The name of the game for the Pittsburgh Steelers' 2023 offseason has been all about the upgrades. A front office led by Mike Tomlin, Andy Weidl and Omar Khan asked the hard questions and made decisions that were unappealing at best, such as watching Cameron Sutton sign with the Detroit Lions, but the results have the fanbase hopeful as they look ahead to the regular season. One X-factor for the 2023 Steelers' offense that has been getting praise throughout team activities and workouts is wide receiver Calvin Austin III.
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Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Calvin Austin III during offseason workouts
Steelers Excited To See What Calvin Austin III Can Add
The Steelers are known to value character over flash when it comes to their player evaluations, and what they have seen from Austin III since his unfortunate Lisfranc injury early in the 2022 preseason gives them confidence in their original decision to draft him in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Facing setbacks early in one's career can either break the player or solidify their foundation, giving them a deeper appreciation for the game and more insight into the preparation aspect. Austin III didn't just overcome an injury, he did so while hitting one speed bump after another.
He had to work through the frustration that came when he needed further surgery which led to him missing all of 2022, then he watched as all the attention went to the sophomore year of George Pickens and the addition of Allen Robinson, both of which sit behind Pittsburgh's current number one receiver, Diontae Johnson. Instead, all these events gave Austin III a second wind that led those outside the Steelers' facility to take notice.
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Calvin Austin III makes an impressive catch during the Steelers OTA's in 2022.
NFL insider, Adam Caplan, was a guest on the Ferrall Coast To Coast podcast on Friday where he made it a point to reference Austin III's offseason workout results to host, Scott Ferrall. Caplan said on the podcast that the Steelers had spent the offseason making important additions to their team, but he focused on the offensive side of those upgrades first.
“With all the issues they had last season, with their receiver corps, their offensive line, well, guess what? They’ve addressed their offensive line in a significant way. They addressed their receiver corps, they have depth now: Allen Robinson and Calvin Austin, who I’m told was terrific in OTA’s.”
That isn't where Caplan's insights on the Steelers' offense ended, though. Any NFL expert knows that it won't matter how much talent, speed or high draft picks you put together, if you don't have the right plays being called via a competent coordinator then all those upgrades become much less impactful on game day. It is no secret that Matt Canada, Pittsburgh's Offensive Coordinator, is seen as the weak link for the Steelers in 2023, and Caplan understands that fact as well, stating that if you aren't focusing on Canada's success first, nothing else will matter as much, even the wonderful offseason work being done by Austin III.
“Now, what’s it gonna take for Kenny Pickett to have a breakout season? To me it’s not so much Pickett, I don’t worry about him. It’s the play-calling, it’s Matt Canada, the OC, freeing guys up. They are super deep, they are super deep in pass targets, between their receivers and tight ends there are six guys who can catch the football…I like their offense, Canada’s just gotta get something going.”
Steelers' Positive Outlook Shared By Calvin Austin III
Austin III went into the 2022 offseason with high expectations of himself, and the disappointment that followed as he watched week after week go by as he continued to focus on his rehab. He cheered the team as they tried to put a subpar first half of the season behind them, and he mourned as their postseason hopes fell short, but the entire time he wanted to be on the field itself helping his team and experiencing those highs and lows without the barrier of injury that acted as a wall of sorts.
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Steelers' quarterback Kenny Pickett
He is bringing all of the lessons from a year of setbacks and is ready to apply them to 2023 with the same high expectations as he had in 2022. This time around, though, he has new priorities that he gained during his time rehabbing his injury and keeping himself in a positive mental space. Brian Batko of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported on Austin III's approach to 2023, including the different views that 2022 brought into perspective.
“I’ve learned a lot about taking care of my body. Right now it’s more about conditioning — getting my hamstrings, my ankles, my calves used to the power and the cuts and long [route] running. It’s just a continuous process of learning me and my body."
It won't be a surprise to anyone that speed is a major aspect of Austin III's game that everyone is anxious to see. With a foot injury early in his career, that speed factor has started to become a worry for some in the fanbase, but for Austin III himself, it is just another bit of fuel for him to use. He understands, as reported by Batko, that his speed (4.32 40-yard dash time) was certainly a factor in the Steelers drafting him, but if he wants that to still be a key part of his game, the responsibility is on him to workout correctly, not just aggressively.
“I do feel as fast, but honestly, I think by the time August comes, I’ll feel my full speed. It’s like I’m there, but I still know I’ve got a little more in the tank. I'm in a position now where I feel well enough to know I can go to those next three or four gears.”
With the kind of attitude that Austin III is approaching this season with, the excitement should only grow as we get closer to seeing what this young man can do on the field.
What kind of impact do you think Calvin Austin III will make in 2023?
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