There’s still no telling who the Pittsburgh Steelers’ starting quarterback will be this season. No matter who’s under center, they need weapons, which was an issue for Aaron Rodgers last year. The Steelers didn’t waste time upgrading their skill players, though. Former NFL offensive lineman Mark Schlereth labeled their trade for Michael Pittman Jr. as the second-best under-the-radar addition of the offseason so far.

“What I love about Pittman, dirty work,” Schlereth said Tuesday on his Stinkin’ Truth podcast. “He is that dude that just runs the inside routes, the love-of-the-game routes, catch it in the middle of the field, take a hit, catch it on the sideline in front of a corner, take a hit in the ribs.

“This dude is a football player, and I love that for the Steelers. I love Pittman taking that pressure off DK Metcalf. I think he’s a damn good football player and I think it’s a big-time addition to the Pittsburgh Steelers.”

Schlereth hit the nail on the head with Pittman. The receiver expressed a desire to do the dirty work during his introductory press conference with the Steelers. He’s walking into Pittsburgh with a willingness to do whatever it takes to win.

Pittman’s toughness is well documented, too. Some Steelers fans might remember when he took a huge blow from Damontae Kazee when Pittsburgh faced the Indianapolis Colts during the 2023 season. It was an ugly collision, but Pittman didn’t miss too much time because of it, even though he stated that he still felt like he was experiencing effects from the hit.

While Pittman doesn’t have Metcalf’s athleticism, that doesn’t make him any less exciting of an addition. He’s a consistent player, catching at least 80 passes in four of his last five seasons. Pittman isn’t an explosive player, only going over 1,000 receiving yards twice, but he should be a reliable weapon for whoever the Steelers trot out at quarterback.

The Steelers’ offense has been hard to watch in recent years — sluggish, anemic, and more often than not, downright awful. However, their poor receiving corps has been a big part of that. Pittman should help fix that. He’s not as notable name as Tyreek Hill or A.J. Brown, but he’s a solid player who gives Pittsburgh an immediate upgrade.