Report: Steelers to sign wide receiver Donte Moncrief to 2-year deal
The Pittsburgh Steelers took the first step toward filling their void at wide receiver Thursday morning when they agreed to terms veteran Donte Moncrief to a two-year contract, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported.
The report comes less than 24 hours after the trade that sent All-Pro wide receiver Antonio Brown to the Oakland Raiders became official. The Steelers received two draft picks in the trade.
Moncrief, 25, is a five-year veteran who spent the 2018 season with the Jacksonville Jaguars, catching 48 passes for 668 yards and three touchdowns.
Moncrief spent his first four seasons with the Indianapolis Colts, who selected him in the third round of the 2014 draft. Moncrief had 152 catches for 1,875 yards and 18 touchdowns in 53 career games with the Colts.
With the Steelers, Moncrief will provide depth behind JuJu Smith-Schuster and second-year receiver James Washington, who could be elevated to a starting role after Brown’s departure. At 6-foot-2, Moncrief will give quarterback Ben Roethlisberger another tall receiving option.
The Steelers allowed 6-4 Justin Hunter and 6-2 Darrius Heyward-Bey to test free agency. Neither is expected to return to the team for 2019.
Joe Rutter is a TribLive reporter who has covered the Pittsburgh Steelers since the 2016 season. A graduate of Greensburg Salem High School and Point Park, he is in his fifth decade covering sports for the Trib. He can be reached at jrutter@triblive.com.
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