Pittsburgh Steelers' 2025 mandatory minicamp is in the books. Now comes a long football-less stretch when fans will start to count down the days until training camps begin in late July. But if minicamp taught us something, it's that there's still work to do.
Minicamp was football in shorts, so we're not going to act like we can glean a revelation from on-field performances. With Aaron Rodgers here, the quarterback hole is fixed (for now), but the most glaring weakness for the Steelers couldn't be more obvious right now—this team needs a No. 2 wide receiver.
During minicamp, wide receivers coach Zach Azzani talked up Calvin Austin III and dubbed him the team's current WR2. Though Austin has flashed big-play ability early in his career, when you compare him against most No. 2 receivers around the NFL, he falls short.
Austin has yet to operate in a true WR2 role. Last year, he split time with Van Jefferson and later, Mike Williams. After suffering a season-ending foot injury during his first training camp in 2022, Austin has just 53 receptions for 728 yards and five touchdowns in three NFL seasons.
But the biggest reason to doubt the rookie is glaring—he stands at just 5'7 3/4'' and 170 pounds. This will forever put him at a disadvantage compared to his wide receiver peers. Of course, there's always a chance that Roman Wilson could pass Austin on the depth chart. Wilson was Pittsburgh's third-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft but played just five snaps as a rookie last year due to injuries.
With a 41-year-old quarterback on a one-year contract, the Steelers can't afford to sit around and let the WR2 battle sort itself out. This team needs an answer, and they may consider adding another receiver before training camp.
The Pittsburgh Steelers could add wide receiver help before training camp
When the Pittsburgh Steelers traded for DK Metcalf, many assumed that this team was set to roll with a potentially lethal combination of Metcalf and George Pickens. However, the Metcalf trade gave Omar Khan and the front office the flexibility to send Pickens packing for Dallas.
Unfortunately, the Steelers are back at square one with a glaring hole at the position. Though the coaching staff has expressed optimism in Calvin Austin and Roman Wilson, neither player is guaranteed to be more than WR3-caliber in the NFL, and it's unreasonable to expect a resurgence from a 33-year-old Robert Woods (if he sticks around this year).
Because of this, I fully expect the Steelers to add another pass-catcher to their offense by training camp.
This might not even be a true wide receiver. The Steelers reportedly reached out to the Dolphins and Falcons this offseason to inquire about trades for tight ends Jonnu Smith and Kyle Pitts. It's also possible they've talked to other teams about a trade for a skill player that hasn't been reported.
Keenan Allen and Amari Cooper remain the biggest unsigned free agents, but Allen expressed that he wasn't interested in playing in Pittsburgh. Cooper, on the other hand, was praised by Aaron Rodgers last year on The Pat McAfee Show. Rodgers loves precise route-runners, and Cooper fits the bill. Perhaps this is something the Steelers look to pursue.
As far as trade options go, teams aren't looking to give away starting wide receivers. New Orleans Saints' Chris Olave has been a name connected in trade rumors, but the former first-round pick out of Ohio State has a scary concussion history, and the Saints may not be willing to give him up anyway after selecting quarterback Tyler Shough in the second round this year.
It's hard to say who the Pittsburgh Steelers will ultimately land, but mandatory minicamp was a reminder of this team's dire need for a quality No. 2 receiver to pair with DK Metcalf. Calvin Austin III is the WR2 following minicamp, but you can bet this team will be looking for an upgrade.