HEADLINES

Calvin Austin III

Steelers Monitoring WR Market?

September 28th, 2024 at 9:46pm CST by Ben Levine

The Steelers struck out in their offseason pursuit of a top-end wide receiver, and it sounds like the team continues to explore the trade market at the position. According to ESPN’s Dan Graziano, the Steelers are expected to monitor the WR market ahead of the trade deadline.

The organization subtracted from their wide receiver corps when they traded Diontae Johnson during the offseason. The team didn’t do a whole lot to replenish their depth, adding Van Jefferson and rookie third-round pick Roman Wilson to a receivers room that included the likes of George Pickens and Calvin Austin. The Steelers showed they were considering reinforcement when they were deeply involved in the Brandon Aiyuk sweepstakes, but the 49ers WR ended up rejecting the Steelers to sign an extension with San Francisco.

Pickens has averaged 57 yards per game through the first three weeks of the season, but the only other Steelers pass catchers to average more than 30 yards are Austin (36) and tight end Pat Freiermuth (33). With Justin Fields (or potentially Russell Wilson) guiding the offense, the receiving numbers will naturally be capped, but the organization’s lack of top-end depth makes them a natural suitor for a WR.

Graziano points to DeAndre Hopkins and Christian Kirk as potential trade targets depending on how the next few weeks go. The team’s QB play will also likely determine the team’s trade-deadline strategy, but as long as the Steelers remain competitive, there’s no doubt the front office will be looking to improve any spot on the roster.

Steelers WR Calvin Austin To Take On Increased Role

June 28th, 2024 at 10:20pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Steelers’ receiver room is short on know commodities aside from George Pickens, but a number of in-house options will get the opportunity to serve in a more prominent capacity this season. That applies to Calvin Austin.

The 25-year-old is in line to see the largest workload of his young career to date, Mark Kaboly of The Athletic writes (subscription required). That come as little surprise considering Pittsburgh’s decision to trade away Diontae Johnson and release Allen Robinson. Those moves have created a pair of starting vacancies, and no veteran presence on the roster is a lock to secure one of them.

Austin was selected in the fourth round of the 2022 draft, but a foot injury cost him his entire rookie campaign. The 5-9, 162-pound speedster was healthy for the entire 2023 season, but the presence of Pickens, Johnson and Robinson limited his offensive role. Austin logged a 35% offensive snap share and made just 17 catches. The Memphis product did chip in on special teams as a punt returner, although free agent addition Cordarrelle Patterson could take on those responsibilities in 2024.

The slot is likely Austin’s primary location for offensive usage, but the same could be true (at least early in his career) of third-round rookie Roman Wilson. The Michigan product was part of a stellar receiver class in this year’s draft, and he should be able to compete for a rotational role amongst Pittsburgh’s other options – a list which includes the likes of Quez Watkins, Van Jefferson and Scotty Miller. Watkins saw his new team as an opportunity to earn a first-team role, but training camp will go a long way in determining the receiver pecking order.

Keeping in line with his previous stance on the matter, Kaboly adds in a separate piece that the Steelers could still be in the market for a wideout addition. Such a move may not happen until the start of training camp, the point at which unsigned veterans often commit to a team. Pittsburgh has nearly $16MM in cap space, so the team certainly has the flexibility to bring in another experienced pass-catcher.

Regardless of whether or not that happens, though, Austin could be primed to take on a starter’s workload in 2024. Doing so would be key for him given he will be eligible for an extension after the coming season. A strong performance would help his leverage in potential contract talks in addition to providing the Steelers with needed production from the WR spot.

Steelers Designate OLB T.J. Watt For Return; WR Calvin Austin’s IR-Return Window Closes

October 26th, 2022 at 3:46pm CST by Sam Robinson

T.J. Watt has run into multiple injuries since the season began. A pectoral issue in Week 1 initially put the reigning Defensive Player of the Year’s season in jeopardy, and a subsequent knee surgery lengthened his recovery timetable. But Watt took another step on the road back Wednesday.

The Steelers opened Watt’s practice window, designating him to return from IR. Pittsburgh has three weeks to activate Watt. Not doing so would result in the perennial All-Pro missing the rest of the season.

The latter outcome will take place for Calvin Austin. Pittsburgh has let the fourth-round rookie’s designated-for-return window close without an activation. Austin sustained a foot injury in August, and the Steelers will give him a full season to heal. He reverts to season-ending IR.

Hopes of a potential Week 6 Watt return ended up being too optimistic, with the knee surgery changing his recovery outlook. But Watt returning to practice now will be a nice benefit to the Steelers. The team has a Week 9 bye, so it would not surprise if Watt is held out until Week 10. But the sixth-year outside linebacker can be activated at any point in the next three weeks. The Steelers have not used any of their injury activations yet. Austin’s shutdown increases Pittsburgh’s flexibility over the season’s final three months.

Watt, 28, is building a Hall of Fame resume. While he may not have solidified first-ballot Canton status like J.J. Watt just yet, the youngest of the NFL’s Watt brothers has earned first-team All-Pro recognition in each of the past three seasons. T.J.’s 52 sacks from 2019-21 are on another level from the rest of the league; Aaron Donald‘s 38.5 sit second in that span.

A Ravens draft target as well, Austin totaled back-to-back 1,000-yard receiving seasons at Memphis. The Steelers, who have established a long-running track record of wide receiver development, took Austin despite drafting George Pickens two rounds earlier. While Wednesday’s news represents a setback, the 162-pound rookie’s progress in Pittsburgh’s offense will be worth monitoring in 2023.

Steelers Move WR Calvin Austin, S Damontae Kazee To IR

September 1st, 2022 at 2:10pm CST by Sam Robinson

One of the two rookie wideouts the Steelers drafted this year will not start the season on time. Calvin Austin III joins safety Damontae Kazee in being moved to IR ahead of Week 1.

Because Pittsburgh carried both through to IR following Tuesday’s roster cut, each can return after four games. The NFL both increased the IR-return timetable from three games to four this season and, after unlimited IR comebacks could ensue in 2020 and 2021, limited players coming off IR to eight this year.

With Austin and Kazee shifting off the roster for the first four weeks, the Steelers re-signed linebacker Marcus Allen and offensive lineman Trent Scott. Allen has been with the team since 2018, while Scott — a Panthers spot starter over the past two seasons — initially caught on with Pittsburgh in May.

After flashing this offseason, Austin sustained a foot injury that has forced him to miss time. The Steelers took the Memphis in the fourth round (138th overall), doing so just before the Ravens planned to select him. The Austin pick came two rounds after Pittsburgh selected George Pickens. Pittsburgh’s second-rounder is expected to join Diontae Johnson and Chase Claypool as the team’s top receivers. The Steelers, as they are wont to do, reloaded in the draft at the position — after letting JuJu Smith-Schuster and James Washington walk in free agency.

The Steelers had prepared to place Kazee on IR since his injury in their preseason finale. A 15-game Cowboys starter last season, Kazee is expected to miss extensive time due to a wrist injury. The Steelers placed safety Karl Joseph on IR before the season, but because they waited until after setting their roster to shift Kazee to the injured list, the latter is eligible to return during the year.