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As the Pittsburgh Steelers begin their offseason programme, most experts believe the team is still without a No. 2 wide receiver. The Steelers have added numerous veterans, but none of them inspire confidence in their ability to replace Diontae Johnson’s output. But perhaps they don’t need to.
We began poring over the offence that new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith intends to use. No, not his work as head coach of the Atlanta Falcons. We are going to pretend that did not happen. We are referring to Smith’s two seasons as the Tennessee Titans’ offensive coordinator. Specifically, in 2020, the Titans possessed one of the most formidable and balanced offences in the league.
Here’s how the passing offense broke down in 2020:
WR A.J. Brown – 70 receptions, 1,075 yards
WR Corey Davis – 65 receptions, 984 yards
TE Jonnu Smith – 41 receptions, 448 yards
FB Anthony Firsker – 39 receptions, 387 yards
WR Adam Humphries – 23 receptions, 228 yards
RB Derrick Henry – 19 receptions, 114 yards
RB Jeremy McNichols – 12 receptions, 55 yards
WR Cameron Batson – 12 receptions, 100 yards.
This is every player who caught at least 10 passes that season. The Steelers might not have a Corey Davis on the roster physically but if we remove A.J. Brown from the equation, with George Pickens in that role, there’s no reason to believe the rest of the Steelers skill players cannot pick up the slack. In particular, the production by Smith at tight end is paltry in comparison to what Freiermuth is capable of and 70 receptions by backs is light work for Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren. So who gets the rest if we assume those three can pick up some of the slack on those 65 catches? Rookie Roman Wilson has a perfect opportunity along with veteran Van Jefferson to be highly productive with the amount of attention the run game is going to get. Landing another wide receiver might not be a priority after all.
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