Early 53-man roster predictions for Pittsburgh Steelers

Receivers (6):

Steelers roster prediction: Diontae Johnson, George Pickens, Allen Robinson, Calvin Austin, Miles Boykin, Hakeem Butler

The top three are set in stone, as this team figures to roll out Diontae Johnson, George Pickens, and Allen Robinson early on as their trio at receiver. All three have flashed at times, and while Pickens can still develop into something more, this group is a fine one for Pickett to utilize in the passing game.

While I won’t call him a lock just yet, Calvin Austin also figures to be an active member of the offense. The former fourth-round pick missed all of last season with an injury, but he profiles as an explosive target. He is undersized, but he runs sharp routes and has top-end athleticism that can make him a big-play option with the ball in his hands.

Miles Boykin also figures to be pretty safe. He has seemingly fallen off as a receiver, as his stats on offense have been lackluster for the past few seasons. What he offers you is an elite gunner on special teams. He has the size and athleticism to thrive there and was a great fit in that role in 2022.

I wanted to go in a different direction and take Hakeem Butler as the final receiver. Despite a limited NFL resume, Butler put on a clinic in the XFL. He has rare size and athleticism for the position and could potentially serve as an outside option or even work as a big slot.

My main issue is lacking a return man. Austin profiles well there, but he is unproven. Beyond that, a running back would be the next likely option. I could keep Gunner Olszewski, but he proved to be too mediocre to justify the cost.