Second-year wide receiver Sammie Coates has made an impact for the Pittsburgh Steelers this year as a deep-ball threat. In the team’s first five games, Coates has a reception of at least 40 yards in each game. With Martavis Bryant serving a year-long suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy, Coates has stepped up and filled Bryant’s cleats nicely. Bryant’s issues off of the field, coupled with fellow wide receiver Markus Wheaton’s lack of production and expiring contract, pave the way for Coates becoming a crucial part of the Steelers offense for the foreseeable future.
Sammie Coates Solidifying Himself as a Starting Wide Receiver
Along with having a reception of at least 40 yards in each game this year, Coates has six receptions in each of the Steelers last two games. In fact, Coates trails Antonio Brown for the team’s lead in receiving yards by just 26 yards. Brown has 447 receiving yards and five touchdowns compared to Coates’ 421 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Coates’ big play ability is what sets him apart from Brown though. So far this season, Coates is averaging 22 yards per reception compared to only 12 yards per reception for Brown. Brown’s dependability, paired with Coates’ ability to break open a game at any moment with a long reception from Ben Roethlisberger, will be a deadly combination for the Steelers offense.
Martavis Bryant’s Off-The-Field Issues
Martavis Bryant has been the Steelers big play threat in recent years, but his off-the-field issues have limited his playing time. Bryant totaled 765 receiving yards and six touchdowns last season, with 15 yards per reception. So far this season, Coates is on pace for 1,347 receiving yards and six touchdowns. Bryant is set to make $690,000 in 2017 when he returns to the team. Bryant’s contract expires after the 2017 season. He’ll need to produce big numbers next year, not to mention stay out of trouble, in order to warrant an extension from the Steelers.
Steelers Wide Receivers’ Contracts
Coates’ rookie contract is through 2018, with him making an average of $660,000 over the next two seasons. He’ll make $700,000 in 2018. Wheaton is in the final year of his contract, making roughly $1.7 million this season. Over the past two seasons, Wheaton has averaged 696.5 receiving yards and 3.5 touchdowns. After starting 2016 with an injury, Wheaton has only four receptions for 51 yards and a touchdown this season. It’s hard to see how the Steelers could justify resigning Wheaton after this year with his lack of production over the past few seasons. Add in the facts that Bryant has another year left on his contract and Coates has seemingly taken over the number two receiver spot, and it’s pretty clear that Wheaton won’t be wearing a Steelers jersey next year.
Star wide receiver Antonio Brown is under contract through 2017 before becoming an unrestricted free agent in 2018. Brown restructured his contract before the 2016 season and is now making roughly $8.9 million a year over the next two years. It’s highly unlikely that the Steelers will let their best player leave, so that makes it hard to keep Bryant as well. Even though he’s made mistakes, Bryant’s talent will generate plenty of interest from other NFL teams, and likely much more money than the Steelers would be willing to pay.
Coates is Next in Line for Success as a Steelers Wide Receiver
Expect Markus Wheaton and Martavis Bryant to be gone in the next two years, but there’s no need for Steelers fans to worry. Sammie Coates has made his presence felt and has solidified himself as a weapon in the Steelers offense for years to come…or at least until his contract expires. As impressive as Coates has been so far this season, the Steelers have an excellent track record of drafting talented wide receivers. Before Santonio Holmes, there was Plaxico Burress. After Holmes, there was Mike Wallace. After Wallace, there was Emmanuel Sanders. After Sanders, there was Antonio Brown, followed by Wheaton and Bryant. Coates is the next talented wide receiver in line to succeed in the Steelers offense, and he’ll likely pass the torch on to another younger, cheaper wide receiver in the future.
