Could Steelers reunite with former second-round receiver?

The Steelers are still in need of a No. 2 wide receiver since trading Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers in March.

Pittsburgh has since added several new veterans to the room, including Van Jefferson, Quez Watkins and Scotty Miller, but none really move the needle.

Could the Steelers' answer be reuniting with one of their former draft picks?

The Boston Sports Journal's Greg Bedard wouldn't be surprised if the Patriots soon parted ways with wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, Pittsburgh's second-round pick in 2017.

"To me, when you draft Ja'Lynn Polk, Javon Baker, along with Pop Douglas and you signed K.J. Osborn, I don't really see a fit for JuJu here," Bedard said, via Patriots Wire. "JuJu Smith-Schuster, to me, is not a fit here anymore. I would be surprised if he's here all that much longer."

Smith-Schuster signed a three-year, $25.5 million contract with New England last offseason, but he disappointed with just 29 catches for 260 yards and a touchdown while battling injuries in 2023.

The 27-year-old's injuries alone may deter the Steelers from entertaining a reunion. If not, however, Pittsburgh would need to determine whether he would be any better than what it currently has on the roster, as well as reexamine his maturity.

The Steelers felt it was time to move on from Smith-Schuster following the 2021 season after the former USC receiver became a distraction with his activity on social media. Adding him back into a locker room that seems like it's heading in the right direction could be a mistake.

Third-year wide receiver Calvin Austin III didn't play with Smith-Schuster in Pittsburgh, but revealed this week that he has felt a "culture and energy shift" in the locker room this offseason.

"With Russ (Wilson) as a leader, he's going to make sure we're all on the same page," Austin said. "Coach (Arthur) Smith is a great communicator, so we all know what our job is. So you can definitely feel the culture and the energy behind it."

Still, there's no arguing against Smith-Schuster's production with the Steelers. From 2017-21, the wideout registered 323 catches for 3,855 yards and 26 touchdowns.

Plus, general manager Omar Khan has proved that you can never rule out any scenario with the franchise.