Steelers Should Make 'Responsible' Upgrade To WR Room With Recently Released Veteran Zay Jones

The Pittsburgh Steelers have been brought up in plenty of rumors in the 2024 offseason connecting them to some superstar receivers. Names like Justin Jefferson, Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel, and Courtland Sutton have been linked to Pittsburgh. With the lack of a true number two target behind George Pickens, fans and analysts alike wonder how the team will add another weapon to take the attention off Pickens. While not the flashiest of names, Zay Jones recently hit the open market after his release by the Jacksonville Jaguars and could be a sneaky addition to the Steelers group of pass-catchers. 

ESPN reporter Brooke Pryor joined The Joe Starkey Show on Tuesday afternoon and laid out why picking up a castaway like Jones makes more sense to her than a blockbuster move. She said she understands it's the offseason and that's when fanbases dream big, but a big move for a receiver just doesn't seem likely. 

"Adding someone like Jones, who is talented, is a free agent now because he's been released... You don't have to give up draft capital or another vet, something like that to get him. That feels much more responsible and plausible." 

The other factor that Pryor said makes it seem less likely the team will add a big-name receiver is that they took Roman Wilson in the third round. She understands that Wilson likely doesn't come in as talented as some of the names Pittsburgh has been linked to, but they just spent draft capital to get him. 

"I don't see the rationale of using a high pick like that, yes it's a day two pick," she said. "But that's still a valuable pick on a receiver when you know that you're working on this big deal for a veteran wide receiver."  

Jones has had a solid, but not spectacular career since being drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the 2017 NFL Draft. In his second year in Buffalo, the East Carolina alum had seven receiving touchdowns and 652 yards on 56 receptions. He was traded to the then-Oakland Raiders in 2019. He joined the Jaguars as a free agent in 2022. He posted a career-high 823 yards on 82 catches with five scores. He struggled with injury and the arrival of Calvin Ridley in the 2023 season. 

He might not be the game-changer that many want to see the Steelers go out and get to pair with Pickens, but Jones would be a useful addition to the Steelers room. Van Jefferson has a Super Bowl from his career year with the Los Angeles Rams in 2021, but his production has fallen way down in the subsequent years. Calvin Austin III has the speed to take the top off a defense, but didn't find a significant role in the team's offense in 2023, even with Diontae Johnson not healthy all year. Quez Watkins is also a speed demon, but his issues holding onto the football made him expendable to the Philadelphia Eagles. 

How Much Do The Steelers Need Two Game-Changing Receivers?

All signs point to Pittsburgh wanting to be a hard-nosed running football team that will have Russell Wilson take some deep shots on play-action plays. That's the hallmark of new Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith's offensive plan. 

It has been suggested that Pat Freiermuth will play a significant role in the new-look offense of the Steelers. Therefore, adding another big-play receiver could be redundant. If Pittsburgh wants to utilize Freiermuth's potential as a receiver, it might become challenging to manage the dynamics if they add another receiver who also demands the ball frequently. To avoid this problem, perhaps the strategy is to make opposing defenses fearful of the run game and, at the same time, cover both Freiermuth and Pickens in the passing game.