WR Scotty Miller Signs One-Year Deal With Steelers

Highlights

The Pittsburgh Steelers signed WR Scotty Miller, who adds value with Super Bowl experience and his experience in OC Arthur Smith’s system.
The Steelers have revamped their entire offense with new QBs, linemen, and WRs to fit Smith’s scheme this offseason.
Miller should compete with rookie WR Roman Wilson for the slot receiver job next season.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have undergone wholesale changes this offseason, especially on offense.

The team completely overhauled its quarterback room, with Russell Wilson and Justin Fields now expected to compete for the starting quarterback gig. They also selected three offensive linemen in their first four rounds of the 2024 NFL Draft last month, giving them a brand-new identity up front.

Elsewhere, the receiver room has been flipped on its head as well, as veteran Allen Robinson was allowed to walk in free agency before the team traded stalwart Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers in exchange for CB Donte Jackson and a late-round pick swap.

As such, the team had an opening at WR2 opposite George Pickens for most of the offseason, though they have tried to fill that hole by signing Van Jefferson, Quez Watkins, and Marquez Callaway to one-year deals to fill out the roster. More recently, they drafted Roman Wilson out of Michigan in the third round of the draft, which fits the team’s mold of drafting wideouts on Day Two.

Now, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the team has signed wide receiver Scotty Miller to compete with Wilson and others for the starting slot receiver gig. Miller, who played last season with the Atlanta Falcons, will reunite with Arthur Smith now that the latter is Pittsburgh’s offensive coordinator.

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin

Steelers Looking To Continue Strong History of Developing Day-Two Receivers

The Steelers selected wideout Roman Wilson with the 84th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, and will look to continue their trend of developing WRs.

Steelers Molding Offense To Arthur Smith’s Liking

A run-heavy, play-action scheme is coming to Pittsburgh

Arthur Smith, Cordarrelle Patterson — Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Miller played in all 17 games for the Falcons last season and had 11 catches for 161 yards and two touchdowns. Before he signed with the Falcons, Miller spent the first four years of his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. His best season came in 2020, when he had 33 catches for 501 yards and three touchdowns.

Notably, Miller also brings championship experience to the table, as he won a Super Bowl ring with Tom Brady and the Buccaneers in 2020. Though he may not play an every-down role in the Steelers’ offense, his experience and postseason pedigree make Miller a valuable addition to the receiver room.

Perhaps more than his raw talent, though, Miller’s signing is important because it continues the Steelers’ determination to employ players who fit Arthur Smith’s system. Earlier this offseason, Pittsburgh signed running back-wide receiver hybrid Cordarrelle Patterson to a two-year, $6 million deal earlier in the offseason.

Though ostensibly a move designed to help the team navigate the league’s new kick return rules, Patterson offers familiarity within Smith’s scheme, as the two spent the past three seasons together with the Atlanta Falcons. Like Miller, Patterson is a versatile player with strong run-blocking chops.

In what will be a breath of fresh air for Steelers’ fans, Smith likes to use the middle of the field – a lot. His scheme is built on opening up intermediate routes between the numbers by using play-action passing and wide zone runs.

Though he caught a lot of flak in Atlanta for it, Smith’s utilitarian approach to touch distribution should benefit a team as deep as the Steelers. Neither Najee Harris nor Jaylen Warren have the all-around talent of Bijan Robinson, but they can still take advantage of the consistent touches. If Smith proved nothing else in Atlanta last year with Robinson and Tyler Allgeier, he showed he can run a proper backfield rotation.

Miller’s signing is another in a string of prudent maneuvers by the Steelers’ to have a deep stable of capable offensive threats for their new quarterbacks. If Smith can put everyone in the right position to succeed, Pittsburgh will be in good position to secure its first playoff victory since 2016.

Source: Adam Schefter

All statistics courtesy of Pro Football Reference unless stated otherwise. All salary cap info via Spotrac.