The Pittsburgh Steelers are left thin at the wide receiver position following the Chase Claypool trade. Here are some free agents who could help.
Just before the NFL trade deadline, the Pittsburgh Steelers pulled off a surprising trade that sent wide receiver Chase Claypool to the Chicago Bears. I was a big supporter of this move, as it shows that the organization wasn’t able to pass up a good deal and that they have the future of the team in mind.
The bad news is that after shipping Claypool to the midwest, Pittsburgh is left razor-thin at the wide receiver position. This is especially the case, as Calvin Austin and Anthony Miller — two wide receivers projected to be on the roster — suffered what proved to be season-ending injuries before the start of the 2022 season.
Since 2020, backup receivers Steven Sims, Gunner Olszewski, and Miles Boykin have combined for just 6 catches. The lack of production should have the Steelers worried. In a year where Pittsburgh won’t be competitive anyway, I wouldn’t worry about it too much, but Mike Tomlin could be looking to bolster the WR room to ensure that Kenny Pickett has as much help as possible. Here are some receivers they could target:
Steelers could sign Will Fuller
The Steelers thought they were going to at least be aided part-time by a receiver with 4.3 speed this year. Though Calvin Austin wasn’t protected to play a big role from the gate, his elite speed and twitch could have been an asset. Now after trading Chase Claypool, Pittsburgh suddenly has a very average group of receivers when it comes to athleticism.
Will Fuller has a long history of injuries and suspensions, but he has always been one of the better deep threats in the league. This is something the Steelers have been missing since Martavis Bryant. Still 28 years old and without a home, Pittsburgh could sign Fuller to a rental-type deal where he could try to boost his value in the second half of the season before 2023 free agency.
Fuller hasn’t played football since Week 4 of the 2021 season as injuries kept him sidelined, but he’s finally ready to go and he could give this offense a spark if he proves to be the player he was before the injuries.
Steelers could sign T.Y. Hilton
Cut from the same cloth as Will Fullers as thin, but fast deep threat, T.Y. Hilton is a receiver who has had a ton of success in the past with the Colts. However, it’s entirely possible that he could be mostly washed up at this point in his career. Hilton is 32 years old and had just 331 yards and 3 touchdowns in 2021 with the Colts, according to ESPN stats.
However, we are talking about a receiver who has averaged nearly 15.5 yards per catch over the course of his NFL career and has five 1,000-yard seasons. Though his best days are well behind him, Hilton still has some juice left to get down the field and he could play a few different roles on offense.
According to testing numbers, Miles Boykins is technically the fastest remaining player on the Steelers roster, but he doesn’t pose a deep threat at all. On the other hand, Hilton has at least combined for 1,100 yards and 8 touchdowns over his last 25 games played and could be waiting for the right opportunity if he is to give it one more go.
The Pittsburgh Steelers might not be what he had in mind, but if no other teams have come knocking, he may be running out of shots to land on an NFL roster. Hilton could try to play himself into one more short-term contract before hanging up his cleats for good.
Steelers could sign Adam Humphries
If the Steelers want to go a different direction in terms of a free agent wide receiver, they could look for more of a true slot option in Adam Humphries. If you recall, Humphries was the player who took over in Washington after Steven Sims fell out of favor. Before that, he was a steady, reliable option for both the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Tennessee Titans.
Humphries has made a living in his niche as a starting slot receiver. The best thing about this potential signing is that he is coming off a season in which he started 11 games in Washington and caught 41 passes. This is a whole lot more than the 6 catches Sims, Boykin, and Olszewski have combined for over the past two years.
Humphries doesn’t offer any special traits, but the Steelers would be getting a 29-year-old receiver with experience and 320 career catches. At the very least, he would offer some security at the slot position and would come pretty cheap at this point in his career.
Once again, I think that the Pittsburgh Steelers should roll with the receivers they currently have on the roster, but I can see a scenario where Mike Tomlin might look for something more to help out Kenny Pickett. Realistically, this team should be making moves that focus on the future; not fixating on the present by signing aging free agents.