Due to his high salary cap number in 2024, veteran wide receiver Allen Robinson of the Pittsburgh Steelers will probably soon be released. That means that the newly appointed offensive coordinator for the Steelers, Arthur Smith, will probably add a receiver who is accustomed to his scheme to fill the role of WR3, a position that is unlikely to see a lot of targets and will be primarily used for blocking.
Unfortunately, at 5’9″ and 162 pounds, current Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Calvin Austin Jr. is too small to box out defenders; he will not be able to win the line of scrimmage. Although he makes an attempt, asking a linebacker or safety to consistently drive out of the way is simply too difficult for them. His offensive snap total would probably decrease with the addition of the possibilities the Steelers are exploring.
Not every receiver can square up and successfully block a defender; some will only obstruct the path. But, in order to convert those spectacular 20-yard run plays into 40-yard or even 60-yard runs, the downfield blocking of the receivers will need to significantly improve for a club like Pittsburgh that aspires to be run-dominant.
The Steelers may want to take a look at a few affordable receivers with a focus on blocking that are scheduled to become free agents this offseason. Unless they want to resign Allen Robinson to a lesser deal. The following free agents, who have worked under Arthur Smith at his most recent NFL trips, are ones the Steelers could want to pursue in free agency at a cost commensurate with their expectations.
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