The Pittsburgh Steelers were more aggressive this offseason than in years past upgrading the roster. One of the players that they brought in was veteran wide receiver, Allen Robinson. He flamed out in one season with the Los Angeles Rams, who traded him away in what was essentially a salary dump and the Steelers were happy to oblige.
Robinson is someone that Pittsburgh has been looking to bring in for a while now and was finally able to land him. They believe his veteran presence will be good for the team offensively, bringing some experience and leadership to help guide Dionate Johnson, George Pickens and Calvin Austin III. Pickens and Austin are both entering Year 2 of their careers, as Pickens looks to take that next step and Austin looks to rebound after his rookie season was lost to injury.
All three will benefit from having Robinson around, as will quarterback Kenny Pickett. The Steelers made Pickett the only quarterback selected in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft and are hoping he makes a second-year leap.
Robinson spoke very highly of Pickett earlier this offseason, saying that he is wise beyond his years. In a recent appearance on SiriusXM NFL Radio, he spoke about the entire offense, expressing his belief that the unit has the right mix in place to take that next step.
“When you kind of look at some of the weapons that we have, I think that we’re in a position to be a well-rounded offensive group, with a lot of young talent that isn’t so young anymore,” Robinson said on SiriusXM NFL Radio. “Also some vets. That’s really when you see some offenses start to take that next step.
“You have a Kenny Pickett coming into Year 2. You have a George Pickens coming into Year 2. You have Pat (Freiermuth) at the tight end spot going into Year 3. You have a Najee Harris. You bring myself in. We have a lot of guys across the board who can make plays. Especially on third down, when you look at red zone, when you look at creating explosive plays. You have guys to be able to bring some of that to the table at each and every situation.”
Most importantly, the Steelers upgraded in the trenches. Their offensive line was middle of the road in 2022 and should climb the ladder in 2023. The team signed guard Isaac Seumalo in free agency and drafted Broderick Jones in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. They will shore up the offensive line and provide Pickett time to get the ball into the hands of his playmakers.
This is a deep, talented group of skill position players that the Steelers front office has surrounded Pickett with. Even the backups have some talent as running back Jaylen Warren played at a high level when called upon as a rookie.
After two down seasons, one with the Chicago Bears and last season with the Rams, Robinson is looking to get back on track himself. Prior to the down seasons, he recorded back-to-back 1,100+ yard campaigns. On top of the leadership he brings, the Steelers are hoping he can produce closer to what he accomplished in 2019 and 2020 compared to the last two years.
