Through four weeks, the Steelers’ receiver room has gone from a project to a problem.
Pittsburgh spent another offseason trying to fix the position, but the results have been rough. There’s been the occasional splash play, yet nobody is separating with any consistency, and Aaron Rodgers has not been able to fully capitalize when opportunities have appeared.
DK Metcalf has struggled, Roman Wilson has been up and down, Germie Bernard hasn’t had much of a chance to make an impact, and Michael Pittman Jr. has been a complete non-factor. For a team that needs more juice, the answer may be outside the building.
Quentin Johnston is one name that fits.
He never quite became the early first-round star some expected, but he has still carved out value as a solid secondary target who can win downfield. Over the past two seasons, he posted more than 700 receiving yards and eight touchdowns in each year.
This season has been different. In Mike McDaniel’s offense, Johnston has become an afterthought, catching seven passes for just over 100 yards in four games.
With the Chargers struggling and a possible roster overhaul looming after the season, he looks like a player who needs a fresh start. Even with his fifth-year option picked up, his contract would be manageable if Pittsburgh decided to keep him beyond this year.
Tyreek Hill is another possibility, and his appeal is obvious for a Steelers offense that can’t separate, create after the catch, or stretch the field.
Hill is getting healthy again, and even if his speed and athleticism have started to fade with age, there’s still plenty left in the tank. He can line up anywhere and hurt defenses in multiple ways.
The catch is obvious: he hasn’t played in a while, and he’d need time to ramp back up and get into game shape. But if he gets there, he could be a strong complementary piece.
He also wouldn’t cost a draft pick, which makes the risk easier to stomach for a team that needs to try something.
Brian Thomas Jr. might be the most intriguing name of the three.
As a rookie, he burst onto the scene and looked like a dynamic playmaker with Rookie of the Year buzz. Then Liam Coen took over, and the fit never seemed right.
Now Thomas has just nine catches through four games and looks like an afterthought, even with Parker Washington taking on a bigger role. Like Johnston, he appears to be stuck in an offense where he isn’t being used to his strengths.
Pittsburgh could change that. The quarterback play would have to improve, but Thomas could help drive that improvement too.
In the Steelers’ system, he would likely get plenty of chances and could give Metcalf a dangerous running mate. The long-term control is part of the appeal as well: Thomas is only entering his third year, giving the Steelers at least two seasons to evaluate him before the fifth-year option comes into play.
There’s no guarantee he gets back to form, but among receivers who could actually be available, he stands out. The Steelers should be asking.
In Other News...
Broncos Finally Get A Chance To Fix Whats Holding This Offense Back
The Broncos have spent the early part of the season fighting for answers on offense, and now they get a chance to make some progress against a Chargers team dealing with plenty of its own problems. Los Angeles is still looking for its first win, and the issues around Jim Harbaugh, Justin Herbert and new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniels system have made that side of the matchup far from clean. For Denver, it is the kind of opponent that can either provide a reset or expose how much work still remains.
After a stretch against stronger competition, the Broncos should see this as an opportunity to finally settle some of the things that have held the offense back. But a winless team can be a dangerous one if it is treated like a soft landing spot, especially in the AFC West where little margin exists for careless football. Denver does not just need the result, it needs proof that the offense can take advantage when the matchup is there. [Read more 🡒]
Marvin Mims' Costly Mistake Has Broncos Fans Asking About Accountability
Marvin Mims spent the aftermath of a rough outing doing what players are supposed to do after a mistake, even if the admission was uncomfortable. The Broncos wide receiver said he did not go back and review the film on the play where he fumbled, and he went so far as to call it possibly his worst NFL game. For a Denver offense still trying to find cleaner execution, the moment landed as another reminder of how thin the margin can be when a key touch turns into a turnover.
The larger conversation around accountability did not stop with Mims, either. Former Broncos linebacker Dre Greenlaw took aim at Sean Payton after the game, and Payton did not push back in his postgame availability, instead responding positively to Greenlaws comments. Meanwhile, across the division, Raiders coach Klint Kubiak was already talking about changing the approach around Ashton Jeanty and Mike Washington, a sign that coaches on both sidelines are feeling the pressure to fix problems before they harden. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos May Need One Eagles Move Before The Trade Market Shifts
Philadelphias roster has already started to look different in the wake of the Cam Jurgens trade, and that kind of movement can reshape the market before the rest of the league catches up. The Eagles are dealing with a changing front as well, with Lane Johnson retired and the club sitting at 2-2, which makes any evaluation of their veteran talent more interesting for teams watching for an opening.
From Denvers side, the name worth tracking is Zack Baun, the inside linebacker who has recently earned both Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro recognition. His contract is considered movable, and if the Eagles decide to keep adjusting their roster, the Broncos could make sense as a team ready to act before trade talks around the league shift into a more crowded market. [Read more 🡒]