Talented receiving corps among Steelers’ strengths

It’s easy to dwell on what’s wrong with the Steelers following an uneven 2014 season that left players, coaches and fans alike scratching their heads. One position group that didn’t disappoint last season was a talented and productive corps of wide receivers. With plenty of other areas to focus on come draft time, the Steelers would seem to be set at wideout for years to come.

Antonio Brown rolls out of bed catching the football. His league-leading 129 catches – not to mention the 1,698 yards and 13 touchdowns he racked up – have further cemented Brown’s status as a premier pass-catcher. While I could do without the end-zone dances and me-first attitude that No. 84 brings to the field, there’s no doubt who the top receiver was last year – and will be for years to come.

Markus Wheaton was fourth on the team in catches (behind Brown, Le’Veon Bell and Heath Miller) in catches with 53. He’s demonstrated a knack for chain-moving catches that’s surpassed only by Brown when it comes Steeler receivers. After missing significant time in 2013 with various injuries, Wheaton proved his worth over a 16-game slate in 2014.

Martavis Bryant is a star in the making. After not dressing for the first six of games in favor of Justin Brown, Bryant utilized a unique combination of size, speed and athleticism to become a weapon in the passing game. Bryant’s eight touchdowns in just 26 catches and a yards-per-catch average of 21.1 provided the Steelers’ offense with a threat that hasn’t existed since Plaxico Burress donned the black and gold.

The fact that Lance Moore failed to make an impact last season was puzzling. It seemed like a natural fit for Moore to slide into the possession receiver role vacated by Jerricho Cotchery. But whether it was a lack of knowledge of the offense or a failure to mesh with Todd Haley, Ben Roethlisberger – or both – Moore spent more time on the sideline than he did on the field this season.

As mentioned above, Justin Brown got the call early on this season rather than Bryant. Hindsight tells us that Bryant should have been in uniform all along – no matter how limited his knowledge of the playbook happened to be. Darrius Heyward-Bey was little more than a decoy in his limited snaps on offense. Heyward-Bey is a free agent and will only be brought back next season if his special-teams contributions are deemed worthy of a roster spot.

And then there’s Dri Archer. I find myself asking the same question as the coaching staff must have been asking themselves week-in and week-out this season. What do we do with this guy? Sure, he’s fast. I get it. But is he a wide receiver or a running back? At 5-foot-8 and 173 pounds, does he have the size to hold up to the punishment of NFL football? He had all of 17 offensive touches (10 rushes and seven catches) last season. Archer’s value to the team likely translates best to returning kicks, but he was underwhelming in that role too.

It wouldn’t be a Steelers’ offseason without a few question marks at each position, but the wide receiver group seems to be solid heading into 2015.

Kevin Ritchart

Kevin Ritchart joined the Steelers Gab writing staff in January 2015. He is a veteran writer and editor who has a passion for all things black and gold. In addition covering local high school and college sports for the Trib Total Media family of newspapers for more than a decade, Kevin also possesses a wealth of professional experience in the fields of marketing and advertising. Kevin earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Kentucky in 1998 and completed work on his MBA in marketing at Argosy University in 2013. He’s enjoying his current role of freelance writer and stay-at-home dad. You can follow Kevin on Facebook, Twitter @KevinRitchart and Google Plus. To see Kevin's full bio please go to our Meet Our Staff page.