When the Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Calvin Austin III with the 138th pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, Yinzers welcomed the idea of adding a short and speedy receiver to the group. Although starters Diontae Johnson and Chase Claypool were returning and fellow rookie George Pickens was expected to have an immediate impact in the offense, Austin was quick to make it clear in training camp that he too was worthy of a spot in the rotation.
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Calvin Austin III makes an impressive catch during the Steelers OTA's in 2022.
The wideout was quick to impress with his fast feet and shifty routes, and it appeared that the Steelers had gotten a great value pick in the fourth round with Austin. The excitement came to a screeching halt, however, when the receiver went down with a foot injury in training camp. Though initially presented as a minor tweak, it became more and more clear that the minor tweak was in fact a major injury.
Austin's rookie season ended then and there, without seeing any regular season action. The 2022 rookie class made enough headlines without the speedy receiver, as Kenny Pickett adjusted to becoming a starting NFL quarterback and Pickens began to shock the world with incredible contested catches similar to those that made Odell Beckham Jr. famous. Austin stayed under the radar until sharing news of a successful foot surgery on November 1, 2022.
When Claypool was traded to the Chicago Bears for a 2023 second round pick midseason, a spot cleared for a new starter in the offense. Unfortunately, Austin was on injured reserve for the remainder of the season while recovering from foot surgery. It wasn't until this summer when the wideout was fully recovered and ready to spark his NFL comeback. In the meantime, General Manager Omar Khan made changes to the receiving corps with the addition of Allen Robinson and departure of Steven Sims. Though Robinson is listed as the starting slot receiver heading into the 2023 season, training camp will be a large determining factor on who earns the starting role: Robinson or Austin.
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Steelers' receiver Allen Robinson during 2023 OTA's.
The Steelers Have A Tough Decision To Make
Former Steelers' linebacker Arthur Moats took to his podcast, The Arthur Moats Experience With Deke, to compare the two receivers and discuss who will earn the starting nod. Moats had utmost confidence in his answer.
"We know two of these dudes already: Pickens and Diontae. Calvin's the third! That's how I look at it. Allen Robinson is already like one of these two. Calvin is different than these two. I'm thinking just personnel-wise, coaching-wise. If I want to call something crazy on a passing situation, I want that Calvin Austin out there without Allen Robinson, personally."
Moats brings up a good point. Austin provides a unique speed and shiftiness that the Steelers don't have on the field yet. Robinson, on the other hand, possesses similar skill to what has been seen in the offense already. Moats was accompanied by his co-host, Deke, and the two hosted fellow former Steelers' linebacker Terence Garvin. All three were in agreement that starting or not, Austin will get his fair share of touches.
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Calvin Austin III during 2022 training camp.
As opposed to Austin, however, Robinson has been known for his blocking abilities. An efficient blocking receiver brings value to a rushing offense, which the Steelers will hope to become this year. Running back Najee Harris is approaching his third season and coming off of a slight drop-off in production. The offensive line was partially to blame for this. Khan spent the offfseason focused on revamping the offensive line with the addition of rookie Broderick Jones and free agents Isaac Seumalo and Nate Herbig. With Robinson as a skilled blocker as well, this could give him a leg up over Austin.
Ultimately, it'll be a tight competition between the two receivers. Only training camp will give us answers regarding the third starting receiver.
Who would you rather have start? Is Austin the unpredictable receiver that we need, or should blocking be prioritized? Sound off in the comments below.
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