New Steelers receiver Gunner Olszewski has a huge opportunity in 2022

The Steelers lost their punt and kick-off returner, Ray-Ray McCloud, for the last two seasons, in free agency, to the San Francisco 49ers.

Ray-Ray had 130 combined kick-off and punt returns totaling 2087 yards in that time frame. In Conjunction, he had 2856 all-purpose yards, including his yardage at wide receiver. It did not take the black and gold very long to find a replacement for Ray-Ray. All they had to do was raid Bill Belichek and his New England Patriots.

Meet the Steelers New Tail Gunner

In perhaps their quietest offseason free agency signing, the Steelers acquired wide receiver Gunner Olszewski to replace the hole left by the departure of Ray-Ray McCloud.

Gunner was an undrafted free agent acquired by the Patriots in 2019. Since then, Gunner has handled most of the New England Patriots’ punt and kick-off return duties. Oddly enough, in Gunner’s NFL 2019 debut, he helped New England victimize the Steelers in a 33-3 win. In that game, Gunner recorded two punt returns for 35 yards.

In his three seasons with the Patriots, he has a combined total of 102 punt and kick-off returns totaling 1668 yards and even one touchdown in 2020, a feat Ray-Ray has not managed done in four NFL Seasons. Also, Gunner finished with 1827 all-purpose yards, including yardage as a wide receiver.

In 2020 Gunner led the NFL total punt return yardage with 346 total yards and led the NFL with a 17.3 yards per return average and scored the only punt return touchdown in 2020. Unlike Ray-Ray, though, who began filling a larger in the Steelers passing game in 2021, Gunner only has nine receptions in three seasons. His primary function has been on the Patriots’ special teams.

Gunner has a huge opportunity with the Steelers

While Gunner’s addition is to fill the void left by Ray-Rays departure, he may also have a huge opportunity to step up for Pittsburgh in 2022. With the added departures of JuJu Smith-Schuster and James Washington, the Steelers only have two reliable receivers, Diontae Johnson and Chase Claypool.

Thus Gunner has much room to make a name for himself in the Steelers offense as a wide receiver too. If he does not step up in the pass-catching department, Gunner’s talent as a kick returner could allow Matt Canada to utilize him in jet sweeps he likes to incorporate into his offensive schemes.

While Gunner potentially could fuse new excitement into the Steelers special teams, he also has the opportunity of a lifetime to step up in the receiving department. Right now, the Steelers still have a giant need in the wide receiver department as they have not offset the free agency losses.

It looks like by adding Gunner to Pittsburgh’s roster they are bringing a welcomed and an interesting dynamic to their offense besides just returning punts and kick-offs. When he spoke to the media after his signing, he hinted that the coaches have at least indirectly indicated they have a hope he plays an expanded role in the passing of their game.

It will be interesting to see what Gunner brings to the Steelers and how well he works with Mitch Trubisky, the Steelers new quarterback.