PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers need help at wide receiver, and in the midst of considering the free agent class and potential trades, a former second-round pick has announced he's making an NFL comeback.
Chase Claypool didn't play in the league last season after suffering a season-ending toe injury. In a lengthy post on social media, the former Steelers wide receiver walked everyone through his recovery process and made it known that he's ready to step back onto a football field with an NFL team again.
Well, Pittsburgh needs a wide receiver. Actually, they might not, with Calvin Austin and Roman Wilson being two names to watch to step into the WR2 role. Which makes the addition of Claypool make some sense.
Pittsburgh wouldn't have to make any commitment, and could get a player who just turned 27 years old and at one point was an 800-yard wideout for them. Maybe he's not a starter in the NFL anymore, but the Steelers once raved about his special teams ability, and if he can add that plus an offensive presence, maybe it works.
Meanwhile, there's another wide receiver comparison that makes Pittsburgh ease up on their wideout need. DK Metcalf is the Steelers' newest superstar on offense and he's looking to be the biggest contributor to the receiving game.
Some have questions about if he's capable of being the dominant force he once was, but there are connections that draw comparisons worth noting. Maybe he'll have an impact big enough to be one of the best in the NFL. Maybe, he's got an offensive coordinator who's had success with another name that's being compared to Metcalf.
If Metcalf can have the same success as one former Arthur Smith wide receiver, the Steelers are in good shape. But the comparison isn't about Smith and his former wideout together, but rather what happened after the receiver left Smith.
If that's the case, it's even more exciting for the Steelers and their brand new offense.