Pittsburgh Steelers: Has the offense improved enough?

Wide Receiver

The loss of Wallace hurts and the Steelers didn’t do much to replace him. Their best player is Roethlisberger and surrounding him with weapons is the easiest way to win games.

The talent at receiver is very thin.

Nov 3, 2012; Corvallis, OR, USA; Oregon State Beavers wide receiver Markus Wheaton (2) runs the ball past Arizona State Sun Devils cornerback Osahon Irabor (24) at Reser Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Olmos-USA TODAY Sports

Antonio Brown will miss having Wallace on the outside and his production is likely to decrease again. Sanders will get the first crack to fill Wallace’s shoes, but I have my doubts on what kind of performer he can be playing on the outside.  I like Sanders playing in the slot where he can take advantage of frequent mismatches, but putting up big numbers on the outside is a different story. The Steelers could do worse than Sanders, but they certainly can do better.

I like the Markus Wheaton draft pick but whether he is ready to contribute right away remains to be seen. The Steelers will need him to be a big part of their offense.

Wheaton is a small, quick receiver in the mold of Brown and Sanders and will fit offensive coordinator Todd Haley’s scheme well. He is a strong route runner with excellent speed and can make plays happen after the ball is in his hands. These skills will translate well to the short passing game as either an inside or outside receiver.

I like the idea of him starting on the outside and leaving Sanders in the slot but we will see how that plays out.

Wheaton can add a dimension to this offense because of his terrific deep speed. He may not be the pure burner that Wallace was for the Steelers, but he has the speed to pull away from defenders on deep patterns.

Plaxico Burress and Jerricho Cotchery are back and hopefully they play bigger parts in the offense.

Overall I don’t like the looks of the receiving corps on paper but they have enough talent to potentially be a surprise.