Pittsburgh Steelers Van Jefferson Emerging as No. 2 Receiver, But For How Long?
While the Pittsburgh Steelers seemingly continue searching for another receiver to pair with George Pickens, one of their offseason additions flashed in OTAs.
As the Pittsburgh Steelers head into mandatory minicamp, one of the biggest questions is whether their receiving core will look as it does now when they take the field for their regular season opener versus the Atlanta Falcons.
Their pursuit of adding another receiver to play opposite George Pickens has been well-documented. They’ve reportedly held several trade talks with teams around the league. However, those talks have yet to bear fruit.
This means that the Steelers have been working with what they currently have, and according to The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly, the No. 2 receiver so far has been the former Los Angeles Rams second-round pick, Van Jefferson.
“Right now, I’d say Van Jefferson, but to be honest, you can throw Watkins, Patterson, Calvin Austin III, Scotty Miller, Marquez Callaway, and Denzel Mims in there as well,” Kaboly writes. “Yeah, it’s not a good situation, and the Steelers know that. It would show a lack of awareness and urgency if they don’t add a legit No. 2 before the season starts. And I think they will.”
The Florida product came into the NFL with much promise after a productive college career. For at least a season, he looked like he was on his way to fulfilling that upside. In 2021, Jefferson was the second-leading receiver on a Rams team that won the Super Bowl.
While playing in all 17 games, Jefferson formed a connection with quarterback Matthew Stafford, finishing his second season in the league with a career-best 802 yards and six touchdowns on 50 receptions.
Since then, the former Gator has recorded 578 yards and three scores on 44 receptions in the past two seasons. While injuries were an issue for Jefferson in 2022, as he missed six games, he failed to replicate his 2021 numbers last season despite playing in every game with the Rams and Atlanta Falcons.
