The Pittsburgh Steelers answered a number of questions on their roster this offseason. They signed QB Aaron Rodgers, prolonged OLB T.J. Watt, and addressed the secondary by buying each CB Darius Slay and DB Jalen Ramsey. For all that work, they nonetheless don’t have a bona fide second large receiver. Does that fear offensive coordinator Arthur Smith?
No, no less than not that he’s prepared to confess. Reporters requested Smith in regards to the lack of a confirmed WR2 on Thursday, and Smith shared that he feels there are many weapons on offense.
“To me, we’ve obtained lots of completely different chess items…” Smith stated per audio from the Letters From Camp Podcast. “Kenny G, he’s a flexible chess piece. So, lots of occasions, you may get into two-back stuff, and he’s legitimately, going again to his Memphis days, he is an efficient route runner. In order that’s one other versatile piece. We’ve obtained growth for these guys, alternatives for these guys. We’ve obtained energy (at) sure positions, I really feel like we’ve obtained depth with the tight finish room, definitely the working again room.”
The Steelers seem to have opted for a by-committee method to the shortage of a real WR2 on the roster. RB Kenneth Gainwell, or Kenny G as Smith known as him, had an awesome 12 months in 2019 for the College of Memphis, each working and catching the ball. He ran for 1,459 yards at 6.3 yards per carry and scored 13 speeding touchdowns. He additionally caught 51 passes for 610 yards and one other three touchdowns. Smith has been constant in his perception that Gainwell can have a optimistic affect on the Steelers’ passing sport in 2025.
In actual fact, your entire working again room can have an effect on the Steelers’ passing sport. RB Jaylen Warren has confirmed that on the NFL degree already. Rookie RB Kaleb Johnson confirmed receiving flashes in his remaining 12 months at Iowa, posting 22 catches for 185 yards (8.4 yards per catch) and two touchdowns. All three working backs present QB Aaron Rodgers receiving choices out of the backfield.
Final however not least, how can we overlook the tight finish room? Arthur Smith’s affinity for his tight ends is well-documented, and he’s obtained loads of them in Pittsburgh. Pat Freiermuth is the longest-tenured of the group and has established himself as a strong receiving choice. Newly-acquired Jonnu Smith had a profession 12 months with the Miami Dolphins final 12 months with over 800 yards receiving and eight touchdowns. Rounding out the room is Darnell Washington, a behemoth-yet-athletic third-year product from Georgia.
The Steelers have soft-handed choices at each tight finish and working again, giving Rodgers and Smith a flexible arsenal of weapons. That’s invaluable to balancing the success of this offense with the event of youthful large receivers who’re nonetheless making an attempt to show themselves within the NFL.
However what in regards to the large receiver room itself?
“Clearly, the funding in DK and Calvin take one other step,” Smith stated. “See what Roman and people different guys, Robert Woods is a veteran. Let’s see the way it shakes out.”
The Steelers appear to be taking a shake-it-out method to WR2. However they’ll afford to do this with the versatile chess items they’ve nestled away on the roster.
