2023 Steelers Post-Draft Roster Review: The Wide Receivers
The major events of the 2023 NFL offseason are now complete. With the free agency period and the NFL Draft now behind us, we look ahead at how the Steelers roster has molded from the end of last season until now, and evaluate those changes heading toward training camp, the preseason, and the regular season.
End of Season Depth Chart
- Diontae Johnson
- George Pickens
- Steven Sims
- Gunner Olszewski
- Miles Boykin
- Calvin Austin III*
*Injured Reserve
Offseason Review
There was quite a bit of speculation if the Steelers were going to target a wide receiver in the offseason, namely through the NFL Draft, as they had traded Chase Claypool away in the middle of 2022, receiving the Chicago Bears top pick in the second round. (Pick 32.)
Alas, Pittsburgh went through the entire free agency period before acquiring former Rams WR Allen Robinson in a trade that saw the Steelers only take on $5 million of the veteran’s salary.
They would forego taking a receiver in the draft despite links to several names in the early rounds.
The Steelers would also sign former Arizona Cardinals fourth round pick, Hakeem Butler, who returned to football this spring with the XFL’s St. Louis Battlehawks and became one of the league’s most dynamic players.
Post-Draft Position Roster
- Diontae Johnson
- George Pickens
- Allen Robinson
- Calvin Austin III
- Gunner Olszewski
- Miles Boykin
- Hakeem Butler
- Anthony Miller
Position Review
Johnson, who signed a contract extension last offseason, is hoping for a bounce-back year after failing to catch a touchdown pass – in fairness, Steelers quarterbacks only threw 11 TD passes in 2022…
Johnson is one of the most elusive players in football and should gel better now with a full camp as well as Kenny Pickett firmly entrenched as the team’s starting quarterback. Second-year pro George Pickens dazzled fans as a rookie and should be entrenched as a full-time player this season with the potential to have a breakout year.
Robinson will enter his tenth season as a pro, with three different years of 1,100 or more receiving yards of his previous nine. His lone year in Los Angeles was marred by injuries and inconsistent quarterback play.
Robinson is insurance for the return of Calvin Austin, one of the fastest players who came out of the 2022 NFL Draft. Austin was injured early in camp last season, attempted a comeback, but was unable to play a down in his rookie campaign.
Of course, Butler, Boykin, and Miller all offer different levels of play as veterans, with the bottom half of the roster competing for what could be one spot. That could leave last year’s original return specialist, Gunner Olszewski, in flux, if any of the others show they can be an upgrade at the position.
Overall, the Steelers group is much improved from 2022 and gives Kenny Pickett a plethora of dynamic weapons to choose from.
