The Pittsburgh Steelers will likely soon part ways with veteran wide receiver Allen Robinson due to his high salary cap number in 2024. With that, new Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith seems likely bring in a receiver familiar with his scheme to fit the bill of their WR3 — a position unlikely to see a large number of targets and who will be spending a lot of time blocking.
Unfortunately, current Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Calvin Austin Jr. due to his stature is too small to box out defenders at his size of 5’9 162 pounds; he’s just simply not going to win the line of scrimmage. He gives the effort, but a linebacker or a safety is just too tall of a task to ask him to routinely drive out the way. The options the Steelers could be considering bringing in would likely reduce his snaps on offense.
Not all receivers are able square up and truly block a defender; some really will just get in the way. However, for a team that wants to be run-dominant like Pittsburgh does, the downfield blocking by the receivers will have to get markedly better in order to turn those explosive run plays of 20 yards into 40, or even 60-yard plays.
There are several cost-friendly, block-first-mindset receivers set to hit free agency this offseason that the Steelers could consider If they don’t decide to bring Allen Robinson back on a smaller contract. Here are a few free agents the Steelers could consider in free agency at a salary cost to match those expectations, who have worked under Arthur Smith at his recent NFL stops.
NFL journeyman Mack Hollins is not much of a receiving threat; that much is clear from his career-average numbers of 21.8 receptions and 281.8 yards per season. However, he’s exactly the kind of receiver you put out on the field to occasionally act as an extra tight end in the blocking game. Hollins still needs to be accounted for in the receiving game, however, so there’s not a flashing red light on his head when he’s out there that a running play is coming.
Hollins is an older receiver, much in the way of veteran Allen Robinson, so they shouldn’t commit too much money to him. However, he is a far superior blocker to Robinson if it comes down to a choice between the two. So, no one should be surprised if Robinson is released and Hollins comes in on a reasonable one-year deal as his replacement.
