The Pittsburgh Steelers double dipped at WR last year in the draft, selecting George Pickens and Calvin Austin III in attempt to add youth and playmaking to a WR core desperate for more splash plays. Pickens came through wonderfully for Pittsburgh as a rookie, but Austin’s rookie season was lost before it began due to a foot injury suffered in training camp.
While the team expects Austin to join Pickens and Diontae Johnson in the lineup in 2023, having lost WR Chase Claypool via a trade during the season and Steven Sims to the Texans in free agency, Pittsburgh would be wise to add another playmaker to the room in the draft that can play the slot, providing insurance should Austin not be ready for a full-time role in essentially his first season.