Miles Boykins Becomes Option for Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers need options at wide receiver, and the Baltimore Ravens just put one on the open market they need to explore.
Miles Boykins didn't do much during his three-year NFL career, but the former Raven has enough potential to feel good about a fit in Pittsburgh. Not as a starter, but working behind Diontae Johnson and Chase Claypool adds a bigger receiver with plenty of deep threat ability to the roster.
The Fit
The Steelers don't need someone to come in and play a starting role on the outside. And as we've pointed out before, it's much more difficult to find someone to play behind Johnson and offer the same skill set he brings to the X position.
Boykins would play behind Claypool, offering a 6-foot-4 frame to replace a 6-foot-4 frame on the field. You can't get any better than taking your giant receiver off the field and replacing him with another capable giant receiver.
It would still leave Pittsburgh without a slot receiver, but the NFL Draft should be able to help them in that area.
The Connection
The Steelers aren't strangers to Boykins. They spent plenty of time scouting him during his draft process in 2019 coming out of Notre Dame.
Unfortunately, Pittsburgh went with cornerback Justin Layne with the 83rd pick, leaving Boykins to land with the Ravens 10 picks later. At the time, it made sense for the Steelers, but now it seems they could've saved some time by just drafting Boykins.
The Market
Mike Tomlin loves to explore free agent options he's done homework on in the NFL Draft process. Boykins might not have a hot market after playing just one game in 2021 before an injury-ridden year sidelined him.
Baltimore reportedly made phone calls to trade him but found no takers. So, the value can't be very high.
Signing a one-year prove it deal seams like a nice option for both sides. It gives the 25-year-old an opportunity to have a better year than the 266-yard career high in 2020. It also provides a quality backup for the Steelers. Which, removes some stress to grab two playing time-worthy additions in the draft.
Seems like a nice easy fit this late in the free agency process.
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