Steelers' Mike Tomlin Gives Honest Opinion About Adding More Talent At Wide Receiver

The Pittsburgh Steelers have begun OTAs, taking the first step towards cementing the roster for the 2024 season. Fans won't get a clear idea about how the team will shape up until training camp. For now, it is nice to see the new additions in their black and gold practice jerseys for the first time. Pittsburgh was active during the 2024 offseason, but perhaps not active enough as there are still major question marks surrounding certain areas of the roster.

General Manager Omar Khan made a polarizing move when he traded Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers. Pittsburgh already had a need at receiver prior to the trade, and the trade made George Pickens the only reliable option at receiver. The Steelers have been rumored to be in talks to acquire various big-name players at the position throughout the offseason, but nothing has come to fruition on that front. Head Coach Mike Tomlin was asked about possibly adding to the receiver position after the first day of OTAs.

"We're always open to adding, not just to that group, but to any group, that is our mentality. But I would imagine that that's the mentality of those that we compete against as well. We continually try to get better in all areas."

As it currently stands, the Steelers’ top receivers presumably are Pickens, with Roman Wilson and Van Jefferson behind him. Pittsburgh added a lot of names to the receiver room during the offseason, but most are on the fringe of being a third option at receiver. Some of the names the Steelers brought in at the position might not even make the 53-man roster. 

Behind Pickens, Wilson, and Jefferson is some mixture of Calvin Austin III, Quez Watkins, Marquez Callaway, Denzel Mims and Scotty Miller. Austin III made his debut in 2023, and struggled to stay consistent, but made some big plays for Pittsburgh. He has shown he is more of an athlete that could be used on gadget plays and in the return game, rather than being a consistent option in the passing game. 

Wilson is entering his rookie season, so he can't be relied upon to make an immediate impact on the offense just yet. Pittsburgh would benefit largely from bringing in an experienced and proven veteran receiver. It doesn't need to be a big star like Brandon Aiyuk or DK Metcalf, but someone that has proven they can be effective in the passing game, while playing in various situations. 

Pittsburgh's rushing attack is expected to be strong with new Offensive Coordinator, Arthur Smith. Khan added to the offensive line through the draft, and Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren will be running behind the best line of their careers. This will alleviate some of the pressure on the passing game, and should make the game a little bit easier on the receivers. Nonetheless, Pittsburgh should still be exploring outside options at the position.

Steelers Don't Need To Rush To Bring In A Receiver

Ahead of the 2023 season, Pittsburgh had a weakness at linebacker. They signed Cole Holcomb and Elandon Roberts in free agency, but once the team got to training camp, the front office and coaching staff noticed they still needed help at linebacker. Khan went out and signed Kwon Alexander, who made a sizable impact on Pittsburgh's defense before suffering a season-ending injury. 

Pittsburgh isn't opposed to waiting until training camp begins to bring in new talent. It’s likely Khan and Tomlin would rather wait and see how their current group looks during in-game situations before bringing in new faces. This will likely be what happens again if the Steelers decide they absolutely need to bring in another wide receiver. They will wait to see how their starting unit performs in camp, and see if it is necessary to bring in a player who can improve the unit.