Pittsburgh Steelers Wide Receiver Core Needs an Upgrade

by Matt Shetler

Now that wide receiver Plaxico Burress slipped through the grasp of the Pittsburgh Steelers and signed with the New York Jets, even though they may not want to admit it, the Steelers wide receiver core is still in search of an upgrade.

It won’t be a talent like Burress or talking Randy Moss out of retirement, but they need a veteran body that can produce.

Looking at the depth chart now, Mike Wallace is the team’s clear-cut number one. He’s a superstar in the making and should be treated like the club’s top receiver. That title once went to Hines Ward and while he still may be that in the Steelers eyes, the production has started to tail off and eventually Ward is going to start losing a step or two. having said that, fans can expect both Wallace and Ward to put up solid 2011 campaigns.

After that things get interesting.

Both Emmanuel Sanders and Antonio Brown did some good things during their respective rookie season’s in 2010, but did anyone see enough out of either man to feel comfortable with them in an expanded role? It’s not as easy as saying each guy will be better in their second season. It doesn’t work that way.

Then there is Limas Sweed. Sweed is on his last chance after missing the 2010 season, but even though he possesses all of the physical tools that should make him a big time NFL receiver, is anyone comfortable with him on the field late in games (or early in them for that matter)?

Add to that Sanders is nursing a foot injury that will likely sideline him 3-6 weeks and the Steelers receiving core is very, very thin.

Signing a veteran should be a priority and likely should happen sooner rather than later.

A top-tier free agent like Braylon Edwards is out of the question and has since inked a deal with the San Francisco 49ers, but there are veteran options that can help the Steelers on another quest to the Super Bowl.

Guys like Derrick Mason, Mark Clayton, Malcom Floyd, and T.J. Houshmandzadeh could all come in and help the Steelers offense right off the bat.

Mason could be a very intriguing option. He’s a veteran that showed in 2010 he still has some productive football in him. Mason is coming off a 61 catch, 802 yards, and seven touchdown season. Those numbers would translate nicely into a Steelers offense that needs another productive option. Putting those numbers in perspective, Mason outperformed Ward in all three statistical categories a season ago.

Even though he’s been on the wrong side of the Steelers-Baltimore Ravens rivalry for the past six season’s, Mason likely knows what it takes to wear a Pittsburgh Steelers uniform and would be a good fit to the 2011 version of the Pittsburgh Steelers offense.