The Pittsburgh Steelers front office and coaching staff have been hard at work this offseason. They have been letting players go that no longer align with the vision or needs of the team and signing and drafting new players to help fill exposed weaknesses. For the most part, fans and NFL analysts are excited about the work they have done, but will it be enough to make a real difference? We won't know until the players actually take the field in real, regular season games.
Memphis Athletics
Calvin Austin III impressed the Steelers when he was at Memphis, but unfortunately suffered a foot injury his rookie season and missed out on 2022.
Former Steelers offensive guard turned podcaster, Ramon Foster, discussed the topic of the Steelers offense with his co-host, Dejan Kovacevic, on a recent episode. The podcast is called The Ramon Foster Show and it is available via DK Pittsburgh Sports.
Kovacevic asked Foster specifically spoke about the offense as the two have both said that it is the lynchpin needed to make this a successful season. The question is what does Foster see as one surprising variable that will be needed to ensure the team finds success? By way of explanation, Kovacevic said he couldn't just say we need Isaac Seumalo to perform well at left guard, that's too obvious.
According to Foster, he thinks that the surprise variable is Calvin Austin III. Austin is a second-year receiver for the Steelers. He was selected by Pittsburgh in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Austin was showing serious potential during training camp, fans were wowed and excited to see him play. Unfortunately, Austin would never play a single down of professional football his rookie year. He sustained an ankle injury the day before the first preseason game.
Steelers' Calvin Austin III Is Going To Be The Surprising Wow Factor In 2023 According to Ramon Foster
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Steelers left guard Isaac Seumalo should help open up huge roles for the running game in 2023 and beyond.
Now Austin is back with his teammates training, despite saying he is not going at 100%. He has been working out this offseason, participating in OTAs, etc. One of the reasons everyone was so excited about Austin last season is that he brings this unexpected burst of speed and agility.
The Steelers' offense in 2022 was lackluster and mostly stagnant and while you never want to pin all your hopes on one player, what was really missing was that zing that Austin appears to have. Foster agrees and says he sees Austin making a tremendous impact in two areas.
"I think Calvin Austin is a great return man and also getting reps on offense. I think if we get hidden yardage with him as far as him staying healthy, staying on the field."
During Foster's podcast, fans are able to submit comments to the show that the hosts are able to see. Immediately comments begin flooding the chat saying that it doesn't matter who the return man or receiver is, no one can be effective with Matt Canada as an offensive coordinator. Foster doesn't necessarily agree with that.
"Hear me out. I feel like sometimes you gotta overcome coaching. I feel like I've heard that a time or two. Having that hidden yardage become a part of your offense and maybe it's not every game, maybe it's six or seven times a year where this offense starts on the 40 [yard line] because of Calvin Austin III."
Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (Twitter: @JSKO_Photo)
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Calvin Austin III will bring some speed that the offense lacked at times in 2022.
The light bulb goes off for Kovacevic as he sees where Foster is going with this: field position. Having Austin perform well on special teams and set the offense up for success so that they win the field position battle puts the team ahead of their opponent. It gives them a bit of an unseen advantage.
"Field position," says Foster. "And also running him out there and that not being the most obvious thing because if he's good on special teams, meaning hitting yardage, then we're a whole lot better and you trust them a whole lot more with him being on the field."
One of the biggest critiques about Austin is his size. At 5'9" and 162 lbs., he is smaller than the desirable size of an NFL wide receiver. But Austin uses the criticisms he has heard his whole life to fuel his fire. It has made him fight even harder to find success.
"He has the ability to have the ball in his hand anytime it is kicked off, whether that be punt return or kickoff return. If he shows the ability to not turn the ball over when having those grown men running to him and swiping at that ball, that gives us really good field position and also get offensive play reps."
He adds that he sees Austin as a WR3 and he knows that others will push back on him. But he sees Austin as a "fast scat guy" and that makes him the perfect person to be the third, rather than a running back or tight end.
Kovacvic agrees and says that we need yards after the catch. We cannot go into another season with our number one receiver running backwards after the catch. We need players breaking tackles and that criticism doesn't just go to Diontae Johnson.
Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (Twitter: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Steelers wide receiver George Pickens will also be expected to take a big jump in his second season alongside quarterback Kenny Pickett.
While George Pickens has displayed outstanding contested ball skills, Foster reminds us that it is not realistic for him to do that on every single play. Instead, what we need is that "breakthrough" that you see from elite receivers. He believes that Austin has the potential to shake up some of the stagnation we had last year and provide that field position we were missing last season.
What do you think about Austin? Do you agree with Foster that he has the potential to shake things up and improve the team's field position? Click to comment below!
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