Beat Writers Skeptical Steelers Will Add Large Receiver Earlier than Coaching Camp

The Steelers want to evaluate the wide receiver position in training camp before investing in one, Gerry Dulac senses. In his recent chat session for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, he alluded to that very thing on multiple occasions.

Asked if he expected the Steelers to pursue “another weapon”—that is, a wide receiver—before training camp, he responded, “I wouldn’t hold my breath. I don’t think you are going to see any big-time weapon, that’s for sure.”

Ever since the Steelers traded George Pickens, the narrative that they need another wide receiver has dominated discussions involving Pittsburgh. Internally, however, they appear to be high on Calvin Austin III and Roman Wilson. The former is in his fourth season and had something of a minor breakout season last year. The latter is a 2024 third-round pick who didn’t get to contribute due to injuries.

Historically, the Steelers have been comfortable entering training camp with question marks and letting the roster sort itself out. Once a position group proves deficient, they will make a move and acquire somebody. Is that how the Steelers feel about their wide receiver room right now?

Although Pittsburgh brought in free-agent wide receiver Gabe Davis, it’s hard to gauge their true urgency. As time goes by, Dulac seems less and less convinced that they feel as much pressure as those on the outside. Asked if the Steelers will add a starting wide receiver, he said, “Not before camp.”

Indeed, asked if there are any whispers about which wide receiver the Steelers might add as a starter, he said none, “because I’m not sure they are going to do that.” If they don’t, then that means Austin, Wilson, or perhaps Robert Woods is a starter.

It’s worth noting that Dulac isn’t alone in this. Mike DeFabo of The Athletic also shared similar sentiments recently. Writing about the wide receiver position for The Athletic, he offered, “I get the sense the Steelers want to see what they have in camp.” He added he “could see the Steelers going into camp with the current group.”

Teams make investments in players for a reason, and they know their players better than those on the outside. If Roman Wilson is showing signs of a starting-caliber wide receiver, the Steelers would see it, not us.

WR coach Zach Azzanni has already said that Calvin Austin is a starter, and presumably, he is not alone. If the Steelers really had concerns about the position, they could have drafted a wide receiver. Or they could have decided not to trade George Pickens. The fact that they did both of these things could be taken as an indication of their thinking.

Then again, this is a team that tried all offseason and failed to trade for a wide receiver last year. They continued to pursue options through the trade deadline, all the while expressing their belief in their current group. Since then, they have swapped out Pickens for DK Metcalf and Van Jefferson for Robert Woods. And they are comfortable with this? We’ll see in a month or so. There is still plenty of time to make a move once training camp starts.