Steelers latest free-agent target really doesn't solve any of their problems
By Lior Lampert
It is beginning to feel like the Pittsburgh Steelers will be named any time a disgruntled veteran wide receiver's name comes up in trade rumors until they land one, even if said player may not profile as an ideal archetype or resolve their problems, as is the case with former Las Vegas Raiders slot man Hunter Renfrow.
Renfrow was released by the Raiders earlier this offseason as a cap casualty, leading him to the open market, and Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report recently labeled the former Las Vegas receiver as a free-agent target the Steelers should pursue after the 2024 NFL Draft. While he is not an incompetent receiver by any stretch of the imagination and is only two seasons removed from making a Pro Bowl appearance, he does not fit the bill of the type of No. 2 wideout Pittsburgh is searching for to lineup on the perimeter with George Pickens.
Steelers latest free-agent target really doesn't solve any of their problems
As Knox alludes to, Steelers third-round pick Roman Wilson "has a good chance to step in as Pittsburgh's new primary slot receiver," already putting Renfrow at a disadvantage if he signed with the team. Moreover, tight end Pat Freiermuth also breads his butter in the middle of the field as a seam-stretching pass-catcher, effectively rendering the former Raider useless unless he can find ways to reinvent his game as an outside option, something he has been unable to do through his first five years in the NFL.
Not only has Renfrow shown an inability to produce outside of the slot, but he has continued to drift away from lining up wide, logging a career-low 8.1 percent of his snaps ($) from there in 2023.
Are the Steelers not confident in their selection of Wilson, someone regarded as a sleeper of his draft class who projects to be among the most impactful rookies in 2024? Otherwise, the potential addition of Renfrow is not very logical, albeit he would provide Pittsburgh with additional positional depth and an experienced receiver.
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