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The Steelers should overhaul the wide receiver position through the draft

The Steelers have loaded up across their roster but the receiver room desperately needs bodies

Allstate Sugar Bowl - Baylor v Georgia Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images

The Pittsburgh Steelers have been big-time spenders throughout the early part of the 2022 season. They have loaded up their offensive line, quarterback, defensive line, and cornerback positions just hours into the new league year. But there are two glaring areas the Steelers desperately need to fill.

Most important is the strong safety position, but this article isn't about the safeties because the team has no depth at the position, nor do they have a starter. I anticipate the Steelers will sign a strong safety, whether that be Terrell Edmunds or someone else.

The other position would be wide receiver. The receivers still have Chase Claypool and Diontae Johnson on the roster, but they don't have anyone else. Instead of spending major dollars at the position in free agency, the Steelers are trending toward drafting multiple receivers within the first four rounds of the 2022 NFL Draft.

Earlier in this offseason process I swore the Steelers needed a veteran at receiver. While it would be nice to have a leader in this young offensive group, I don’t think it is all that necessary at wide receiver. Also, with the amount of receiving talent entering the draft, yet again, the Steelers can add multiple talented receivers for next to minimum dollars. The wide receiver position is one where the savings can be found by avoiding free agency and continually drafting the spot.

You may be thinking to yourself, there’s no way the Steelers would spend two of their first four draft picks at receiver, but consider the other moves they have made so far and where the remaining holes are on the roster. They don’t have to draft offensive line, defensive line, linebacker, or cornerback. It would be nice if they did, but they don’t have to. The only spots that have to be addressed, right now, is strong safety and receiver. And, as already stated, I fully expect a strong safety to be filled by one last veteran signing.

While it was expected, the Steelers losing JuJu Smith-Schuster, James Washington, and Ray Ray McCloud all in the course of 24 hours, I find it hard to believe the team will look for veterans elsewhere. This means the only other real option is to utilize the draft. Veteran minimum receivers will not be as good as the top draft eligible prospects and shouldn’t be considered as viable options.

But what do you think? Will the Steelers use multiple draft picks on wide receivers? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.