Steelers may be forced to invest high in WR in the 2023 NFL Draft

The Pittsburgh Steelers have a struggling group of wide receivers, and they may once again be forced to spend an early draft pick at the position. 

When the Pittsburgh Steelers were able to pull off a heist in after shipping Chase Claypool to the Bears, I was the biggest fan of that proactive move. Claypool was struggling in his third NFL season, and receiving a second-round pick was more than we could have asked for.

Even better, this second-round pick ultimately became the 33rd overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft after Chicago lost every game since acquiring Claypool just before the trade deadline. While I wouldn’t take this trade back for a second, I did note at the time that Pittsburgh’s depth at the wide receiver position was razor-thin.

Now that the 2022 season is over, we can really examine this WR corps. George Pickens had an outstanding rookie season as he averaged 9.5 yards per target and had one of the highest big-play percentages in the league. He still has plenty of work to do as a route runner, but the signs are all there.

Unfortunately, this group is a mess outside of Pickens. Diontae Johnson still excelled at creating separation. But despite his innate ability to create space, he did very little with his opportunities — earning just 882 yards on 147 targets. His dismal 6.0 yards per target this past season and inability to do much of anything after the catch made him one of the least efficient starting receivers in the NFL.

Outside of their top two, the WR depth gets really scary for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Steven Sims assumed a role in the slot after Claypool’s departure but was even less efficient than Johnson as he earned a disgusting 4.5 yards per target, according to ESPN stats. Meanwhile, Gunnar Olszewski and Miles Boykin didn’t add anything to the team as receivers.

Because of their severe lack of talent at the position, the Steelers may be pigeonholed into selecting a receiver very early in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Steelers may need to take a receiver early in 2023 NFL Draft

It’s important to remember that the Steelers drafted WR Calvin Austin in the fourth round last year, and they recently signed Anthony Miller to a one-year deal through the 2023 season. However, both players spent the entire 2022 season on IR, and there’s certainly no guarantee that either receiver proves to be good for the Steelers.

Miller had a strong camp with the Steelers, but he’s a 28-year-old journeyman receiver who can’t seem to stick on a roster, while Austin — being just 5’7 3/4” and 170 pounds — is likely to have a very limited role at the next level.

Even if one of these two players proves to be a helpful addition, the Steelers still need more top-end talent at the position. In no world should the Steelers be throwing to Diontae over 140 times per year.

Don’t be surprised if Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan hit the wide receiver scouting trail this offseason. With Pickens as the only promising piece at the moment, this team could be eying a receiver to pair with him for the long term.

Additionally, the Steelers no doubt understand that adding another weapon to Kenny Pickett’s arsenal is only going to aid in his development. Like this team has so many times in the past, they could target the wide receiver position with a second-round pick. Pittsburgh has found a lot of success over the years taking receivers on day two, and that is a trend that could continue in the 2023 NFL Draft.