The Steelers have needs all over their roster but finding a capable slot receiver with one of these eight pending free agents would be a huge help.
The Steelers have been something of a receiver factory over the past few years, but that may end this season as they prepare to watch two of their top guys walk. While drafting a receiver should be a part of their plans, signing a veteran would also be a wise move, specifically to address the slot position that JuJu Smith-Schuster will be leaving from.
Here are eight free agents the Steelers could sign to replace Smith-Schuster.
Steelers could sign Berrios
Braxton Berrios is another of a seemingly endless pool of Wes Welker-lite type of slot receivers. Undersized and only a marginal athlete, Berrios has found a stable role with the Jets as a gadget type of slot receiver and a surprisingly effective red-zone threat. While he isn’t a flashy player nor one that should be counted on for huge games, he can be a stable slot receiver and return man.
The Jets seemingly got the most out of him, as Berrios was becoming a staple every week in their offense. While he wasn’t dominating the snap count, he was finding ways to get the ball into his hands and more often than not found a way to score. The Steelers lacked that all season, especially out of the slot after Smith-Schuster went down.
While his next contract shouldn’t break the bank, he also can’t be relied on to play as much as a typical starter. As well, he needs to be used creatively, and the Steelers have shown an inability to do that. Both Ray-Ray McCloud and Ryan Switzer before him are built in the same mold and the team got little out of either.
Berrios would be an interesting and cheap fit, but the team would have to actually properly use him to make a signing like this workout.