Roughly a week before the start of the 2024 NFL season, Steelers fans were met with disappointment to learn that Brandon Aiyuk is not coming to Pittsburgh. The 49ers star receiver inked an extension with his current team that will keep him in San Francisco for the foreseeable future.
There's no question that this was Pittsburgh's best shot at landing a difference-maker who could move the needle for their offense, as most teams aren't willing to part with No. 1 wide receiver. Now the Steelers are going to have to make things work with what they have for the time being.
When roster cutdowns were finished, Mike Tomlin and his coaching staff elected to devote five spots to the wide receiver position: George Pickens, Roman Wilson, Van Jefferson, Calvin Austin III, and Scotty Miller. This group is underwhelming on paper.
After the door was slammed shut on an Aiyuk trade, Omar Khan and the front office worked on putting the final touches on the practice squad. Joining the group was wide receiver, Ben Skowronek.
Since entering the league as a seventh-round pick in 2021, Skowronek has been nothing special as a receiver. He has recorded a mere 9.9. yards per reception in three seasons while managing just 6.2 yards per target when the ball is thrown his way.
Still, there's reason to get excited about this practice squad signing.
At 6'3'' and 220 pounds with 33 1/4'' arms and 10 1/8'' hands, Skowronek has a massive frame at the wide receiver position. This helps him lock on and redirect smaller defensive backs in run-block situations. As a member of the Rams for his first three seasons, the big wide receiver excelled in this area of his game.
This is exactly the type of player Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith loves to work with. As the head coach of the Falcons, Smith found a role for wide receiver Mack Hollins. Despite catching just 18 of 30 passes in 2023, Hollins logged 345 offensive snaps thanks to his ability to help in the running game as a blocker.
Hollins' 6'4'', 221-pound frame is extremely similar to that of Skowronek, and their roles could be used interchangeably for an Arthur Smith wide zone offense. It's almost like Skowronek was made to play for this coach.
Skowronek's special teams' presence can't go unnoticed either. He was a staple in this department during his time in Los Angeles. Last year, Skowronek racked up 327 special teams snaps.
We don't want to get ahead of ourselves here. Skowronek is only on the practice squad, and to have any relevance to the Steelers at all, he will need to get called up to the roster. This is a move I'd almost expect over the coming weeks.
Right now, Pittsburgh has an overlap at the slot receiver position, and when rookie WR Roman Wilson gets up to speed, veteran Scotty Miller could become expendable -- paving the way for a Skowkonek promotion.
If this happens, don't expect him to provide a spark in the passing game. That's simply not what he does. Instead, he's a chess piece who gives Arthur Smith what his offense needs: a guy who can line up anywhere on the field and is willing to put his body on the line for the sake of the team as a blocker.
