The Steelers made the surprising move to deal away veteran wide receiver Diontae Johnson, and now the receiver room has to be in question. While Arthur Smith has never relied on deep receiver rooms and usually featured just one top guy, this depth chart is shallow now. Some talent needs to be added soon.
Unfortunately, the deal for Johnson didn’t result in a flurry of draft picks. Instead, this team got veteran cornerback Donte Jackson and a sixth while sending away Johnson and a seventh. With so many other needs, finding a capable receiver is paramount.
Pittsburgh either needs a traditional X receiver to be a one-for-one replacement or a new Z receiver to allow George Pickens to move over to the X. Either way, here are six free-agent receivers the Steelers should sign to replace Johnson.
Steelers could sign Van Jefferson
I’ve highlighted Van Jefferson as a potential receiver to sign for a while now. The Steelers had interest in him before the Rams drafted him, and he fit the potential slot need this team had with the flexibility to play outside.
Now, he could be a low-cost depth player to hold down a spot until a rookie receiver is ready to take over the job. Jefferson got to play with Smith last season, and the results were pretty poor.
That said, he profiles as a viable X receiver that could kick inside if needed. If the goal is to land a receiver early in the draft, Jefferson could do fine in shifting to the third receiver role. He has flashed talent as well, so this could be a bit of a reclamation project as well.
Steelers could sign Cedric Wilson
Another name I have talked about a few times this offseason, Cedric Wilson made sense to join this team as a depth receiver capable of playing in the slot. Like Jefferson, Wilson can also play on the outside, but he is better suited to play the Z. That said he can wear a few different hats for an offense.
Wilson looked like a player on the rise during his final season with Dallas, and it landed him a moderate-sized contract with the Dolphins. That move never panned out. Despite the Dolphins' offense being one of the best this past season, Wilson was an afterthought. That said, he could fit in well for the Steelers.
His lack of playing time will likely lead his next contract to be far cheaper than his last one. He can slot into one of the starting receiver roles with the flexibility to play in the slot. Like Jefferson, your goal should be to draft a receiver and have Wilson shift into that third receiver role.
As well, you have the benefit of NFL bloodlines with Wilson, something the Steelers love in their rostered players. On top of this, his dad had a stint in Pittsburgh, furthering the ties. It wouldn’t resolve all of the issues at hand, but Wilson could be a cheap addition to this room and help replace Johnson.
Steelers could sign Laviska Shenault
This may be the most controversial name on this list, as he has the least amount of production over the past two seasons, but Laviska Shenault, of the cheaper names, might be my favorite. In Smith’s offense, you have seen receivers that can catch passes and get a lot of yards after the catch thrive.
Shenault, on paper, is that type of receiver. He has the body of a running back and used that build well in college. He was known for catching passes on the short and intermediate part of the field and using that frame to gain more yards with the ball in his hands. That is the prototype of what Smith likes in his receivers.
Pittsburgh, for their part, has also been linked with Shenault in the past. There was interest in him coming out of college and when the Panthers traded for him. Now could be their time to get him on the cheap and figure him into the receiver rotation.
Again, you would need to pair him with a rookie insurance policy, but I could see this team taking a bit of a gamble and rolling with Shenault in this offense. They would need some more help, but he could easily be a part of the solution to their receiver room.
Steelers could sign Tyler Boyd
Of all of the names on this list, this is probably my least favorite connection. That isn’t because Tyler Boyd is a bad player, but because I don’t see him as a great fit for this team. As stated, this offense is likely to only rely on two receivers with little to no need for a consistent slot option. On paper, that works well, as Boyd can work as that second option.
The issue is that Boyd does his best work in the slot, and to sign him to a (likely) moderate-sized deal and take him out of his best position as a player is nonsensical. It wouldn’t be like fitting a square peg in a round hole. Boyd is still talented and would be able to produce in Pittsburgh. That said, the fit would always be a little off.
If the Steelers were running a more conventional offense, I would be pounding the table for Boyd. As a slot receiver, they don’t come any more consistent than him. He has been a fixture in the Bengals offense for years despite two better receivers flanking him. He isn’t flashy, but he does the unglamorous work well.
Again, the issue with Boyd isn’t talent, but taking him out of the slot seems like a mistake. That said, you can’t discount this team from adding him, as he would fill a major need and has ties to the city. It isn’t my favorite fit, but he could be the one to replace Johnson.
Steelers could sign DJ Chark
The Steelers could replace one DJ with another in the form of DJ Chark. Again, Smith’s offense relies on one great receiver, and you have that in Pickens already. What you need are some good complimentary pieces, and Chark could provide you with just that.
Chark looked like a star early in his career in Jacksonville, but injuries limited him to some mediocre campaigns over the past few seasons. When healthy, he was a potent deep threat with big play ability. That was on display last year. Despite a less-than-ideal passing offense in Carolina, Chark was able to produce and looked like his former self.
In Pittsburgh, he would slide into the Z role and allow Pickens to take over the X spot for the offense. While he won’t be an elite weapon, he can provide the team with a capable second target and a deep threat. He wouldn’t need to be a 1000-yard receiver again, as what he does, he does well and can provide that kind of an impact with the Steelers.
He has great size, good athleticism, draft pedigree, and former draft interest from the Steelers. Signing him also means you don’t have to address a receiver extremely early in the draft. He would provide the team with another big-bodied deep threat, and I think his fit as a role player and clear number-two option would be perfect for this offense.
Steelers could sign Calvin Ridley
If the team wants their most one-for-one replacement for Johnson, look no further than Calvin Ridley. His story is an infamous one right now. He was an up-and-coming player, an injury derailed his fourth season, and then he was banned for a season due to sports betting.
He returned to action with the Jaguars last season. While he looked rusty at times, he was productive, and there is reason to think that he can still squeeze out a few more good seasons at his age. He may not be the blossoming receiver of a few seasons ago, but Ridley is still a viable receiving threat.
He is also a sharp route runner, which is something that you are losing with Johnson now gone. While Ridley isn’t a perfect fit, he would be the closest replacement to what was lost. There will be questions as to how much he will get paid, but if the team wants the most similar replacement, then they should look no further than Ridley.
The trade of Johnson came as a shock and the lack of draft picks acquired makes landing a veteran receiver a need. There is some flexibility as to who they can target, but for my money, at least one of these six veteran receivers needs to sign with the Steelers this offseason.