Steelers Wideout Named Possible Surprise Cut Candidate

The Pittsburgh Steelers have been the subject of a plethora of wide receiver conversations this offseason ever since general manager Omar Khan shipped Dionte Johnson to the Carolina Panthers.

While the Steelers attempt to figure out if a deal for San Francisco 49ers receiver Brandon Aiyuk can be reached, they have to consider those who are already in camp as the preseason gets underway on Friday night.

As position battles continue, there might be some surprises coming out of camp and some younger players beating out veteran players at key roster spots.

USA Today's Christian D'Andrea thinks the Steelers could be in store for one of these roster surprises at the wideout spot, naming Quez Watkins as a possible surprise cut candidate.

Cap savings : $985,000

Potential replacement : Scotty Miller

"Watkins’ future in Pittsburgh may come down to whether or not the Steelers keep six wideouts — and whether or not they make a big trade for an established receiver (see below). The rangy pass-catcher failed to fulfill his potential in Philadelphia, as his ability to make plays downfield fell off in a big way.

"Heading west was a solid plan given the Steelers’ lack of targets, but even that may not be enough to revive his career."

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The Steelers have reportedly been happy with veteran wideout Scotty Miller, who signed with the team on a one-year deal in early May for the veteran minimum.

Watkins has tallied 98 catches for 1,249 yards and six touchdowns across 49 games and 25 starts. Watkins returned to the team this season on a one-year, $1.29 million deal back on April 1, so he's not necessarily expensive, but the team could save almost $1 million by cutting him.