Steelers GM Omar Khan Confident In WR Room; Details Calvin Austin III's Expected Return

Pittsburgh Steelers general manager, Omar Khan spoke at the 2023 NFL Combine on Tuesday morning. He provided several good tidbits regarding this offseason and the draft, including the team's preference to keep backup quarterback, Mitch Trubisky. Khan praised Trubisky's leadership this offseason, particularly when he recently went down to Florida to train with starting QB Kenny Pickett and other Steelers skill position players.

Calvin Austin III was asked about, to which Khan said he expects the 2022 fourth-rounder to be ready in the spring. That comes as a huge sigh of relief after Austin missed all of his rookie season in 2022. Now Khan made it quite clear that, with Austin back in the fold, he’s quite confident with the wide receiver room via Mike DeFabo of The Athletic. This isn’t to say the team isn’t open to signing a veteran wideout or one later in the draft, but it doesn’t seem to be a priority for the front office:

"We wouldn't have traded Chase [Claypool] if we didn't feel good about that room. We really felt good about the guys that were in that room," Khan said via DeFabo's tweet.

The team fell in love with Austin in last year’s pre-draft process. His electric speed is a dynamic that the offense certainly missed this past season. After the team traded away Chase Claypool in the middle of the season, the offense was desperately missing a third wideout. More specifically, they missed a guy in the slot. While he’s still yet to touch an NFL field, Austin is expected to take over that role in 2023.

Can the Steelers confidently rely on Austin as the No. 3 WR in 2023?

Unfortunately for Pickett, Khan’s comments means Jordan Addison is an unlikely draft pick for the black and gold. Addison enjoyed a phenomenal 2021 campaign at the University of Pittsburgh alongside Pickett. It drove both of their draft stocks through the roof, while Pickett became a legitimate Heisman finalists that season. In the past few months, he hasn’t been shy about how awesome it would be to reunite with his college teammate.