Success in Passing Game May Be Determined by Markus Wheaton

By Clyde A. Speller

In the 2013 NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers improved their receiving corps by selecting Markus Wheaton in the third round. Adding Wheaton to the roster was much needed, considering the fact that the Steelers lost Mike Wallace to free agency and veterans Plaxico Burress and Jerricho Cotchery will be both on the wrong side of 30 at the start of the 2013 season.

Though fellow receivers Antonio Brown and Emmanuel Sanders are penciled in to be the team’s starting pass catchers, I believe that it will be Wheaton’s production that will dictate the success of Pittsburgh’s passing game.

The First-Team All-Pac 12 selection finished last season with 91 receptions for 1,244 yards and 11 touchdowns at Oregon State. Wheaton’s versatility will give offensive coordinator Todd Haley more flexibility in the passing game, and it will also present more favorable matchups against opposing defenses.

Wheaton doesn’t have the blazing speed that Wallace displayed for the Steel City, but he is fast enough to take the top off of defenses and open things up on shorter routes for Brown and Sanders. In addition, Wheaton can be a possession receiver as well. This is something that may be needed if tight end Heath Miller isn’t ready to play at the start of the season.

http://www.rantsports.com/nfl/2013/05/16/pittsburgh-steelers-success-in-passing-game-may-be-determined-by-markus-wheaton/

I'll go ahead and disagree with this. I think the passing game will be successful because of the person throwing the ball. I think we have a good receiver core and Antonio could possibly be an elite receiver one day. However, I don't see how a rookie will have that much of an affect on this offense. I could be wrong though.

I think Wheaton will turn out to be a good receiver for us. From what I have read he will be a more polished receiver then what Wallace was but only time will tell.

Not sure I agree with the premise of this article. Wheaton may be able to complement this receiving group, but the success of that group shouldn’t hinge on him. Tomlin and Haley probably are not planning on this scenario either. Aside from QB, WR is one of the toughest to jump from college to the pros. The schemes are incredibly complex and often the plays allow several route options that the receiver and QB have to recognize at the line of scrimmage.

Also, I don’t see Wheaton, as a rookie, taking the top off the coverage. That would involve a defensive coordinator to intentionally assign a safety to provide an automatic double of Wheaton. Probably won’t happen while he’s a rookie (unless he torches defenses early in the season). With all of Wallace’s speed and ability to take the top off the coverage, it’s not like the Steelers had a lot of open underneath routes last year.

I do believe the current group of guys could be better than last year’s group, minus Wallace. Brown and Sanders have play-making ability after the catch as does Wheaton. Wallace moving on means gone are the days of seeing a tall Steelers receiver blow by a cornerback and leave the defense in the dust. These guys are shifty players who make people miss. A 6 yard hook could be a 20 yard gain.

Don’t forget Cotchery and Burress, with all of their experience, can contribute. Finally, I’m hoping rookie Justin Brown shows enough talent that makes one of the veterans expendable. He’s a tall, possession type receiver who makes tough catches over the middle. He runs precise routes that his QB (Landry Jones) felt confident making timing throws.

kirklandrules wrote:

I don’t see Wheaton, as a rookie, taking the top off the coverage. That would involve a defensive coordinator to intentionally assign a safety to provide an automatic double of Wheaton. Probably won’t happen while he’s a rookie (unless he torches defenses early in the season)

That's a good point, kirk. My initial thought was that Wheaton would be able to open up stuff underneath when he's in, much like how Wallace did. But what you said makes sense.

Galax Steeler wrote:

I think Wheaton will turn out to be a good receiver for us. From what I have read he will be a more polished receiver then what Wallace was but only time will tell.

He's better at running routes than Wallace. And he's not afraid to take a hit.

Galax Steeler wrote:

I think Wheaton will turn out to be a good receiver for us. From what I have read he will be a more polished receiver then what Wallace was but only time will tell.

I've heard that he is more polished as well. I really like that and I definitely think he could be a good receiver for this team. If he turns out to be a good receiver, I hope they'll be able to sign him to a nice contract.

I think Wheaton will certainly make a first year impact, but our offensive passing scheme will not hinge on him. I would be extremely worried if that was the case. To think all of our offensive production is going to come from a rookie, makes it sound like Brown and Sanders have done nothing and are chump change. Granted Brown should have had a better year last year, but I think now that the cancer is gone, the WR's can keep their eyes on the ball. Literally and figuratively.

Drizztbob wrote:

I think Wheaton will certainly make a first year impact, but our offensive passing scheme will not hinge on him.

I agree. He'll have an impact, but he won't be the driving force. I think his impact will be similar to Wallace's rookie year. Who can forget this?

Quote :

Robinson: Steelers rookie Wheaton could be impact receiver

By Alan Robinson

Markus Wheaton hasn't practiced a down yet with all of his new Steelers teammates. The Oregon State wide receiver won't until training camp because NFL rules prohibit a college player from taking part in drills while his school remains in session.

According to NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah, Wheaton is a player who will be worth watching once he arrives in Latrobe because he could be one of the steals of the NFL Draft.

While Wheaton is mostly being called the logical replacement for Mike Wallace as the Steelers' primary speed receiver, Jeremiah thinks he is much more than that.

“He fits them well,” Jeremiah said.

He even dares to drop the name Hines Ward.

Jeremiah believes the 6-foot-1, 182-pound Wheaton soon will be as despised in Baltimore, Cincinnati and Cleveland as he will be liked in Pittsburgh, where players with an edge, attitude and get-in-somebody's-face mentality are loved — at least if they play for the home team.

“He fits the new mold they've got there, guys who can win one-on-ones with quickness, but he's also got big-play ability with top speed and feisty toughness,” Jeremiah said.

“He's got the kind of toughness Hines Ward had when he played against Baltimore; the feistiness he brought to that offense was a huge asset. This kid is not as big as Hines (6-0, 205), but he's going to bring some of that competitiveness and feistiness.”

Read more: http://triblive.com/sports/steelers/4073480-74/wheaton-jeremiah-steelers#ixzz2UO0UIf5t