The Pittsburgh Steelers have gotten off to a slow start in the passing game in 2024; though, that doesn't come as much of a surprise since they didn't make any flashy additions in the 2024 offseason. After trading away Diontae Johnson and leaving only George Pickens as the valuable receiver in the group, there were concerns about how it would affect the team. Pittsburgh signed wideout Van Jefferson to fill the number two spot behind Pickens, but hasn't made any plays on the field to this point.
Through two weeks of Steelers football, Jefferson has been targeted five times by quarterback Justin Fields. With those five targets, Jefferson has caught three passes for a brutal 15 yards. Along with that, Jefferson was called for offensive pass interference that took away a passing touchdown to Pickens during the Week 2 matchup against the Denver Broncos, although it was extremely questionable.
Jefferson's struggles were predictable, which is why the Steelers pushed so hard for a trade for San Francisco 49ers' Brandon Aiyuk. With the lack of talent at receiver behind Pickens, it makes it even more difficult for Fields to develop and make plays for the offense. Pickens has double the amount of targets than Jefferson with 11, and has caught eight of them for over 100 yards.
Following Pickens as the number two pass-catcher has been tight end Pat Freiermuth, who just signed a new contract with Pittsburgh. Not missing a single target, Freiermuth has eight receptions for 66 yards so far after two games. During a segment on Pittsburgh's 93.7 The Fan, Ray Fittipaldo was asked about Freiermuth but detailed how disappointing Jefferson has been.
"They need it from him [Freiermuth]," Fittipaldo told the crew. "Van Jefferson has played a bunch of snaps, has contributed almost next to nothing. Calvin Austin III has played fewer snaps, and his production is way down there too."
Jefferson's most significant play to this point was drawing a deep defensive pass interference call against Denver, which gave the offense great field positioning. Other than that, the wideouts have been a complete letdown. In fairness, the offense under Arthur Smith has limited the amount of shots it takes downfield, which could point to the lack of production from the receivers. It's only been two weeks and there's plenty of time for Jefferson to form into the number two he was meant to be.
While the Steelers' offense is run-first, it's still going to be crucial for the passing game to open up as the season moves on. Offenses can't be one-dimensional, which is what Pittsburgh's has been for the last few years. Either someone is going to have to step up behind Pickens, or the Steelers are going to have to make a move on the roster.
Steelers Might Need To Make A Trade For Wide Receiver Before The Deadline
The NFL trade deadline for 2024 will come after Week 9, which will be on November 5th. Pittsburgh may have to make a move on another receiver before then if Jefferson and the rest can't find a groove. Two interesting names that would fit right in come from the Carolina Panthers, a team with nothing to play for this season. The Steelers traded Johnson to Carolina in the 2024 offseason, but is it possible that he comes back to the Steel City?
The Steelers traded the diva wideout due to some of his locker room issues, but also because he's on the final year of his contract. Pittsburgh needed to deal him while they could still get some value out of him, knowing they wouldn't resign him in 2025. Is it possible the Steelers trade for him back just to finish off the season? It probably wouldn't take much, either.
If not Johnson, Adam Thielen, Carolina's number two receiver, is another intriguing name. Thielen's contract runs through 2025, and it's over $8 million per year.
