The Steelers finally attacked one of their biggest roster issues this offseason, and they did it with a move that feels tailor-made for the job. After years without a true No. 2 wideout, Pittsburgh went out and got Michael Pittman Jr., then locked him in with a three-year, $59 million extension.
The deal came on the first day of the legal tampering period in March, when the Steelers sent a 2026 sixth-round pick to the Indianapolis Colts and received Pittman Jr. plus a 2026 seventh-rounder. It was an aggressive swing to give DK Metcalf a legitimate running mate.
Pittman Jr. fits the role in a very specific way. He’s the kind of receiver who gives an offense stability: a high-floor veteran, dependable in traffic, and the sort of target Aaron Rodgers should be able to trust quickly. At 28, he has taken a few steps back as he moves into the back half of his career, but he’s still a good receiver who should produce at a solid level in Mike McCarthy’s offense.
What Pittman Jr. is not, though, is a flashy separator or a burner who wins with explosive athleticism. He isn’t built to be the same kind of dynamic threat as Metcalf, and anyone expecting that kind of game is going to come away disappointed.
His value comes from the areas that matter on money downs. At 6-foot-4, Pittman Jr. is a tough cover in the short and intermediate parts of the field.
He uses his size well, catches the ball with strong hands, and gives defensive backs problems whether he’s working over the middle or outside the numbers. On third downs, he’s the kind of receiver defenses have to account for.
He won’t shake a lot of tacklers or consistently stretch the field with speed, but he should be a dependable outlet for Rodgers. With Metcalf handling the No. 1 role and the vertical work, Pittman Jr. projects more as a chain-mover and safety net than a stat-stuffer.
That’s why a 1,000-yard season may be too much to expect in an offense that now has plenty of weapons. Pittman Jr. hasn’t hit that mark since 2023, and a more realistic range looks like 800 to 900 yards with five or six touchdowns. A workload of four to six catches per game would fit that projection.
He also brings value beyond the box score. Pittman Jr. is a strong blocker and a respected locker room presence, which only adds to his appeal for a Steelers team trying to reach the playoffs for the fourth straight year.
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Ryan Clark Unleashed On ESPN After Stunning Exit
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Clark has since pushed back on how the move was described, saying on his podcast that he was fired and not simply caught up in a routine layoff. He also suggested the situation was more complicated inside ESPN, and while he has been outspoken about what happened, what comes next for him in NFL media remains unclear. [Read more 🡒]