the rotation. Playing mostly in the slot, Henderson could find time behind Rogers in spread situations, or just when the team is looking to change up the men on the field.
Either way, as long as he continues to improve as a pass catcher, he’ll earn time in the offense. Adding yet another set of hands to Ben Roethlisberger’s arsenal this season.
It’s a little different from last year, but the Steelers’ receiving core has only gotten better and deeper. There are plenty of options in 2018, and the offense is only going to expand with them in the rotation.
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Expect plenty of passes coming from Big Ben this season. But even after Antonio Brown gets his 100-plus receptions, there are going to be names that find their way into the receiving core. And all of them will impact the passing game moving forward.