The Pittsburgh Steelers need to add a receiver at some point this offseason. There are some interesting names on the market, Tyreek Hill the latest addition. But the draft may represent the Steelers’ best chance to land a difference-maker at the position. Some potential first-round talents include Carnell Tate, Jordyn Tyson, Denzel Boston, KC Concepcion, and Makai Lemon.
There’s a solid chance one of those wide receivers is still available when they Steelers are on the clock at the 21st overall pick. CBS Sports’ Josh Edwards thinks Lemon especially makes sense in Pittsburgh.
“Makai Lemon is a player that is grounded through the catch. He’s somebody that would excel in today’s NFL, where if you just put the ball in his hands and give him room to operate, he’s somebody that can create a lot of yards after the catch. Which is something this Pittsburgh offense has desperately needed. So if you put him in that offense now, with DK Metcalf, who, of course, has the speed, the physicality, to stretch defenses vertically, I don’t know how the quarterback situation is going to work there. But I do feel good about the players, that that player would be throwing to,” Edwards said Monday on CBS Sports HQ.
Lemon would make a lot of sense. Especially if the Steelers bring Aaron Rodgers back, an idea that seems to be gaining steam with each passing week. As Edwards mentions, he absolutely terrorizes defenses after the catch. He isn’t especially quick in short distances, and doesn’t have an explosive first step. But he can build up enough long speed to still be a home-run threat. And his impressive contact balance does a lot of work for him after the catch, too.
We all saw how quickly Rodgers wanted to get rid of the ball last year. Even with Mike McCarthy this season, that would still be a priority with a 42-year-old quarterback. Makai Lemon is enough of a threat to take attention away from DK Metcalf. But he’s also a great route runner. So if Metcalf can occupy attention down the field, Lemon can really hurt defenses underneath. That’s something the Steelers hoped to get out of their receiving corps last season, but it didn’t come to fruition consistently enough.
There are some drawbacks with Lemon. He has reliable hands, but not much length. And his lack of first-step explosiveness does make things more difficult against aggressive cornerbacks in press coverage. But there are plenty of tools to work with. And even if the Steelers don’t bring back Rodgers, it helps any young quarterback to have someone like Lemon, who can get open underneath and pick up yards after the catch. Our Jim Hester took a closer look at his game here.
There is some question about Lemon making it all the way to the Steelers at 21. There are several teams ahead of the Steelers that could use him as well, and he could very well go somewhere in the teens. But with receivers, like any position, the NFL Combine and pre-draft process may shake things up.
But Lemon is a name to watch. If the Steelers don’t make any noteworthy additions at receiver in free agency, they certainly could be in the market for Makai Lemon come April.