Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver battle is getting closer with time

The Pittsburgh Steelers tightest position battle comes at wide receiver, where everyone is making a case for the 53-man roster.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have played their first game and will wrap up training camp this week. They are coming off of a win against the defending champs even though it is just preseason. The wide receiver position is still wide open as to who could make the team. Let’s take a look at the candidates.

The Locks

There are really only three locks to make the roster in a position that the Steelers commonly carry five or six. The three are Antonio Brown, Juju Smith-Schuster and James Washington.

Antonio Brown is probably the best receiver in the game and so he will be their No. 1. Juju Smith-Schuster emerged as their number two receiver despite being only 21-years-old. James Washington is a second-round pick and has shown that he deserves to be lining up with the first-team in 11 personnel. That leaves two or three more spots open on the roster for wide receivers.

Justin Hunter

Justin Hunter has been running as a first-team receiver throughout the beginning of camp and OTAs. He is a tall receiver with long arms and that makes him appealing to Ben Roethlisberger who likes tall receivers.

The problem is that Justin Hunter has never solidified himself as a starting receiver in his career. He also didn’t produce much in the opening game.

The biggest minus with Hunter’s case for making the roster is that he does not feature on special teams. This is crucial for making the roster. If he makes it, it will be as a fourth receiver on the depth chart despite not being a special teamer.

Quadree Henderson

Quadree Henderson is not so much a receiver as he is a return specialist. He didn’t play on offense during the first preseason game. His ticket to the roster is being able to return punts and kicks.

The good news for him is that he opened up the preseason as the kick returner and punt returner. Despite him not playing receiver, I don’t see an alternate option for punt returner as Eli Rogers is still on PUP and Antonio Brown is too valuable to return punts.

Darius Heyward-Bey

Darius Heyward-Bey is on the wrong side of 30 and that is when skills diminish. He is capable of playing the X, Y and Z positions at wide receiver. However, his real ticket to the roster is as a special teamer.

Heyward-Bey will have to show that he can still cover kicks as a gunner on punts if he wants to make the team.

Marcus Tucker

Tucker had a nice game the fourth week of the preseason in 2017 at wide receiver. Tucker also made a nice play as a gunner, downing the ball on the one-yard line in the first preseason game.

This may be his ticket to the roster. If Tucker can prove that he can play receiver and cover kicks on special teams, he will get a shot on the 53 man roster.

Damoun Patterson

Patterson was a relative unknown coming into camp. He has had a good camp and played well in the first game against the Eagles. The highlight was his diving touchdown catch from Josh Dobbs.

Patterson will have to make more plays at receiver and show he can cover kicks on special teams, but has a chance to be on the roster. If he doesn’t make the roster, I could see him being kept on the practice squad.

It is still wide open at receiver and we will have to watch the last three games to see who the Steelers receivers will be in 2018.