The Pittsburgh Steelers are headed for Latrobe to get their 2022 training camp underway. With the team beginning a new era in the 2022 season, the Steelers have a few questions they need to answer. One of the most intriguing positions to figure out is who is going to take the place of JuJu Smith-Schuster for the majority of snaps at the slot receiver position.
The team has a variety of candidates to play the position and one could argue the Steelers WR corps has more potential and more depth than they presented a season ago.
Who Will Line Up in the Slot for the Steelers Offense in 2022?
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Calvin Austin III (19) participates in Organized Team Activities (OTA's), Tuesday May 31, 2022 at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. (Abigail Dean/Pittsburgh Steelers)
In a recent article published by Steelers.com, co-host of "SNR Drive" on Steelers Nation Radio, Matt Williamson detailed a camp preview of the main storylines as the team inches closer to the start of training camp. The topic of slot wide receiver was at the top of his list of storylines.
"JuJu Smith-Schuster is now in Kansas City and there isn't an obvious replacement for him out of the slot, but there are plenty of candidates," Williamson stated in his article. "Diontae Johnson can align all over. George Pickens best profiles as a traditional X Receiver, but brings a lot of versatility to the fold. Chase Claypool could really take his career up another level if he can succeed out of the slot, particularly as a blocker. Teams around the NFL are now looking for more big power slots rather than the traditional Wes Welker/Julian Edelman-type smaller, quicker player. Claypool's physicality and size presents a real problem for opposing slot cornerbacks.""Two other receivers to watch here are Anthony Miller and Calvin Austin," Williams continued. Austin is built like a traditional slot receiver, yet he thrived on the outside in college, while Miller has done much of his work at the NFL level operating on the inside. It will be very interesting how this works out and the Steelers will surely utilize more than one player here."
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Chase Claypool (11) scores his forth touchdown of the game with Philadelphia Eagles free safety Rodney McLeod (23) defending, on a 35-yard pass play from quarterback Ben Roethlisberger during the second half of an NFL football game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020. (AP Photo/Don Wright)
Claypool spoke about practicing in the slot and the differences between playing in the slot and playing on the outside as a receiver during the spring.
“I think now that I’m in the slot, just working out, like figuring out what the linebackers are doing in their zone coverage and safeties and looking at them kind of while I’m running the route, so just recognizing zones in the slot," Claypool stated in a media session.“Yeah, when you’re wide out, it’s easier because it’s corner safety basically tells you the coverage for the most part," Claypool continued discussing the topic with the media. "When you’re in the slot, if you have, like a rover or something, you have to figure out, you just have to figure out who’s covering you maybe on the backside or if it’s right in front of your face or something, so they disguise it a little more, I feel like when you’re on the inside.”
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver, Chase Claypool (#11) participates in Organized Team Activities (OTA's) Wednesday June 1, 2022 at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. (Karl Roser/Pittsburgh Steelers)
The team has plenty of options to fill the need at the slot WR position, but none more intriguing than Claypool and that's based on how we've seen him produce since he first put on the black and gold. The team will likely move receivers all over in a variety of formations to keep defenses guessing. However, with his size and speed, Claypool could really become a mismatch nightmare against smaller slot corners. It should be noted that Claypool played a lot more in the slot in his rookie campaign when he exploded for a total of 11 touchdowns.
What are yinz thoughts on the slot receiver position heading into training camp? Let us know in the comment section below, or on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Instagram!
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