Steelers Could Bring Back Former WR

The Pittsburgh Steelers are just a few weeks away from reporting to Saint Vincent's College to begin training camp, signaling the true beginning of the 2025 NFL season. With days remaining until the season kicks off, there are a few looming questions that could impact their season.

One of the most pressing concerns for the Steelers is their wide receiver depth. Aside from offseason acquisition DK Metcalf, the position room is lacking. Calvin Austin III, Roman Wilson, Robert Woods and Ben Skowronek figure to be the other four receivers on the 53-man roster. That five-man group is less than imposing and could be the Achilles' heel on what looks like a vastly improved offense.

With the team seemingly avoiding a move to bring in a true second receiver to complement Metcalf, the organization will likely turn to cheap options that could impact the team in a lesser role. It's setting the Steelers up for a reunion with a receiver trying to make a return to the NFL. It's a receiver Pittsburgh is all too familiar with, but will turn to anyways. We're nearing the return of Chase Claypool to the Steelers.

Claypool's first tenure ended miserably in Pittsburgh. Entering his third NFL season, the Steelers were hoping he would become the team's top passing option. Instead, he became a liability on the field and within the locker room. The Steelers moved quickly and flipped him to the Chicago Bears for the second-round draft pick that turned into Joey Porter Jr.

Since leaving the Steelers, things have gone south for Claypool. He finished the 2022 with just 140 yards in seven games with the Bears. The next season, he split between the Bears and the Miami Dolphins, accumulating just 77 receiving yards. He missed the entire 2024 season dealing with injuries, but he's still just 27 years old and ready to mount a comeback.

Bringing in Claypool is not a solution to the hole at WR2. That cannot be overstated. What bringing in Claypool does, however, is give the organization options. The lower you go on the depth chart, the smaller the receivers get. Austin, Wilson, and Woods are all 6'0" or shorter. Skowronek is 6'3", but he's a special teams contributor and can't be counted on for offensive production. Claypool is enormous, standing at 6'4" and weighing nearly as much as a tight end. He would bring a different element and physicality to the lower part of the depth chart. That slight variation could be a difference-maker for the lesser-targeted players.

The top of the depth chart is still a problem, but between Austin, Wilson, Claypool, and tight ends Pat Freiermuth and Jonnu Smith, the Steelers suddenly have a wealth of secondary options. How much worse can Claypool be than Robert Woods? The answer is not much. With nothing to lose and an all-in mentality, the Steelers should arrange for another reunion this offseason and sign Chase Claypool.