Could Steelers' WR Anthony Miller Emerge As An Underrated Offensive Weapon In 2023?

The Pittsburgh Steelers have filled out their roster extremely well between free agency and the NFL Draft. With very few holes, Kenny Pickett and the Steelers will look to get back to the playoffs after narrowly missing out last season. One position that could be considered weak is wide receiver, where a slightly forgotten-about player could boost the offense.

Anthony Miller will have the chance to be a nice weapon on the offensive side and on special teams. The Steelers re-signed Miller to a one-year contract on January 17, locking him into their roster for 2023. Miller, who played college ball at Memphis, was drafted by the Chicago Bears and later traded to the Houston Texans after three years. This is where he was then signed to Pittsburgh’s practice squad after the Texans released him early in 2021. Miller didn’t have the chance to play in 2022 due to a shoulder injury that kept him out for the whole year.

Miller is a small and very quick receiver who will have an opportunity to compete with the likes of Allen Robinson and Calvin Austin III for playing time in the slot. He will also be competing with Austin and returning veteran Gunner Olszewski for punt/kick return duties. Miller, as well as the rest of the team, have been running for a couple of weeks before OTAs started, where he popped up with a "little hamstring injury" during his workouts. Miller was quick to assure that there was no concern with it, expressing that he will be back on the field in no time.

Although we haven't seen much from Miller since 2020, he was a standout in last season's training camp before his injury. That was more than likely one of the reasons why the Steelers decided to bring him back for another shot. He had a great start to his career, posting three solid seasons with Chicago. He was used as a receiver and returner, even taking a few handoffs as well. If Miller comes back in the same form he was in before his injury, there's no doubt that he will get his share of playing time.

It will be interesting to see if Miller can have another good training camp and help his stock going into the preseason. There's no one more motivated than Miller, who is eager to show why Pittsburgh decided to re-sign him. If he remains healthy, he might be Pittsburgh's most underrated player going into 2023. 

Steelers' WR4 Competition?

Austin looks to be the front-runner for the fourth wide receiver and is back and fully healthy at OTAs. Joining him is XFL standout Hakeem Butler, the former fourth-round pick by the Arizona Cardinals in 2019. Austin, Butler, and Miller appear to be the next guys up behind Pittsburgh's top trio of receivers in Diontae Johnson, George Pickens and Allen Robinson. Miller has the most experience and pedigree in the NFL between he, Austin and Butler. With OTAs continuing and camp coming up, we will have to wait and see who emerges as the team's WR4. 

With OTAs running until June 8th, you can expect to see some more highlights from the receiving room. Minicamp and training camp will come up afterward, counting down the days until preseason. The camps are where we can expect to see who comes out on top of the competitions for a number of positions on the team. 

Do you see Anthony Miller being a big contributor in 2023? Who do you think wins the WR4 job? Let us know in the comments below.

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