Steelers Morning Huddle – 4/18/2013

Huddle up guys. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USPRESSWIRE

This morning’s huddle has found the local media talking wide receivers.  The Steelers could be in position to add some depth, and maybe some consistency to the wide receiver position through this year’s draft.  With the 17^th pick and the surplus of receivers in the draft, the conditions could be ripe for the Steelers to possibly find their next Super Bowl MVP wide receiver.

Even with signing Sanders to his offer sheet and attempting to turn that into a long-term deal, the PG’s Ed Bouchette explains how the Steelers can dive right into the pool of wide receivers to find the wide receiving corps of the future.  Ed goes on to note how in the past 20 years the only noteworthy wide receiver for the Steelers that has stayed for two consecutive contracts and not been lost to another team through either trade or free agency has been Hines Ward.  Next season, Antonio Brown will be the only wide receiver under contract if Sanders is not signed to a longer deal by then.

I think Ed makes a great point here with this article.  Not only do the Steelers need to take advantage of the talented wide receiver class in this draft, but they also need to be able to sign whomever they bring on to contracts beyond their initial rookie deals.  There’s no telling how the Steelers go with their first round pick, at that spot it all revolves around who is still available more than who they’ve set their sights on but one thing is for sure, if they invest in a Cordarrelle Patterson or Tavon Austin Steeler Nation would sure like to see those kinds of players stick around past their 3-4 year rookie deal instead of bolting like the majority of wide receivers for the Steelers have done.

Alan Robinson of the Trib goes on to highlight the talents of Patterson and Austin to explain the options the Steelers have at wide receiver in the draft.

As I said before, it’s tough to predict just how the Steelers will go with the first round pick because of their position in the draft and their overwhelming list of needs.  Whether they go pass rusher, running back, or secondary in the first round doesn’t diminish the need to bring in wide receiving talent.  Lucky for them this draft can fill their needs because the Steelers are used to finding their wide receivers in the middle rounds anyway.

What are your thoughts, Steeler Nation?  Is wide receiver the position you want the Steelers to fill with their first round pick, or wait for later in the draft because of the deep pool of talent in the draft and the needs at other positions?

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