Steelers can help fix glaring weakness by signing veteran who lost his job due to no fault of his own

As most roster deadline days have shown in the past, veterans are often casualties on cut-down day.  And while this year didn't produce a ton of surprises, and certainly not many when analyzing the Pittsburgh Steelers' initial 53-man roster, there was one release that stood out above the rest.  That would be former Houston Texans […]

Rob Gregson NFL News Writer
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Nov 12, 2023; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Houston Texans wide receiver Noah Brown (85) catches a pass during warmups before the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports
Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports

As most roster deadline days have shown in the past, veterans are often casualties on cut-down day. 

And while this year didn't produce a ton of surprises, and certainly not many when analyzing the Pittsburgh Steelers' initial 53-man roster, there was one release that stood out above the rest. 

That would be former Houston Texans WR Noah Brown, who while not a superstar, would fit perfectly into the Steelers' WR corps. 


Noah Brown Hits the FA Market

Look, no one is saying that Brown is Brandon Aiyuk, Davantae Adams, or any other WR rumored to be in trade talks. But at this point of the football calendar, and with their WR room, Pittsburgh won't find a better contributor on the market. 

The 28-year-old WR is coming off a career year, setting personal bests in receiving yards, years per target, and an impressive yards per catch of 17.2, which was only slightly behind Brandon Aiyuk and league-leading George Pickens. 

He's also perfect for the Steelers' heavy run scheme, as he comes with exceptional blocking ability and a sturdy frame at 6-2 and 225 pounds. 

So you're probably saying, "Well if he's so good, then why was he released, especially after just signing a one-year deal worth $4 million?"

Context matters, and while Brown was slated to be a significant contributor yet again, the Texans' WR room is one of the deepest in the league and Brown was still recovering from a shoulder injury suffered in last year's wild-card round. 

That led to an increase in preseason reps for Robert Woods and Xavier Hutchinson and forced Houston to eat Brown's $3m in guarantees and release him outright. 

But if Brown can pass a physical, there is no reason to not bring him to Pittsburgh.