Anthony Miller Release Boosts Three Steelers WRs
PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers could be moving on from wide receiver Anthony Miller, who sent out a cryptic tweet hinting at his departure. Now, fans are waiting for the news of his release and what it means for the wide receiver room - which could be a good thing for three names.
The Steelers have three wideouts who stood out during minicamp. All three are fighting from the bottom to earn a roster spot, and Miller was a major obstacle in their way of finding a path to the 53-man.
Now, they may have one less name to compete with for the final spot.
Ja'Marcus Bradley
Ja'Marcus Bradley is a quiet name for the Steelers, but one who has stood out during the first portion of summer workouts. The 6-foot wideout from Louisville had 20 touchdowns in his final two years of college. He signed with the Cleveland Browns as undrafted rookie in 2020 but ended up on the Steelers practice squad late last season.
Now, he's returning for another summer. He'll need to shine on special teams to fight for a spot, but he's big enough to be a gunner and also has return ability, finishing his last two seasons at Lousiville with 474 kick return yards.
He needs to outshine this next wideout to become a serious contender, though.
Dez Fitzpatrick
Dez Fitzpatrick has made a few headlines during OTAs and minicamp, coming down with a few touchdowns and "lighting up the secondary" during at least one practice.
He needs to continue making plays, but Fitzpatrick has a wide catch radius and has flashed his contested catch capabilities throughout his entire career.
Those plays on offense will help a ton, but he also has return skills and could be a gunner. What held Miller back during his time in Pittsburgh was his lack of return coverage ability and sole kick and punt return usage.
If Fitzpatrick wants to make his offensive performances count, he needs to win special teams coordinator Danny Smith over with his coverage efforts during training camp.
Hakeem Butler
We keep talking about Butler, the fan favorite from the XFL who is already making plays on the field for the Steelers. Without Miller, it could mean he only has to beat out Miles Boykin for the fifth roster spot, which may come down to special teams.
Butler has the size, the playmaking ability, and the NFL experience all under his belt. Now, he needs to showcase that he can make tackles, work as a defender and a blocker during return coverage, and provide the same big-man special teams skills Boykin contains.
If he does that, he just needs to keep using his receiver skills on offense, and he should start earning some real opportunities to make this team.
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