LATROBE, Pa. -- Of all of the things the Steelers do well, finding receivers is among what they do best.
If any team had their top receiver -- perhaps the best receiver of the 2010s -- force his way out of town, burning every bridge in sight in the process, then a couple years later have JuJu Smith-Schuster opt to leave via free agency, it might cripple their ability to maintain production at receiver.
Nope. Not this team. They found Diontae Johnson in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft, and he's blossomed into one of the game's most productive receivers and lethal route-runners. Chase Claypool was taken in the second round a year later, and scored 11 total touchdowns as a rookie. Fast forward two years to now, and George Pickens is stealing headlines virtually every day during training camp.
Even the social media admins are having too much fun with the Pickens hype:
But the depth the Steelers boast at receiver doesn't stop with the three big names atop the depth chart. There are guys in camp who are making it very difficult for Mike Tomlin to keep less than six receivers on the 53-man roster, even with Anthony Miller going down with a season-ending injury.
Gunner Olszewski came to Pittsburgh in March on a two-year contract as a return specialist -- something he's done for the Patriots since he signed with them as an undrafted rookie in 2019, and earned First-Team All-Pro honors as a punt returner. But he's done a whole lot more on the fields at Saint Vincent College than field punts.
Olszewski didn't just lead the Steelers receivers with 47 yards in Saturday's 32-25 preseason win over the Seahawks. He has become a quarterback favorite, running a variety of routes out of the slot.
This play from Saturday's game shows Olszewski's ability to find the soft spot in coverage, then turn upfield for more yardage:
"He makes plays in space and he’s just really smart," Kenny Pickett said of Olszewski. "He knows coverage and he knows what we want to see and how we’re seeing it from the pocket. He just knows how to get open. He’s a football player -- a high IQ kind of guy. I really like playing with Gunner."
Yep, it's very apparent Pickett likes playing with Gunner. The duo connected at least six times during team drills Wednesday, including a play where Pickett had to escape pressure, roll to his left, tell Olszewski to go upfield, then hit him in stride for a sizable gain.
But Olszewski isn't the only guy in camp making noise. Steven Sims made fans aware of his presence when he rattled off a 38-yard punt return and added a 38-yard scamper against the Seahawks.
Like Olszewski, Sims is a guy who came into camp with three years of NFL experience. However, his place on the roster is much less certain. There are guys like Miles Boykin, Cody White, Tyler Vaughns and Tyler Snead who are competing hard for a roster spot, and all have had their moments in varying degrees throughout training camp.
"It's a tough room," Sims said. "A lot of good guys in the room. But we bring the best out of each other. We push each other. We know we're all competing, but it's still fun. We're still working hard; still helping each other be better."
One might watch Sims during Saturday's game and see a little bit of Antonio Brown in the way he made those cuts upfield:
When asked what he might have showed during those two plays, Sims said, "My capability with the ball in my hands. Explosive. I make plays with the ball in my hand."
Sims also said he's trying to be better without the ball. He's also picked Johnson's brain on route-running throughout the Steelers' stay at Saint Vincent College. It's a good thing for him that others have noticed it.
"He’s a versatile guy that can really do a lot in the jet game," Pickett said of Sims. "His routes are really crisp. He knows how to set people up and get open and make separation. Every week, he’s improved."
The Steelers are going to have a hard time trying to bring the number of receivers down to six, and there's no guarantee the Steelers have more than five when the rosters are trimmed to 53 on Aug. 30.
Johnson, Claypool and Pickens are locks. So is Calvin Austin III, as long as his foot injury isn't worthy of a trip to Injured Reserve. That's four.
Olszewski is closing in on a roster spot, and his versatility makes him an ideal candidate for special teams and Matt Canada's offense. Sims could possibly be the sixth, but guys like Boykin have had solid performances in camp. Those other guys in camp are going to have to give Tomlin no choice but give them a roster spot.
"Just continue doing what I'm doing," Sims said when I asked what he needs to do to earn a job. "To score on those plays rather than getting tackled."
MORE FROM PRACTICE
• Pickett ran the second-team offense throughout the entirety of practice, which was done without pads. Tomlin wouldn't admit that Pickett has supplanted Mason Rudolph as the No. 2 guy in the depth chart, but rather said the reason for the reps is about preparation for an elevated role in Saturday's preseason game in Jacksonville.
"He’s going to get some reps and more varsity-like action in this game in an effort to get to know him and see how he fares," Tomlin said. "What he’s doing out here is just preparing for it."
• Speaking of Pickett, he was the winner of the team's Home Run Derby Tuesday night at Saint Vincent College.
• Mitch Trubisky was picked off by Robert Spillane during third down drills, but the Steelers' starting quarterback was crisp throughout the rest of practice. Pickett had another good day working with the second team while Rudolph looked a lot like the guy we expect to see every time he's under center.
I do want to note again how much Pickett has grown throughout training camp. He still needs to get a better gauge of that internal clock of when to either get rid of the ball or escape the pocket, but that can be learned in time. His throwing ability, especially on the run, has gotten better throughout camp. There's no denying that.
Pickett still isn't ready to be the guy Week 1 in Cincinnati, and that job should go to a more seasoned guy like Trubisky. But Pickett is doing plenty over the course of camp to give Steelers fans some optimism that he can become a good starting quarterback in this league.
• Isaiahh Loudermilk left practice with a rib injury and is being evaluated further. Montravius Adams (ankle), Alex Highsmith (ribs) and Austin (foot) were on the field Wednesday, but did not practice.
Regarding all other injuries, Tomlin said, "No steps backward for the people who are working in an increased manner in an effort to get back to us, and so we're excited about that trajectory."