Steelers linked to an old friend who could fix their receiver problems next to George Pickens

The Pittsburgh Steelers' WR room took a hit when Diontae Johnson was traded to the Carolina Panthers early in the offseason. Say what you will about Johnson's performance last season, but he was undeniably important to the Pittsburgh offense. Even with the off-field spats and lapses in effort, Johnson was able to accrue 717 yards and five touchdowns in 13 games.

Without Johnson, the Steelers' WR corps looks a little bare once you move past George Pickens on the depth chart. New OC Arthur Smith brought over Van Jefferson, Scotty Miller, and Cordarelle Patterson from Atlanta, but the Steelers prominently lack an established WR2 who can stretch the defense and draw attention away from Pickens.

Unfortunately, we have arrived at the point in the offseason where such wideouts are in short supply. Unless Pittsburgh can pull off a blockbuster trade for Brandon Aiyuk or Deebo Samuel, the market isn't exactly rife with opportunity. There is, however, one potential option that could appeal to certain members of the fanbase.

The New England Patriots are widely expected to cut ties with JuJu Smith-Schuster in the near future. Mark Kaboly of The Athletic believes Pittsburgh would consider a reunion if the one-time Pro Bowl wideout becomes available, citing the lack of alternative options in a recent appearance on 97.3 The Fan (h/t Steelers Depot)

"They’d probably give him a call. I mean, at this point, you gotta look at anybody. At this point, there’s not a lot of people that are gonna come free at this time in the year. You’re basically gonna have to trade for somebody. If you’re gonna cut somebody, it’s gonna be still iffy."

Steelers could dial up JuJu Smith-Schuster if Patriots waive talented WR

There has never been much doubt about JuJu Smith-Schuster's talent. He's not the most electric athlete, but he's 6-foot-1, 215 pounds with the route-running chops to create big plays and provide a stable outlet for his QB.

That said, inconsistency has been an ongoing issue for the 27-year-old. It has been mostly downhill since Smith-Schuster's lone Pro Bowl appearance back in 2018, his second NFL season. He was downright terrible for New England in 2023, struggling to find any footing in the Bill O'Brien offense. Across 11 games (seven starts), the former second-round pick registered 29 catches on 47 targets for 260 yards and one touchdown. Not great — especially in the context of his three-year, $25 million contract.

New England underwent an overhaul on the coaching front this offseason. New OC Alex Van Pelt could, in theory, unlock a new dimension for Smith-Schuster. That just doesn't appear likely, though, especially after New England invested in WR help on draft night.

Smith-Schuster is a bad taste the Patriots probably want to wash out, not unlike Mac Jones. If that happens, of course Pittsburgh should consider a dirt-cheap, risk-free investment. The market shouldn't be too competitive and Smith-Schuster played his best football to date under Mike Tomlin and the Steelers.

And, for what it's worth, Arthur Smith is a great offensive coordinator for mid-tier wideouts. He gets everybody involved and understands how to maximize niche, often overlooked playmakers. That doesn't always bode well for the real heavy-hitters atop the depth chart, but Smith-Schuster could benefit from an egalitarian scheme that uses him all over the field.