5 Players Not Named Russell Wilson Who Need to Step Up For the Steelers in 2024

A late-season surge catapulted the Pittsburgh Steelers back to the postseason this past January. Since being bounced by Buffalo, though, the Steelers have undergone a drastic makeover spearheaded by general manager Omar Khan.

Having watched Kenny Pickett stand on the sideline for Pittsburgh’s final five regular season contests—including the three-game winning streak that capped that portion of the schedule—Khan shipped him across the state. He didn’t do so before importing veteran Russell Wilson, though, before continuing the shift by trading for Justin Fields, too.

Wilson figures to replace the underwhelming former first-round draft pick behind center. Following an iffy tenure in Denver, the veteran seeks a career resurgence in the Steel City, and his importance to the attack is obvious as he aims to rebound from an awful 2022 and a so-so 2023 showing.

Wilson and Pittsburgh won’t want to find themselves scrambling for a playoff spot this time around. Here are five players apart from their newly-installed starting QB that will have to step up for the Steelers to make sure a last-minute push won’t be necessary.

George Pickens, WR

3rd-year wideout needs to step up after Diontae Johnson trade

When Pittsburgh hosted Cincinnati in desperate need of a win last December, George Pickens rose to the occasion like a Madden avatar whose attribute sliders had been pushed to their limits.

In a 35-11 victory, the University of Georgia product registered four grabs for a ridiculous 195 yards. He scored an 86-yard receiving touchdown before the contest was five minutes old and added a 66-yarder in the third frame.

That instance just goes to show how Pickens can catch fire, even while dealing with inconsistent quarterback play. The Steelers have the sixth-fewest passing yards in the NFL since he entered the league as a second-round draft choice in 2022. Being such, his frustration—which is typically warranted—has shown at times.

Diontae Johnson is now suiting up for the Carolina Panthers—traded for another player on this list—and there’s not yet a clear No. 2 receiver lining up opposite Pickens. While Pittsburgh’s front office remains “convinced” that they can land a Pro Bowl WR in a trade, it’s getting a little bit late in the offseason for such a move.

Without a move, Pittsburgh will be even more dependent on the third-year wideout than before. His composure will have to match his experience for things to run smoothly for the Steelers’ offense.

Donte Jackson, CB

Steelers desperately need reliable cornerback play opposite JPJ

The AFC North has its fair share of adept triggermen. Any path to the Super Bowl is bound to go through the Patrick Mahomeses and Josh Allens of the world.

The Steelers didn’t bother to keep Patrick Peterson or Levi Wallace around, instead bolstering their group of covermen—headlined by second-year standout Joey Porter Jr.—by getting rid of Diontae Johnson. In return, they acquired Jackson, who brings 80 games of experience and 14 career picks with him to Pittsburgh.

With the level of quarterback play in the conference, it’s imperative for the Steelers that Jackson remains healthy. He’s battled injuries during his time as a pro, including an Achilles injury in 2022.

While he wasn’t overly consistent in his time in Charlotte, Jackson showed that he can provide solid cover on the outside for an entire season at times. In 2018 and 2020 he allowed sub-60 percent completion percentages, and in the latter season he also kept opposing QBs below an 80 passer rating.

Jackson is a veteran who knows what NFL life is all about, but he hasn’t been the most reliable in the past, which is what makes him such a crucial piece in the Steelers’ 2024 puzzle. If Jackson doesn’t return to his 2020 form, opposing teams will have a field day picking on him while leaving JPJ’s half of the field alone.

Najee Harris, RB

Pittsburgh’s offensive engine will be its running game in 2024

Pittsburgh declined Najee Harris’ fifth-year option this off-season. He’s said there haven’t been any negotiations on an extensions yet, either. The need to prove why the Steelers should keep him in the mix or to market himself to other interested parties should provide all the motivation needed.

One of four running backs taken in the first round of as many drafts since 2021, Harris split the workload with Jaylen Warren last season, but still notched a 1,000-yard rushing season for the third time in a row. Since entering the league, Harris has had the most touches (978) of any player in the NFL.

He’ll have the benefit of a revamped offensive line this time around, as Pittsburgh made the position grouping a top priority in April’s draft. The Steelers selected Washington offensive tackle Troy Fautanu 20th overall before taking West Virginia center Zach Frazier in the second round.

If Harris can put up numbers like he has in each of his other campaigns in black and gold, it will go a long way in balancing an offense being operated by a new signal-caller—and perhaps in keeping him in the Black and Gold past the 2024 season, as there have been rumblings that he may not fit with new OC Arthur Smith’s zone-running scheme.

Roman Wilson, WR

Mike Wallace. Emmanuel Sanders. Antonio Brown. Martavis Bryant. Juju Smith-Schuster. Diontae Johnson. George Pickens. Chase Claypool even made a name for himself before becoming an afterthought.

The names on that list show that Pittsburgh has done well drafting receivers in the mid-to-late rounds over the last decade-plus. Previously a scrappy mainstay for the University of Michigan, Wilson could be the latest success at the position after being added in the third round this spring.

Fresh off a College Football Playoff national crown with the Wolverines, the native Hawaiian arrives in the Steel City with a shot to get on the field right away. Wilson’s knack for making plays down the field could provide a much-needed threat next to Pickens, which would wash away any worries about why the Steelers haven’t traded for another pass-catcher.

Wilson was a dependable target for J.J. McCarthy, starting all 15 games for the Wolverines and recording 48 receptions for 789 yards and a dozen scores in 2023. All were team highs.

Patrick Queen, LB

Steelers might finally have a quality middle linebacker for first time since Ryan Shazier

The inside linebacker spot wore thin for Pittsburgh last year as Kwon Alexander and Cole Holcomb both suffered season-ending injuries before they were even midway through the campaign. The position hasn’t been what it was since Ryan Shazier’s career-ending injury in 2017.

The Steelers are hoping Queen changes that and solidifies the post after dishing out $41 million to sign him in free agency. While the newcomers at quarterback receive most of the attention, signing the former Baltimore Raven might be the Steelers’ biggest move of the off-season.

Queen did a little bit of everything for Baltimore’s top-ranked scoring defense in 2023. He wrangled 133 combined tackles (84 solo), recorded 3.5 sacks and nine TFLs, picked off a pass, recovered a fumble, and forced one too. Only 13 guys in NFL history have ever managed such an all-around performance in a single season.

They hope that he can replicate his 2023 showing, which saw him rack up 133 stops, 3.5 sacks, an interception, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. There are some questions, however, about whether Queen will be able to thrive at the position without Roquan Smith nearby.

If he dispels those notions, he’ll be a crucial mid-level player behind T.J. Watt and in front of Minkah Fitzpatrick.