2023 Steelers Training Camp Preview: The Receivers
It’s hard to believe but the Pittsburgh Steelers 2023 Training Camp is right around the corner. As we countdown the days until camp begins, SCU will highlight each position group detailing the players who will be competing for a spot on the Steelers’ final 53-man roster at the end of this Summer.
If there is one area on the Pittsburgh Steelers roster heading into training camp that looks to be solidly filled with potential, it’s in the wide receivers group. Following the 2023 NFL Draft, we looked at how things had changed compared to the 2022 NFL regular season. In this training camp preview, we’ll go a bit deeper into the players that will take the field at Saint Vincent’s College in Latrobe (PA) once training camp kicks off.
There were a few changes to the roster in the receivers group after OTAs and minicamps, but not many. Anthony Miller and Cody Chrest were both released in June; Chrest spent just ten days with the team on a trial basis. The Steelers added Ja’Marcus Bradley, Dan Chisena, Dez Fitzpatrick, Cody White, and Jordan Byrd. The remaining players in the receivers group are as follows: Calvin Austin III, Miles Boykin, Hakeem Butler, Diontae Johnson, Gunner Olszewski, George Pickens, and Allen Robinson II.
The Steelers already had some top talent in last year’s group, and what they’ll put together at camp this year should be interesting to watch.
Before we talk about the newer faces, let’s look at the guys who garnered the most attention last season.
Johnson signed a contract extension last offseason and looks to bounce back after he went all of 2022 without a touchdown reception. Now that he’s had an opportunity to build more of a rapport with quarterback Kenny Pickett, who enters his second season as the presumed starter, Johnson – one of the best route-runners in the league – should get plenty of opportunities to show whether he can get back on track.
Pickens, who was a highlight-reel-stealing rookie last season, looks good entering camp and is in prime position to garner one of the top two receiver spots on the 2023 Steelers roster.
The question, then, comes down to what type of offensive scheme Pittsburgh will run this upcoming season and how many receivers they’ll fully roster. Austin, Robinson, Boykin, and Olszewski seem to be early frontrunners, but things could easily change once the real battles begin in camp.
While Austin enters his first true season in the NFL after being forced onto injured/reserved his rookie year, Robinson enters his tenth pro season and adds veteran depth with Boykin.
Former fourth-rounder Hakeem Butler, who was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals out of Iowa State University, and spent time at the Green Bay Packers camp, tore things up this spring in the XFL with the St. Louis Battlehawks. If Butler, a tall lanky receiver that has had dynamic play in the past, can show he’s still got it, then Pickett will have plenty of targets to throw to.
That leaves question marks about how the Steelers utilize a crowded receivers group. Bradley, Chisena, Fitzpatrick, and White are all relatively untested receivers entering their second official year in the league. Byrd is completely untested.
Bradley spent the last two years with the Cleveland Browns but has played in just eight regular season games, recorded nine receptions for 124 yards, and didn’t make his NFL debut until Week 12 of the 2020 NFL season.
Chisena was with the Minnesota Vikings from 2020-22 until he was signed by Pittsburgh and has played in just 27 games, primarily on special teams (11 tackles, one fumble recovery), and made his NFL debut in Week 1 of 2020.
Fitzpatrick, who was with the Tennessee Titans in 2021 and 2022, has played in just five regular season games, has recorded five receptions, and made his NFL debut in Week 10 of the 2021 season.
White, who was with the Steelers in 2021 and 2022, was very limited in his usage, playing in just 16 career games and catching six passes; he earned two tackles on special teams in that same time period and made his NFL debut in Week 3 of the 2021 season.
Byrd, a rookie out of San Diego State, played in 58 games primarily as a running back and kick return specialist. The Steelers list him as a WR/RS on their website, making him an outlier in this group as they may only test his abilities in that limited capacity as an option versus Olszewski. Byrd averaged 25.3 yards per kickoff return (80 returns for 2,020 yards) and 6.6 yards per punt return (445 yards on 67 returns) over his collegiate career.
Overall, the receivers will be an interesting group to keep an eye on throughout camp. If we were to guess, today, how the roster would look, the “starters” seem to be already set. That would be overly presumptive, however, as individuals may have breakout moments that set them apart or show glaring weaknesses. That’s the exciting nature of training camp and the preseason games: the evaluation.
Regardless, the Steelers look to have focused on athletic, taller targets for Pickett to throw to in 2023, and that’s creating excitement and buzz. The Steelers can’t afford to have under 10 touchdowns through the air this upcoming season and improve their competitive edge. The receivers Pittsburgh has entering camp look to make those numbers improve dramatically due to Pickett’s next level of NFL experience and upgrades to the offensive line.
