Leader in clubhouse for Steelers WR2 job should raise alarm bells

The Pittsburgh Steelers will begin the 2024 campaign with... mixed expectations. The team appears to be hovering in a strange middle ground. Their personnel moves all suggest a determination to contend. Russell Wilson is an experienced, highly accomplished quarterback. Arthur Smith is a former head coach tasked with revamping a dying offense. The Steelers have never finished below .500 under Mike Tomlin and that ought not change this season.

But, at the same time, we all know Russ isn't exactly prime Russ. Smith was highly touted as an offensive tactician when the Atlanta Falcons hired him, but Atlanta's offense was persistently mediocre despite a wealth of playmaking talent at his disposal. We don't need to worry about the Pittsburgh defense, but there's no reason to believe the offense is suddenly elite. Pittsburgh will be lucky if the offense is watchable.

That's especially true if general manager Omar Khan and the front office don't work overtime to improve the playmaking corps around Russ (or Justin Fields). Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren form a respectable 1-2 punch in the backfield, but the Steelers can't build a competitive offense around only the run — as much as Smith will try to. The Steelers need to develop a viable passing attack, too.

Russ can still make simple reads and effectively pull strings in the pocket, but right now, his only truly proven pass-catching weapon is George Pickens. The young UGA product is a bonafide WR1 and a gifted athlete with room to grow in a more mature locker room. Thing is, though, it generally takes more than one solid wideout to really establish a passing attack. Especially around an average to below-average QB.

The leader in the clubhouse for the Steelers' WR2 job right now is Van Jefferson, according to Mark Kaboly of The Athletic. Jefferson spent part of last season in Atlanta with Arthur Smith. His career-high for receiving yards in a season is 802, which he accomplished in his sophomore campaign with the Los Angeles Rams. That was the only time Jefferson has been a full-time starter in the NFL. Last season, he appeared in 17 games (five starts) and managed a meager 20 receptions for 209 yards. He didn't score a single touchdown.

Van Jefferson in 'pole position' for Steelers' WR2 job

This is pretty dire stuff for the Steelers, who have danced around potential WR trades all offseason. Brandon Aiyuk still hasn't hammered out an extension with the San Francisco 49ers, but there's little guarantee he actually becomes available in a trade. Then, even if he does, Aiyuk could just as easily end up in Washington or somewhere else. The Steelers' options are running thin.

Pittsburgh missed the chance to land an explosive pass-catcher in the NFL Draft, waiting until the third round to select Michigan slot receiver Roman Wilson. Even if the 5-foot-10 speedster exceeds expectations, it's unwise for so-called contenders to put absolute faith in a rookie. The Steelers need a sure-handed vet to ease the burden on Pickens, and Jefferson simply is not built for that role. He would profile much better as Russ' third or fourth option.

Holding out for a trade is essentially the equivalent of throwing darts in a pitch-black room at this point. Aiyuk? Courtland Sutton? Who are the Steelers waiting on? Who is actually going to be available this late in the offseason (or early in the preseason)? At this point, there's a good chance the Steelers are done waiting. Perhaps the front office has moved on, focusing on the current group and retaining flexibility for a midseason trade if the Van Jefferson-WR2 plan goes awry (as it certainly will).

This is a risky game for Pittsburgh to play. The offense has too many noticeable holes to proceed with confidence. Even if you're optimistic about Smith's play-calling in a more streamlined capacity, George Pickens alone cannot lead this Steelers offense to the promised land. At best, the Steelers can hope to keep their heads above water while relying on a bit of that Mike Tomlin magic dust to power through a challenging AFC schedule.