Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Diontae Johnson (18) tries to evade Houston Texans cornerback Cornell Armstrong (30) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Don Wright)
Diontae Johnson had his best season with 107 catches for 1,161 yards and 8 touchdowns for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He made his first Pro Bowl and is in the last year of his rookie contract. I expect a big season from the top receiver in the league at separation on his breaks according to Pro Football Focus. I expect the Steelers to lock him down to a long-term contract, but if they don’t, I still expect Johnson to play at his absolute best to get paid somewhere.
Calvin Austin III is a tough, physical receiver that plays a lot bigger than his 5’9” 162lb frame. He has great hands and short area quickness that makes him perfect to play the X. Both Johnson and Austin have the ability to play slot in a pinch, but I’d only expect to see that in 4WR sets.
Cody White is in his third year as a pro. He was on the roster for 15 games last year mostly filling in on special teams. He is a good possession receiver, but it will be a large task to unseat the players ahead of him.
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver, George Pickens (#14) participates in the organized team activities (OTA’s), Thursday, June 2, 2022 at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. | Karl Roser/ Pittsburgh Steelers
George Pickens is a complete receiver. He has the speed to play the Z, the hands to play the X and the toughness to play the slot. With his 6’3” 200lb frame, the Steelers will look to make Pickens a big slot like JuJu Smith-Schuster, until an outside role becomes available for him to move to. This is the fastest way to utilize the talents of the 2nd rounder from Georgia.
Gunner Olszewski was brought to this team to take over the kick return duties since Ray-Ray McCloud was lost in free agency. Olszewski is a special teams ace. He was an All-Pro kick returner for leading the league in punt return yards and his 17.3 yards per return ranks with the all-time great punt returners in league history. He isn’t strictly a returner as he also played gunner on kick off and punt teams. He does not have many stats as a receiver, but his 6’ 190lb frame is rugged enough to play the slot. The path to making this team is through special teams, and right now he is the leader of the pack in this respect.
Steven Sims was an undrafted rookie from Kansas and played two years in Washington before joining the Steelers’ practice squad and was active for one game. Sims has the route running ability to also play the X, and his kick and punt returns are explosive on film, so he may have a chance to make the roster there.
Tyler Snead is a fan favorite from East Carolina. He was a hard working playmaker and excellent kick returner. Snead projects to the slot in this offense and his best chance of making this team is to win the kick/punt return jobs in training camp.
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver, Chase Claypool (#11) participates in Organized Team Activities (OTAs) Wednesday June 1, 2022 at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. (Abigail Dean/Pittsburgh Steelers)
Chase Claypool is the biggest WR on the team at 6’4” 238lbs. He made the most of his snaps his rookie season as he had 62 receptions for 873 yards and 9 TDs, adding another 2 TDs on the ground in 16 games with 6 starts. Last year, Claypool started 13 of 15 games and his numbers were nearly identical to his rookie year, except his touchdowns plummeted to 2 total on the year. Needless to say, it was a disappointing year for the promising receiver who was dealing with nagging injuries all season long. I expect a big year from “Mapletron” to show North America he can be a difference maker in the NFL.
Miles Boykin was a waiver claim from the Baltimore Ravens and now has their fanbase on edge since the Steelers picked him up. He is the second largest WR on the team at 6’4” 220lbs, and he is blazing fast with great short area quickness. We don’t know if he wasn’t utilized correctly in Baltimore, but his college film shows a big bodied receiver that was an excellent hands catcher who could effectively high point the ball where no one else can defend him. Boykin may be a diamond in the rough if the Steelers can build on what he did well in college to what he can do for this offense.
Anthony Miller played three years with Mitch Trubisky in Chicago before joining the Steelers via Houston. He has the ability to play all three WR positions and has also returned some kicks and punts. To make this team, he has to show he is more of a diverse WR than Boykin.
Tyler Vaughns isn’t the fastest option for Z, but he has good size (6’3” 184lb) and is a solid route runner.
SI.com
Here is how I see the Steelers’ Depth Chart: (Players in bold, are projected to make the roster)
LWR (X) Diontae Johnson, Calvin Austin III, Cody White
SWR (Y) George Pickens, Gunner Olszewski, Steven Sims, Tyler Snead,
RWR (Z) Chase Claypool, Miles Boykin, Anthony Miller, Tyler Vaughns
I’ve placed the deep ball receivers with size on the Right (Z), more polished route running receivers on the Left (X), and slot guys are in the Middle (Y). Last year the Steelers kept 6 receivers, and I expect them to do the same this season.
Currently, I have to say Johnson, Claypool, Pickens and Austin are locks. Gunner has the inside track, but has to show he can give this team value as a slot receiving option. Boykin will have a lot of competition to earn a roster spot, but currently he has the highest ceiling of all the remaining WRs.
Who do you think should make the final roster as a wide receiver, Steeler Nation? Comment below and share your thoughts.
