With the Steelers’ Aaron Rodgers courtship still on, the team made George Pickens its latest contract-year wide receiver traded. Rather than pairing the talented wideout with D.K. Metcalf, Pittsburgh passed and is resetting around its high-priced trade acquisition.
On the surface, it would appear the Pickens trade leaves the Steelers in need of a replacement. After all, they spent much of 2024 searching for a player to pair with Pickens. This included an aggressive Brandon Aiyuk pursuit and later looks into Christian Kirk and even Metcalf before the 2024 deadline. Mike Williams ended up being Pittsburgh’s play, but production did not follow the former top-10 pick (who has since returned to the Chargers).
[RELATED: Small Market Formed For Pickens]
This year, Omar Khan and Co. may be content to wait. The Steelers are more likely to see how their young batch of potential Metcalf complementary pieces looks before pursuing a Pickens replacement, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes. Pittsburgh does roster multiple intriguing rookie-contract cogs, and the team’s only known commodity behind Metcalf — Robert Woods — is on his fifth squad and entering his 13th season.
Calvin Austin, in particular, is a player the Steelers are higher on than most realize, Breer adds. The slot target has made progress since going off the 2022 draft board in Round 4, moving from a full-season absence to 180 yards in 2023 to 548 in ’24. Austin’s size (5-foot-9, 162 pounds), however, effectively brings a low ceiling on his capabilities alongside Metcalf. That said, the contract-year performer will almost definitely play another central role in the Steelers’ passing attack.
Roman Wilson may be the more interesting piece here, as the Steelers have an established track record of identifying wideout talent on Day 2 0f a draft. Wilson, however, basically redshirted as a rookie. Ankle and hamstring injuries kept Wilson off the field for just about his entire rookie season. He played just five offensive snaps in 2024. Expecting the Michigan product to go from such sparse usage to potential No. 2 wide receiver is probably unrealistic, even considering the Steelers’ history of development here. But the team still views Wilson as a key piece, even as rumors of the Steelers — as the Rodgers wait continues — pursuing Allen Lazard (or potentially another of the QB’s former Packer targets) have circulated.
The Steelers gave Woods a one-year, $2MM deal ($745K guaranteed) but added him after a 203-yard 2024 season. Years removed from his Rams apex, the 33-year-old target also does not profile as a player capable of making a difference in a starting role. However, Woods would bring some insurance in case Wilson is again not ready. That scenario would almost definitely, however, lead the Steelers to reignite their WR pursuit before the post-Week 9 deadline. For now, it appears Metcalf — who played with Tyler Lockett throughout his Seahawks career and with Jaxon Smith-Njigba for the past two seasons — will have less around him going into training camp.
It’s best that they should…
They have 34 mil in cap space…sign a wide out
Try to get Keenan allen
Seems likely they’ll trade for Lazard after June 1st, after Rodgers is in the fold.
I mean they ran a joke WR room out there last year, why would they change now?
What wideout wants to play here though? This is becoming such a poorly managed organization.
It’s such a miserable time to be a Pittsburgh sports fan
It could be years before either is relevant (Pirates don’t count and might not ever). At least the Penguins seem to be a little more proactive in preparing for the post Crosby years.
A visit to the Church Brew Works would be my preferred morale booster :)
link to atlasobscura.com
LOL. I played ball on the field right next to it for years. My playing days end and they turn a church into a beer company/bar. The irony.
Why not? I hope Metcalf likes being triple teamed! I don’t think Keenan Allen wants any part of that no matter how much you pay him. I’m still wondering if Poles is giving any thought of moving DJ Moore and re signing Allen for one year. The Bears just drafted Moore’s Mini Me in Luther Burden so Allen seems like a better over all fit for the Bears offense than having 2 of the same guy. Wonder what’s in Johnson’s head? Allen could be a better one year fit and Moore’s contract off the books adds more flexibility to the Bears Cap. Make an offer. I’m sure Poles has forgot about all the other trades the Bears made with them. LMAO
Horrible idea. Lack luster offense last year due to no receiver depth. Then they add depth via trade and immediately ship off their depth for nothing and then won’t add depth.
This is why the Steelers are one of the poorest run franchises in the last 10 years. Incredible talents and it’s been wasted on mediocrity and “no losing seasons”.
We’re at the propaganda time of year. Steelers coverage every day. Articles about the kid from Iowa becoming the starting running back quickly. Will Howard was a real find. The D-line is going to be so much better….
But it’s hard to be enthused about this team or confident that they can win more than a handful of games if that. Last year’s question marks are still there and whether it’s Rodgers, or Cousins, or Rudolph at QB…..well at least DK got his money
The whole franchise went downhill after roethlesberger retired. That’s when tomlin became head hocho. And telling lil artie what to do.
Like the Aaron Rodgers fiasco. It’s all on tomlin. He’s the reason why the steelers are being laughed at.
Tomlin can’t develop a young qb.