Steelers position review – Wide Receivers
This is Part 9 of our Steelers position review series. If you haven’t read Part 1 – 8, please click the links below.
Steelers position review – Cornerbacks
Steelers position review – Safeties
Steelers position review – Linebackers
Steelers position review – Defensive Line
Steelers position review – Quarterbacks
Steelers position review – Running Backs
Steelers position review – Tight Ends
Steelers position review – Offensive Line
I actually thought that I had finished this series. Then one of my readers (thanks Dawson) reminded me that I forgot to review the wide receivers. I’m not quite sure how I did that (no age jokes, please), but I did. So here is my review of the Steelers’ wide receivers.
After the linebacker position, wide receiver may be the strongest position on the team. Not only do the Steelers have a good group of receivers, but most of them are young.
Hines Ward will enter his 14th year in the league in 2011. Last year was Ward’s worst season since 2000. However, I’m not the least bit worried about him. Frankly, I’m much more worried about whether Ward is going to win on Dancing With The Stars than I am about whether he’s going to be ready to play next season. When the season starts (and nobody knows when that will actually be), Hines will be ready to play. You can count on it.
2010 was Mike Wallace’s breakout season. He surpassed Hines Ward and became Ben Roethlisberger’s go-to receiver. Wallace led the team in both receptions and receiving yards. In fact, among receivers with 25 catches or more, only the Philadelphia Eagles’ DeSean Jackson averaged more yards per catch than Wallace.
I expect Wallace to have an even better season next year. Ben Roethlisberger isn’t likely to miss 25% of the regular season like he did in 2010. That bodes well for Wallace. Also, now that he’s officially become the team’s top receiver, I expect Wallace to be get more opportunities than he did in 2010.
Wallace only had 60 regular season receptions in 2010. That’s far fewer than other receivers who had similar yardage. Houston’s Andre Johnson had 86 catches, but ended up with fewer yards than Wallace. Arizona’s Larry Fitzgerald had 90 catches , but also ended up with fewer yards than Wallace. And Indianapolis’ Reggie Wayne had 111 catches, but only ended up with 98 more yards than Wallace. Can you imagine how many yards Wallace would have if he had 80-100 catches?
Suffice it to say that Mike Wallace is going to be the Steelers top receiver for the foreseeable future.
Antwaan Randle El was brought back in 2010 to help fill the void left by Santonio Holmes’ departure. Unfortunately, he didn’t do that. In fact, by the mid-point in the season, Randle El had been surpassed by rookies Emmanuel Sanders and Antonio Brown on the depth chart. By the end of the season, Sanders had actually accumulated more catches and yards than Randle El.
Randle El is 31 years old, and his best days are behind him. I seriously doubt that he’ll be able to make the team next year.
Emmanuel Sanders, on the other hand, will definitely make the team. I hate to say “I told you so”, but I said early in training camp that this kid was good, and that he was going to make the team. In fact, I think he’s the heir apparent to Hines Ward.
Unlike Mike Wallace, who is clearly a speed guy, Sanders excels in making the short and intermediate catches that Hines Ward has traditionally made. I have little doubt that Sanders will enter 2011 as the Steelers unquestioned #3 receiver.
While I believe that Sanders will be the Steelers’ #3 wide receiver next year, fellow sophomore Antonio Brown isn’t just going to hand the position to him. Like Sanders. Brown stepped in and made his presence felt during his rookie season.
I hate to say “I told you so” (okay, actually I love saying that), but many of you thought I was crazy back in training camp when I predicted that BOTH Brown and Sanders were going to make the roster. But they both did. And I expect to see even more from them in 2011.
Arnaz Battle is a special teams player. While he’s officially listed as a wide receiver, we all know that he’s really not. No need to discuss him further.
Tyler Grisham is a gritty young player who has spent the past two years on the Steelers practice squad. I was actually the first blogger or reporter to write about Grisham at Steelers training camp in 2009. I really liked the kid, and I accurately predicted that the Steelers would keep him on the practice squad. Unfortunately, Emmanuel Sanders and Antonio Brown are just better receivers than Grisham. With their emergence, I believe that Grisham’s days with the Steelers are numbered.
Limas Sweed (yes, him!) will be back with the team next year. I know that many fans have completely given up on Sweed. And frankly, I don’t blame them. But I think fans have to give him another chance.
I know that in the past Sweed has been a dropped pass waiting to happen. But I still have hopes for this kid. He’s still the tallest wide receiver the Steelers have, and he’s still fast. Only Mike Wallace is faster than him among the Steelers’ receivers. So just imagine what would happen if he came back healthy, and somehow rediscovered his confidence. There wouldn’t be a defense in the NFL that could stop Ward, Wallace, Sanders, Brown, and Sweed.
Even if Limas Sweed doesn’t develop into the player that I hope he’ll be, I still believe that the Steelers’ wide receiving corps will be a strong unit in 2011. They should easily be able to sign a free agent to fill their final roster spot if Sweed can’t hold onto it.
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Haha, Sweed. He catches about as well as Ike Taylor. Maybe we teach Sweed how to tackle, and put him at CB! lol
Yeah, with Wallace, Sanders, and Brown making their presences known, Ward there already, and Battle on ST, I doubt we keep Sweed over Grisham and Randle El. The only reason that he was not cut last year is because he was on IR. It’s a shame, I had high hopes for the guy coming out of the draft, but man, he busted hard.
1It is fair to lose confidence in Sweed and to wonder whether he has recovered from the events of the past few years but he has potential that Grisham and Randle El cannot even begin to match. Sweed may be one of the fastest tall receivers in the NFL and consistently gained separation from the defense. He apparently knew how to catch balls when wide open in college so if he can get past his nerves or whatever is holding him back, he can become a contributor. This will be his last chance, at least as a Steeler, but unless he flames out in camp and we draft nobody else of consequence, I cannot see Randle El making the team despite his nice catch in the Super Bowl.
2last year was going to be sweeds breakout year, but that was put on hold, so expect big things this year
3I’ve got to agree with Dan Reisner. Sweed’s got too much potential to simply give up on him. If he can tap into even half of that potential, he’ll be a better receiver than Randle El or Grisham.
Also, remember that Big Ben has publicly stated that he prefers throwing to tall receivers. That’s why they drafted Sweed in the first place.
We just need to get Sweed a hypnotist to restore his confidence, and to eliminate whatever mental block keeps making him drop the ball.
4I concur on the fact that Sweed will get a chance. So will Grisham. I do remember you writing about Grisham and you were right. He is a steady sure-handed receiver. Funny – he is the opposite of Sweed. AS much as I like Randl El’s influence on the team, I hope the competition is intense.
5I see a lot of mocks that have us taking a WR in the 4-6 round. I hope NOT. We can have good competition in camp with the athletes mentioned. In fact I would rather see us get a good tight end in Rnds 4-6 to replace Spaeth. A good selection may give us another weapon-that can catch.
John#21,
I agree. It would be a waste for us to draft a WR. Even if we don’t draft one, we’re going to have a tremendous competition in training camp. Like I said, Emmanuel Sanders and Antonio Brown have their confidence now. They’re going to really push one another (and Hines Ward) in training camp. Limas always looks decent in training camp (it’s just during the games that he can’t seem to catch anything). And Randle El & Grisham aren’t going to go quietly. So I look for a very exciting battle at WR.
I also agree with you that wasting a pick on a WR would prevent us from bringing another body into training camp at TE, OL, DL, or CB. Frankly, I’d like to see as many new faces competing at those positions as possible.
Finally, when you said “replace Spaeth”, you put a HUGE smile on my face. In fact, I think I had an orgasm.
6Replace Spaeth. Something we can all agree on!
7By buddies and sons thought the same thing of me when I told them Brown and Sanders would both stick and that “little man” (kr) was gone. I too believe Sweed can still redeem himself, but I gotte think this is his last shot here.
8I believe that there is a good chance we will move down. Several teams may be in panick mode to grab a QB. If we can give up 31 and get a pick in the 34-39 (Buff,Cincy,Denver,Cleve,Ariz,&Tenn) PLUS get at least another pick (may be 2 depending on the competition & who is on the board) probably in rnds 4-6, then we should do it. I believe that the exception would be if the following players are available: Sherrod, Wilkerson or Heyward (there are others but I am assuming that they will be gone). I expect 2 DB and 2 DL out of this draft. I’m hoping for 2 OL but I’m becoming skeptical. They will draft some offensive skill players-either a RB or WR. A RB like Locke or Scott (a burner) may add a new dimension to our O. I really hope that end up with a TE–some interesting prospects in the later rounds.
9@John#21: I believe that wether or not the Steelers trade picks will depend on who is available. If there is a guy available that they really like, they wont hesitate to take him, regardless of trade offers.
10I agree with the others, Sweed still has potential. He only have one bad season, since last year he was lost before it started.
I just though the review of WRs had disappeared, like Wallace did the playoffs (ouch).
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