You don't replace a player with the talent of Antonio Brown. It's just not possible with any one player.
But you can replicate some of the things he did on the football field, most notably the 104 receptions and 1,297 yards he produced in 15 games in 2018.
The 15 touchdowns Brown scored? That might be a little different. But all of that production only added up to an 8-6-1 record in the games Brown played.
Certainly, that record was not necessarily Brown's fault, and a good argument could be made the Steelers would have been even worse off last season without Brown.
But there also is the feeling the team might be better off in 2019 with Brown now playing for the Raiders.
The Steelers will report to training camp July 25 at Saint Vincent College with the Brown saga clearly in their rearview mirror. And, in many cases, they feel like a weight has been lifted off their shoulders.
"I think things have changed pretty well around here, more team-oriented, and that's the first step," David DeCastro said. "I think everyone is on the same page."
As good as Brown was and is, he wanted to do things his own way. He demanded the football, even when he wasn't necessarily open.
Often, it worked out. Brown had an innate ability to win and catch the ball, even when double covered.
But of Ben Roethlisberger's league-high 16 interceptions in 2018, 10 came on passes intended for Brown. Without Brown to demand the football, that number could go down.
That said, there will still be an adjustment. After all, Brown averaged 114 receptions for 1,524 yards and 11 touchdowns the past six seasons. That's the best six-year stretch in NFL history.
"I’d be foolish to say you’re not going to miss him," offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner said.
The Steelers, however, feel like they can find ways to replicate Brown's production. JuJu Smith-Schuster will slide into the No. 1 receiver role, while free agent signing Donte Moncrief and second-year receiver James Washington will battle for the No. 2 and 3 spots in training camp.
The catches and yards will be replaced. The 15 touchdowns? The Steelers feel those can be found somewhere else, as well, whether it be in the passing game or by running the ball.
“All those catches, all those yards, we have to spread it out,” said Smith-Schuster. “Ryan Switzer, Moncrief, our new receiver, Diontae (Johnson), those catches, those yards will be made up with wide receivers, running backs, tight ends, everybody. It’s not just one person. We have to spread the ball around more.
“Other guys in the room are going to have to step up, and I think they are capable of doing that. All of the offensive positions have to make their plays if they are doubling me or Moncrief. Other guys are going to have to step up. Kind of like what they did with AB and I stepped in and made my plays. I am super excited. The competition, I am ready for all of that.”
Roethlisberger certainly expects that to happen. He's worked hard with his receivers this offseason, first taking them with him to Georgia a week before OTAs opened, then making himself available throughout the process to learn each player's nuances and allow them to get comfortable with him.
In this case, however, it could be a matter of less being more. With Brown on one side and Smith-Schuster on the other, the Steelers felt inclined to throw the ball more in 2018 because their receivers were better than what the defense could match it with 99 percent of the time.
That led to the team throwing the ball 67.4 percent of the time. Only the Packers had a higher percentage.
Not only did the Steelers select Johnson in the third round of the draft to help replace Brown, they also took running back Benny Snell in the fourth round to help James Conner carry the load there.
Running the ball more could be in the cards if opponents get too locked in on the Steelers throwing it. And Fichtner is determined to do whatever is necessary to score.
Regardless, a lot will be expected of the trio of Fichtner, Roethlisberger and Smith-Schuster.
"You’d like to think everything comes with the system," he said. "What you don’t have to replace is the guy throwing the ball. It’s always going to take a group effort when you score a touchdown. I know this: If you don’t have the group effort, you’re not scoring many touchdowns. Collectively, we’re going to have to chew on all of that. It’s going to come. The opportunities are going to come for somebody. Everyone has to start and has an opportunity to put their hand in the pile and see if they can do it."
