“Mike Tomlin’s ‘standard is the standard’ mantra has taken a negative turn in recent years, with the standard becoming synonymous with bland, uninspired offense. The Steelers’ lack of perimeter playmakers beyond George Pickens was routinely on display this season — especially in comparison to the conference’s heavy-hitting trio of Kansas City, Buffalo and Baltimore — which is a problem Pittsburgh seemed to have anticipated, considering the team was linked to Brandon Aiyuk during the offseason before ultimately acquiring Mike Williams at the trade deadline,” Bhanpuri and Blair write regarding the Steelers and the selection of Odunze in the re-draft exercise. “The lack of production from Steelers wideouts has even drawn Art Rooney II’s ire, with the team’s owner recently name-checking the room as an area they’ve ‘got to look at improving’ this offseason.
“Well, instead of waiting ’til this spring to find a solve, the Steelers roll back the clock and lock in Rome Odunze at a steal. The skilled route runner and top-10 talent provides Pittsburgh with a huge offensive boost, helping them contend with the Ravens, Bills and Chiefs for years to come.”
Landing Odunze at No. 20 overall in the re-draft is quite a haul for the Steelers, especially after they showed interest in him during the NFL Scouting Combine last year despite knowing there was very little chance that they’d be able to land him. That played out as Odunze went No. 9 overall to the Bears, Chicago pairing him with No. 1 overall pick QB Caleb Williams.
In his rookie season, Odunze hauled in 54 passes on 101 targets for 734 yards and three touchdowns. Thirty-seven of his 54 receptions went for first downs, and he averaged 13.6 yards per reception. But overall, the numbers weren’t all that great in a pass-first offense as he managed just over three receptions per game for 43.2 yards.
In the re-draft, Odunze was the fifth receiver off the board, rather than the second in the actual draft. He landed behind Malik Nabers (No. 10, New York Jets), Brian Thomas Jr. (No. 12, Arizona Cardinals), Marvin Harrison Jr. (No. 13, Tennessee Titans) and Ladd McConkey (No. 17, Jacksonville Jaguars).
The Steelers would have seriously upgraded the wide receiver room with a piece like Odunze, but in a run-first offense, it’s unclear just how impactful he could have been as a rookie opposite Pickens. Pittsburgh also lost second-round pick in center Zach Frazier in the re-draft, as Bhanpuri and Blair had the Bears selecting Frazier at No. 18 overall.
That would have been a big blow to the Steelers as Jackson Powers-Johnson and Graham Barton also went in the first round of the re-draft, leaving center a bit thin.
Still, the Steelers would have upgraded the wide receiver room in a big way. Odunze is fun to think about while Fautanu is still a relatively unknown, though he was quite good in his one start with the Steelers before being lost for the season.
