Steelers 2024 Roster vs. Predicted 2025 Roster, Wide Receiver Edition

Moving on to the next position group, we will compare my predicted 2025 positional groups to the 2024 group. And this edition, we are going to look into the Wide Receiver room, which has had plenty of discussion surrounding it, with plenty of high-profile moves happening in both incomings and outgoings. This makes me very excited when it comes to comparing because there is so much to break down.

George Pickens vs DK Metcalf

On a personal level, Pickens was a player I truly believed in when it came to his talent, and I think he may not have been managed well during his time with the Steelers. That said, it is also true that he hurt his own value on multiple occasions. This is where I see DK Metcalf as a clear upgrade, even though he can also be emotional on the field.

When it comes to his physical profile, Metcalf is a rare type of athlete. He is arguably one of the most impressive physical specimens in professional sports. While he is not an elite route runner and is not known for winning contested catches, which Pickens was out of this world at, his overall abilities make him a better option than Pickens.

Grade: Better

Van Jefferson vs Calvin Austin

It seems a bit disingenuous to list Jefferson as the number two over Calvin based on last year, but the Steelers gave Jefferson a significant workload relative to his overall ability and career performance. Calvin, on the other hand, has made major strides as a route runner and is no longer just a speed-based gadget player. Austin finished last season with 548 yards and 4 touchdowns, which effectively made him the team’s number two by the end of the year. However, in my opinion, that was more a case of him exceeding his expected role.

Looking ahead to this season, I believe Austin will continue to develop and outperform both his draft position and the expectations that followed his sophomore campaign. Still, relying on him as a true number two in what will hopefully be a league-average offence does leave me slightly skeptical about the strength of the receiver group overall.

Grade: Better

Calvin Austin vs Roman Wilson

This one will be brief because we have already discussed Calvin in detail. We know what he was in 2024: a solid contributor. Wilson, on the other hand, redshirted his rookie season due to an injury, which prevented him from jumping onto a moving train, so to speak. As a player, he was viewed as a speed slot option coming out of Michigan, which may overlap somewhat with Austin’s skill set because of their similar frames.

Wilson is not the elite route runner some had projected based solely on his profile, but he does show tenacity and good quickness. I’m excited to see what he brings, but calling this an upgrade would be misleading because we simply do not know what Wilson is yet.

Grade: Worse

Mike Williams vs Robert Woods

Williams was brought in at the trade deadline after being linked to the Steelers last offseason, as they looked for a midseason spark to pair with George Pickens. He made a game-winning touchdown grab in his first appearance as a Steeler, but after that, he saw just 13 total targets, making his half-season stint extremely underwhelming.

Woods, on the other hand, is the classic power slot in the NFL, though he is well past his prime as a receiver. What can he provide to the Steelers this year? Leadership, a reliable safety blanket on short routes, and solid blocking ability. He won’t light up the stat sheet, but the value he brings off the field may end up being his most important contribution to the group this season.

Grade: Wash

Ben Skowronek vs Ben Skowronek

This guy is a fan favourite for a reason. He consistently makes big plays on special teams and handles the dirty work whenever his number is called on offense. His 2024 stats won’t jump off the page, but his value goes well beyond the box score. If he makes the 53-man roster this upcoming season, I expect another solid year from Skowronek.

Grade: Wash

All in all, I think the top-end talent is the deciding factor in whether this receiver room is better, and DK Metcalf swings the pendulum in favor of the 2025 roster. That said, this by no means makes it a great group, as many of the concerns from last year still apply. If Metcalf goes down, the team could find itself in trouble just like it did when Pickens was unavailable. There is slightly more upside this time around, as Wilson should have some room to grow, but ultimately, the difference between the two groups comes down to the 150-million-dollar man.

As always, we want to hear from you! Where do you sit on this comparison?