clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Are the Steelers so in need of offensive star power Antonio Brown should be considered?

Are the Steelers missing something on offense and is a player like AB the remedy?

Pittsburgh Steelers v New Orleans Saints Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images

The Pittsburgh Steelers missed a whole lot more than their franchise quarterback back in 2019. There wasn't that guy who drew defenses top player, no one who forced double teams, and no one that kept offensive coordinators up at night.

And yes, if you read the headline of this article you probably already think I'm crazy, but hear me out.

I don’t think Antonio Brown will ever make amends with the organization nor will he don the number 84 in Black and Gold again.

But I do think it’s a question worth asking. Do the Steelers lack or even need an offensive game changer?

Currently this team 4 quality receivers, a plethora of running backs, and some big bodied tight ends. But does any one of those players jump off the page as a true game breaker? Perhaps one of the young receivers could develop into one, but that could still be a couple years away.

Just take a look back to the 2017 Pittsburgh Steelers team. Le’Veon Bell, Antonio Brown, and Martavis Bryant were all game breaking players. All of which could change stretch the field on any given snap and could leave a wake of embarrassed defenders behind them.

NFL: DEC 10 Ravens at Steelers Photo by Mark Alberti/ Icon Sportswire

Having a player like Antonio Brown on your roster (the player not the person) opens everything up for the rest of your players. We all saw JuJu Smith-Schuster put up 111 Receptions 1,426 yards and 7 touchdowns when playing against number 2 corners with no safety support. Imagine what he could do now if he still had the same matchups.

What could the 6’ 4” Canadian rookie wideout accomplish with those same matchups? Can a second cornerback keep up with the shifty Diontae Johnson?

What about the flip side of this coin? Do the Steelers even need a game changing target for Ben Roethlisberger? What if the top four receivers averaged 850 yards? That alone would put the team at 3400 passing yards. To have four really good, above average receivers present there own slate of problems, namely that the ball could go in any which direction on any given play.

What do you think? Is the offense good enough with its current depth charts? Or should they consider bringing in a star power player like Antonio Brown? Let us knowing the comments below.