Pittsburgh Steelers: Assessing the wide receiver position entering summer

Pittsburgh Steelers: Assessing the wide receiver position entering summer

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 3:43 p.m. ET

The Pittsburgh Steelers wide receivers group is up next as we go position-by-position through the rosters ahead of training camp.

Welcome to our newest series for NFL Spin Zone. At the moment, the Pittsburgh Steelers have a little "down time" for now with the conclusion of organized team activities (OTAs) and minicamps. So we are taking a bit of a look at the various positions and units for Mike Tomlin's club.

We started with Ben Roethlisberger and the rest of the quarterbacks. We then shifted to Le'Veon Bell and the team's running back corps. Now it's time to look at the Steelers' deep group of wide receivers.

Wide receiver Antonio Brown has caught a combined 481 passes over the past four seasons. He's totaled 100-plus receptions in a record-tying four consecutive campaigns. And he will once again be joined by speedster Martavis Bryant. He missed all of 2016 due to a season-long suspension.

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    When he's on the field he's been simply brilliant. Including a total of three postseason contests, the former Clemson star has hauled in 95 passes for 1,558 yards and 16 touchdowns in 24 total games. But the "when" has to stop being a problem.

    The rest of this contingent is formidable indeed. There's Eli Rogers, who finished third on the team with 48 catches, good for 594 yards and three scores. Deep threats Sammie Coates and Darrius Heyward-Bey each scored twice this past season and it will be interesting to see their roles in 2017. Late last season, then-rookie Demarcus Ayers came on and made a brief impression.

    This offseason, the Steelers signed veteran Justin Hunter (Buffalo Bills) and used a second-round draft choice on USC's Juju Schuster-Smith. Combine all this talent with a reliable ground attack and the talents of Roethlisberger and the impressive numbers are understandable.

    Evaluation:

    Is this the best group of wide receivers on one team in the NFL? The evidence is pretty strong, although teams like the Atlanta Falcons, Green Bay Packers, New York Giants and Oakland Raiders (and more) certainly have strong cases.

    What has made this unit so formidable is the fact that despite absences by one piece or another, the Pittsburgh Steelers have maintained that explosiveness in the passing game. Brown is the unquestioned leader of this group and his work ethic helps this ensemble get the most out of its talents.

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