With the Steelers likely losing JuJu for the remainder of the season, these eight free-agent receivers make sense as potential replacements.
While the Steelers secured a win this weekend, it came at a hefty cost. Things look dim for J.J. Smith-Schuster, as the star receiver is reportedly set to miss the remainder of the season due to the shoulder injury he suffered.
Though the team will likely turn to Chase Claypool for some more slot work, the team needs another body to replace Smith-Schuster and keep this room deep. Here are eight free-agent receivers the Steelers should sign to rebuild their depth.
Steelers should sign Newsome
The only pure rookie on this list, Dazz Newsome was only a sixth-round pick, but he put up some tremendous tape while at North Carolina. While not the biggest or the best athlete, Newsome runs some sharp routes and can make a play with the ball in his hands. Add in his return ability and you have a fine slot receiver that could develop into a solid all-around receiver if given proper time.
With the Steelers needing to add depth right now, a guy like Newsome (or any pure rookie) seems unlikely to be a top candidate. With him currently being on the Bears practice squad, the team would have to sign him outright to their roster.
While he has some promise, he may not be game-ready as opposed to some of the other options on his list. While I personally love Newsome and the tape he has put up, he is the least likely due to his inexperience as a pro.
Steelers should sign Pettis
Dante Pettis has had one of the weirdest pro careers of a receiver in recent memory. He was drafted atop of the second round during the 2018 draft by the 49ers, and he quickly popped on tape. By his rookie season’s end, he looked like a legitimate starting receiver that could do a lot of damage after the catch.
The 49ers didn’t see it though, and his playing time proceeded to plummet until he was a mere afterthought in their offense. By 2020, he was cut outright, and the Giants quickly claimed him. He failed to do much with them as well and currently resides on their practice squad. While the Steelers may want a more established veteran, taking a chance on Pettis could pay off.
The Steelers are a team known to get the most out of receivers. They have a long history of successfully drafting them and even their free agent adds, such as Darrius Heyward-Bey, become valuable role players despite not living up to those expectations on other teams.
Pettis would have a chance to tap into that potential that he showed as a rookie. He would be a great addition as a fourth receiver for the team.
Steelers should sign Fulgham
Despite leading the Eagles in receiving yards last season, deep threat Travis Fulgham finds himself on their practice squad to start this season. It was an unfortunate turn of events, but with the Eagles investing so much into their receiver room this offseason, there wasn’t space for him. This means he is wide open to being poached off their practice squad to another team’s active roster.
While Fulgham wouldn’t fill Smith-Schuster’s role as a slot receiver, he could add another outside weapon that could be targeted on deep passes. With the team losing their primary deep threat in Claypool to the inside, having another big-bodied deep threat keeps this team versatile. Fulgham provides just that, as his primary calling card and reason, he succeeded last season was his ability to win over the top.
Though not a one-for-one replacement, Fulgham would be a valuable addition to this receiving room. The current Eagle is waiting for another opportunity like he received last year, and he could make opposing teams pay for overlooking him again.
Fulgham would keep the Steelers receiving group deep and add some more speed to an offense that has struggled to make big plays in the passing game.
Steelers should sign Sims
The only name that is currently on the Steelers, Steven Sims actually makes a lot of sense for the Steelers to add to their active roster. While he was never a star with Washington, the late-round pick did provide a dependable slot receiver that would make a tough catch and fight for tough yards. While he is far smaller than Smith-Schuster is, Sims honestly plays a role similar to his, that being the check-down and dependable receiving threat.
No, he won’t be burning defenses for a long pass, but he will do his damage completing short passes and converting for first downs. The fact that he was used out of the slot so similarly to how Smith-Schuster was makes him a great add at this point in the season. He can fill in the role of check-down when needed, and considering of often this offense throws short, having a receiver like Sims is a big help.
The biggest benefit of Sims is that he has been on the Steelers’ practice squad since the start of the season. This means he is aware of how the offense works and what the team would need out of him.
As well, he should have had plenty of time to get adjusted to the playbook by now. He would be the most prepared option for the team even if he isn’t necessarily the most talented. That all said, Sims and his Smith-Schuster style of play make a lot of sense for the team moving forward.
Steelers should sign Coutee
The Texans have two players on this list, and the first of the two is Keke Coutee. Following the trend of the receivers before him on this list, Coutee isn’t the best pure receiver here, but he is a tough slot receiver that would fill that void as a safety net for the Steelers. Coutee had his share of issues with the Texans, but he also flashed a lot of talent during his three years there as well.
What was most puzzling about his release this offseason was that Coutee had gotten better every year with the Texans. He had his best year-to-date in 2020 despite splitting time with Randall Cobb, and the expectation was that he would take on the starting slot duties with Cobb headed back to Green Bay. That never worked out, and the dependable receiver was ultimately cut after the preseason.
Currently on the Colts practice squad, the Steelers could easily use a player like Coutee on the roster. With him being extremely comfortable in the slot, signing him frees up Claypool more. Though he will take on the majority of the work from the slot now, Coutee could sub in and allow Claypool to kick back to the outside. Overall, adding him makes a lot of sense right now as it would keep the receivers on this offense flexible.
Steelers should sign Fitzgerald
The most established name on this list, Larry Fitzgerald’s tenure in the NFL makes him an eventual hall of fame player. Right now, though, he is a free agent for the first time in his career and is without a team to play on. This is due to his diminishing athleticism and advanced age, but Fitzgerald can still catch the football when thrown his way.
While his best days are clearly behind him, Fitzgerald can still be an effective short-yardage receiver despite his old age. He only had one drop last season, a testament to just how effective his hands still are.
His athleticism will hold him back, but his playing style now would honestly be an effective replacement for Smith-Schuster. He could serve as a safety net who won’t make the big play but can regularly catch the ball and move the chains.
The only reason Fitzgerald isn’t higher up on this list is that he is very much pigeonholed into what he can do with the team at this point. He can’t make any plays deep down the field, but he can make some tough grabs over the middle of the field. It would be weird to see him in a different uniform, but Fitzgerald would be a welcome addition to the Steelers roster at this point.
Steelers should sign Tate
A name that has circulated around the Steelers regularly this offseason, Golden Tate would be a logical slot receiver addition to the Steelers roster right now. While past his prime, Tate can still effectively run routes out of the slot and snag tough catches. Tate should be the top veteran’s name for the team, as his playstyle mimics what the team wants out of their slot receiver.
This isn’t the first time that I’ve written about Tate either. He has been a logical addition for this team ever since there were questions about Smith-Schuster returning to the roster in the offseason. Even after he was resigned, adding Tate wasn’t out of the question. The team was lacking a slot backup, and Tate would have been effective in that role.
With the team now down Smith-Schuster, Tate once again becomes one of the top free-agent names that could be linked to the Steelers. Tate wouldn’t be much of a deep threat anymore, but he could provide the tough, chains-moving catches that Smith-Schuster provided.
The team has been linked to Tate regularly so far this year, and now is the time for the team to actually add the veteran.
Steelers should sign Miller
While Tate is the most established veteran that would still be effective in multiple aspects of the game, the receiver the Steelers should sign to replace Smith-Schuster has to be Anthony Miller. The Bears and Texans castoff now finds himself on the Jaguars’ practice squad. A talented receiver, Johnson has struggled with some more of the mental aspects of the game.
The Bears traded him for a late-round pick to the Texans late in the offseason. He only lasted two weeks there before he was released. While his track record hasn’t been great as of late, at one point in time Miller was considered a rising player in the league. He still has that same talent, and a team like the Steelers that get a lot out of their receivers could be enough to revitalize his career.
Adding to his value is his age. Miller is only 27 years old and can still be developed at this point. The Steelers would be wise to give him another shot and to use him in place of the now injured Smith-Schuster. He would be the best natural slot receiver on the roster for them and would keep the team’s receiving options deep.
Miller has all the traits to succeed, so the Steelers would be wise to add him with their new need at receiver. Add in the team bringing him in for a visit and all signs point to Miller being the most likely addition.
The loss of Smith-Schuster is an unfortunate one, but the team can overcome this from their current stable of receivers and by adding another to keep this group deep. These eight names make the most sense for the team given their needs and the potential that each of these players possess.