Complete Set: Steelers Finally Built Big and Star-Studded WR Room

Wide receiver is no longer a glaring weakness and instead has become a strength for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Oct 12, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf (4) makes a catch for a touchdown during the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images | Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

Following yet another year where their lack of both talent and depth at wide receiver was apparent and hindered their offense to an almost irredeemable level, the Pittsburgh Steelers knew they had their work cut out for them this offseason.

While the Steelers did not make a splash at the position in free agency like many anticipated they would, the franchise instead went the trade route and acquired Michael Pittman Jr., alongside a 2026 seventh-round pick, from the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for a 2027 seventh-rounder.

Pittsburgh allocated some of the funds that were likely earmarked for a receiver on the open market and used them to sign Pittman Jr. to a three-year, $59 million extension, locking him in as the No. 2 option next to DK Metcalf.

Dec 7, 2025; Jacksonville, Florida, USA;Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (11) warms up before an NFL game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Travis Register-Imagn Images | Travis Register-Imagn Images

With two bigger-bodied, veteran targets on the outside, the Steelers first attempted to select USC receiver Makai Lemon with the No. 21 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft and put him in the slot to round out the receiver room.

After the Philadelphia Eagles traded up with the Dallas Cowboys at No. 20 and selected Lemon, however, Pittsburgh later traded up from No. 53 to No. 47 in the second round in order to make sure they landed Alabama's Germie Bernard.

Then, on Day 3, the Steelers took Iowa's Kaden Wetjen in the fourth round before choosing Navy's Eli Heidenreich with their final pick of the draft in the seventh round.

The team now has their most complete receiver room of the 2020s, which comes with a diversity of skill sets that should make the offense flow easier and open up more lanes for them to beat opposing defenses through the air.

How All the Pieces Fit Together

Metcalf, who remains the unquestioned No. 1 receiver heading into the season, had 43.7 percent of his targets in 2025 come within zero to nine yards of the line of scrimmage (LOS), according to Pro Football Focus.

That was up from 38.0 percent in 2024, his final year with the Seattle Seahawks. Metcalf's deep target share that year, which was made up by throws that came 20 or more yards from the LOS, sat at 29.6, a little over 10 percentage points higher than it was during his first year in Pittsburgh (19.4 percent).

Dec 15, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf (4) scores a touchdown in the third quarter against the Miami Dolphins at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Metcalf's bread-and-butter is winning on vertical routes, and he simply didn't get a ton of looks in that regard while playing in Arthur Smith's offense. Now that head coach Mike McCarthy is in charge, though, Pittsburgh should get the 28-year-old going in that area of the field once again while also being a force in the middle of the field.

Pittman Jr. is not a great separator and doesn't have the necessary speed to consistently win down the field. Where he does thrive, though, is in the short and intermediate game, where a combined 83.6 percent of his targets and 708 of his 793 yards came in 2025, per PFF.

With his nuanced route-running, strong hands and big frame (6-foot-4), Pittman Jr. should act as a safety blanket for Aaron Rodgers or whoever is starting at quarterback for the Steelers in 2026 while Metcalf gets the best of defensive backs deep.

Bernard, meanwhile, has inside-out versatility, evidenced by his 487 snaps on the outside and 308 reps from the slot at Alabama in 2025, and was most commonly targeted in the intermediate passing game last year at 35.3 percent.

Dec 6, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Alabama wide receiver Germie Bernard (5) runs with the ball after making a catch during the game with Georgia at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News | Gary Cosby Jr. / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Another receiver with good size for the Steelers at 6-foot-1 and 206 pounds, Bernard uses his frame to his advantage and isn't afraid to get physical and is good with the ball in his hands as a do-it-all-type receiver that doesn't have any glaring weaknesses.

The Backups and TEs

Wetjen and Heidenreich might not have large roles as rookies, with the latter not even being a lock to make the 53-man roster, but the former could do some damage as a designed touch candidate on jet sweeps and screens due to his speed while the latter is a Swiss Army knife who can be used out of the backfield or the slot.

Special teams ace Ben Skowronek is yet another big, physical receiver in Pittsburgh, but his role on offense will likely dwindle with the team's new additions after playing 159 snaps on that side of the ball last offseason.

It remains to be seen if Roman Wilson can break through in his third year or not, but the Steelers sure hope he puts it all together as a quick option out of the slot who also showed off his reliable hands at Michigan.

The tight ends, on the other hand, will get plenty of looks, with Pat Freiermuth profiling as one of the more dynamic receiving threats at the position out of the slot while Darnell Washington is a massive target in the short passing game that's impossible to bring down.

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