One of the biggest questions the Pittsburgh Steelers will need to answer in training camp is who their No. 2 wide receiver is. George Pickens is clearly WR1, but beyond that, the Steelers have a bunch of question marks. If they want their offense to finally improve this year, someone will have to emerge from that group. Luckily, based on comments from Van Jefferson, it seems like the wide receivers are allowing their competition to breed excellence.
Jefferson is a veteran who’s been in the league since 2020, winning a Super Bowl with the Los Angeles Rams during that time. He’s struggled recently, but at the moment, he’s most likely the favorite to win the other starting receiver spot opposite Pickens. In a recent interview with KDKA-TV, Jefferson spoke about the Steelers’ wide receivers, emphasizing that they’re trying to work well as a unit.
“I think all of us are just hungry to get out there on the field and show what we can do. Coach [Zach Azzanni] is just harping on us and his style of play, just doing things without the ball in our hands,” Jefferson said. “The whole group is just buying into what the coaches are telling us.
“We got a lot of guys in that room that played a lot of ball, so I think just having some expertise in the room and having some guys that played a lot of years in the league helps some of the guys that are in the room. Like I said, we all feed off each other. We all just try to complement each other and help each other out the best way we can.”
New receivers coach Zach Azzanni received praise from praise from Mike Tomlin recently for his coaching style, and that seems to be the same with players as well. Jefferson’s comments make it seem like Azzanni is tough but fair. He’s making sure that the receivers are working to have more diverse skill sets. In Arthur Smith’s run-heavy offense, that will be key. Blocking will be just as important as catching the ball.
Jefferson is also correct in that despite not having a clear No. 2 guy, the Steelers have multiple veteran receivers. Scotty Miller and Quez Watkins have been around the block at this point and should provide wisdom that comes along with that experience. Maybe a melding of the minds in the receiver room will garner the best results.
Some early reports indicated that Pickens and Azzanni were not getting along. The reality is that it’s early in camp and those issues are being overblown for the most part. Jefferson’s words seem to support Azzanni and his coaching style, and reports have indicated that’s been true for the rest of the receivers as well.
Those players are in a situation where there are multiple dogs and only one bone, and it seems like they’re embracing that challenge. They’re making everyone in that room better while also improving themselves. The results of this mindset won’t be seen until real football is played, but it should certainly help. Unless the Steelers make a shocking trade, this will be the group they’re going to have to roll with.
