Steelers Scenario Series, Part 4: Best and Worst Cases for the Wide Receivers
The 2025 Pittsburgh Steelers roster is an intriguing mix of fresh talent and seasoned veterans on both sides of the ball, and each position group will have it’s own challenges to develop into an efficient, productive squad like the Front Office and Coaching Staff envision them to be. The Steelers don’t do hard resets and they never plan to be bad, and that philosophy brings with it the expectation for each group to provide winning level play every year.
With recent Draft picks looking to find their footing, new Free Agent and Trade acquisitions getting acclimated, and familiar faces returning for another year, there’s a lot of variables that play into fielding a winning roster. In this series, we’ll identify a “lynchpin” player (player who’s success or failure will most heavily impact the group) and a rising star for each position, as well as determine the best- and worst-case scenarios for the 2025 season based on the current roster.
Up next: the Wide Receivers
Previous:
Offensive Line
Quarterbacks
Running Backs
ON THE ROSTER
DK Metcalf, Calvin Austin III, Robert Woods, Roman Wilson, Ben Skowronek, Scotty Miller, Roc Taylor, Ke’Shawn Williams, Lance McCutcheon, Brandon Johnson, Montana Lemonious-Craig
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
Lynchpin Player: DK Metcalf
Rising Star: Roman Wilson
BEST CASE SCENARIO
The trade for DK Metcalf gives the Steelers a true, consistent WR1 who can separate at the line of scrimmage as well as down the field without reliance on inefficient 50/50 toss-ups outside the numbers. Calvin Austin III continues his growth as a viable underneath weapon from the slot, adding consistent playmaking to his homerun, deep-threat ability. 2024 3rd-Round pick Roman Wilson rebounds from an injury-lost Rookie season and slots in as a true WR2 as the explosive, inside-outside playmaker the Steelers hoped he could be. Robert Woods turns back the clock a couple years and operates as a chain-mover, run-blocker, and veteran leader in a young room.
WORST CASE SCENARIO
DK Metcalf either gets hurt or garners too much attention from opposing secondaries with neither Calvin Austin III nor Roman Wilson stepping up to provide a consistent 2nd option in the passing game at WR. Robert Woods looks old and slow, and with the lack of explosive options through the air, the passing game ends up relying on depth pieces like Ben Skowronek and Scotty Miller to provide something of a spark for the offense.
Kinda hoped for the acquisition of a WR2 under Best Case… this does describe what Pgh has going on today pretty well, though.
My best case is that CAIII continues to improve. I like him more than a lot as an outside WR2. Roman Wilson is an interesting ad. He did a lot of things at Michigan. I can see him being a rookie level Johnson. I am also someone that thinks Skowronek can be more than just a special teams guy.
I think they are in the same boat as last year in that if Metcalf gets hurt they will be limited at WR.
a true Pittsburgh Steelers fan, since the 70’s I just hope Aaron Rodgers get the ball a lot to Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington a lot and 2nd also get the ball a lot to Calvin Austin lll and Roman Wilson not to only D.K. Metcalf