For the past few seasons, the Pittsburgh Steelers have boasted one of the top groups of wide receivers in the NFL. 2016 was a bit of an underachieving year for the group, and though suspensions and injuries hindered the ability to be the cream of the crop, nevertheless they still produced a decent season.
Pittsburgh Steelers 2016 Positional Overview: Wide Receivers
2016 Review
The 2016 season for the Steelers receiving corps took a major hit when mega-talent Martavis Bryant was suspended during the offseason for the entire season for violating the NFL’s substance policy. The tandem of star receiver Antonio Brown and Bryant is arguably the most dangerous combination at receiver in the league. Brown’s speed and ability to operate anywhere on the field along with Bryant’s deep ball ability and both of their abilities after the catch made them dangerous for opposing defenses. This constantly caused a dilemma where there just wasn’t enough defenders to take both of them away without neglecting the run game.
Antonio Brown brought in 106 catches for 1,284 yards and 12 touchdowns. Those numbers regressed a bit from his titanic 2014 and 2015 seasons, but the lack of a legit number two receiver allowed defenses to double and triple cover Brown more often, mainly taking away Brown’s ability to run after the catch. After posting 4.7 and 4.3 yards-after-catch (YAC) per catch in 2014 and 2015 respectively, Brown’s YAC per catch dropped significantly to 3.7. He still had a great season and in the most memorable play of the year at Heinz Field., he reached the ball across the goal line on a second effort against the rival Baltimore Ravens to secure the AFC North Division Championship.
With Bryant’s absence, there was a void to fill at the number two spot on the depth chart. Markus Wheaton, Sammie Coates, Eli Rogers, Cobi Hamilton and Darrius Heyward-Bey were candidates to fill the role. However, running back Le’Veon Bell was the team’s second-leading receiver, both in catches and receiving yards.
Markus Wheaton missed most of the season with injuries. Sammie Coates looked like he had become the team’s most reliable second option, especially with the deep ball, but Coates dealt with a broken finger most of the season and his production was limited. His finger issues caused him to drop a lot of passes and miss some significant game time. Eli Rogers is the one who became the most consistent option behind Brown. He hauled in 48 catches for 594 yards and 3 touchdowns. His inexperience showed in some bad route-running and dropped passes, but he also made some big catches, including an impressive catch on the final drive of that same game against Baltimore, just a few plays before Brown’s game-clinching touchdown.
2017 Outlook
The Steelers look to get Martavis Bryant back for the 2017 season, which will implement that dangerous tandem of him and Brown. Eli Rogers should look to build on what most would consider to be a successful 2016 season, and he gives the Steelers a legit third or fourth option. Sammie Coates, if healthy, could really make this receiving corps dangerous. Coates and Bryant are both big time deep ball threats, and they could really stretch the field for the Steelers’ quarterback, while still having Brown, Rogers, or tight ends Ladarius Green or Jesse James as options underneath.
It’s unknown if Markus Wheaton will be back as he’s an unrestricted free agent (UFA). With the Steelers possibly looking to extend Brown or Bell, it’s unclear if bringing back Wheaton is feasible. 2017 looks bright for the Steelers receivers. If they remain healthy, they have a lot of diverse options at the offense’s disposal.
Offseason Preview
Don’t expect the Steelers to make any splashes in free agency or the draft at receiver. Getting Bryant back already improves their depth and if they’re trying to give Brown a new contract, that could handcuff any money to spend on any other free agent receivers. The Steelers do like to look at skill positions in later rounds in the draft, so don’t be surprised if they spend a fourth or fifth-round pick on one. After all, star receiver Antonio Brown was a sixth-round pick. Of their current receivers, Coates is the highest draft pick of them all, and he was a third-round pick.
There have been some rumors swirling on Brown potentially being treated as a trade target for the Steelers. However unlikely it seems, it’s always something to keep an eye on when a star player gets rumored of being traded. The engine driving the rumors is more likely Brown’s off-the-field antics rather than his soon expiring contract.
The Steelers have a history of re-signing star players despite their contract being within a year of expiration. The team also has a history of disposing of some players that have issues off the field (Super Bowl XLIII MVP Santonio Holmes to name one), so that may be the reason for the rumors popping up. An Antonio Brown trade doesn’t seem likely, but it’s worth keeping tabs on this story as the offseason progresses forward. Brown is a UFA after 2017, so keep an eye out for potential talks between the team and Brown on a new contract.
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