The Steelers are interested in adding a wide receiver before the NFL’s trade deadline, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
This is nothing new for Pittsburgh, who are constantly mentioned in receiver trade rumors. They have been as active in the position’s market as any other team in the last year, acquiring Mike Williams before the 2024 deadline, landing D.K. Metcalf in a blockbuster move in March, and sending George Pickens to the Cowboys in May. Despite interest in adding another wideout before the season, the Steelers decided to see what their offense would look like with Aaron Rodgers under center.
The results so far have been encouraging. Pittsburgh is 4-2 with sole possession of first place in the AFC North. Behind them are the 3-4 Bengals, who are hoping that Joe Flacco can keep their offense afloat until a potential late-season return from Joe Burrow. The 2-5 Browns are reportedly targeting a top quarterback prospect in the 2025 draft, indicating they have no intention of competing this year. The Ravens are 1-5 and enter Week 8 desperately needing Lamar Jackson to return from his hamstring injury before their season slips completely away.
As a result, the Steelers have a clear opportunity to run away with the division and even compete for a top AFC playoff seed. That has created a desire to maximize the team’s chances of making a run while they have Rodgers, per The Athletic’s Mike DeFabo. Running back Jaylen Warren is averaging 36.8 receiving yards per game and offensive coordinator Arthur Smith has deployed all three of his tight ends effectively, but the Steelers could use more consistent production from their receiver room.
Rodgers has established a good connection with Metcalf, but Pittsburgh’s other wideouts have not stepped up. Calvin Austin went quiet after a 70-yard performance in Week 1 and missed the last three games with a shoulder injury. 2024 third-rounder Roman Wilson has only five targets on 92 snaps despite hopes of a second-year breakout. Depth options Ben Skowronek and Scott Miller have not offered much, either.
Whether it’s adding a more reliable rotational piece or a legitimate WR2, the Steelers seem intent on adding a wide receiver in the coming weeks, according to FOX Sports’ Eric Williams. Unlike last year, the positions trade market isn’t particularly hot, which might mean that Pittsburgh has less competition to acquire a receiver, but also that there are fewer players for them to target.
You hate to add so many outside players to a team in one year, but Pittsburgh probably has the biggest WR2 need in the league in my estimation. A guy like Olave would be a great steal, but New Orleans does not seem keen on moving him. Ditto for Doubs in Green Bay.
Meyers with Vegas seems like a great option, amongst several others that a lot of us have discussed in other threads, and I won’t go into several of the other options right now, but I’ll say this: if Pittsburgh doesn’t manage to pull off a trade, their best offensive personnel set is 13 personnel playing three tight ends and Metcalf. I’m not saying that they should play this every down, obviously, but acquiring another back behind Warren and run more out of that set with the three TEs could be easier than acquiring a decent level WR2. I think it’s viable alternative if the WR path doesn’t work out.
Defense is bigger problem than offense. They should’ve kept Larry O AND drafted the young guys. Should consider tradIng for Quinnen Williams instead.
Offense stills needs a second receiver, and badly. Larry Ogunjobi, though, was really bad, and has been throughout his career. That does not mean, however, that you’re wrong about another inside defensive lineman being helpful. Larry Ogunjobi isn’t the player that I would recommend, but I don’t dispute your point there.
Olave would be the best option, but I think the Saints want to re-sign him
Bring back pickins for a forth rounder.
The Steelers need to focus. There’s talk now about bringing Rodgers back next season and scuttling their QB draft plans. Dumb. If they plan on using their draft capital to get a WR rental or overspend on someone good, they are dumb and foolish.
They should stick to that plan even if the QB draft class now looks highly suspect and Rodgers is playing well…?
Yeah they should totally hoard draft picks and hope to hit on a rookie. That worked for the Browns and Jets and all the teams that try it. Not to mention a bunch of compensatory 3rd round picks isn’t much draft capital this isn’t madden. Hoarding 3rd round picks is just useless.
I said earlier that I could see Rodgers being a two year starter if he played well, and he has. Not to mention, he’s super cheap. If Pittsburgh doesn’t manage finds a QB that they absolutely love, then sure, they should draft him. But Rodgers has been good and the Steelers have a ton of spots that they can add players to better set up their next long term starter instead. Unless Rodgers tanks, Pittsburgh should definitely consider using this draft to fill a few holes that they’ve been missing.
I was admittingly fully against the Rodgers experiment at first. I was one who said just let Rudolph go out there and earn a top pick – that being said I was fully wrong. Rodgers has looked better than anything we’ve had the helm for 5+ years. And like you said, cheap. I’d use those hoarded draft picks to plug every hole possible rather than trade 5 of them to get higher in the 2nd round and get a middling QB prospect.
Try playing defense and winning games. And try to keep Aaron Rodgers from crying and pouting on the sidelines.
Was Lazard any good before he became a Jet? Or did he just get Rodgers coffee in the morning?
Should’ve never traded Pickens.
Tell your HC to actually be a HC and control the locker room instead of sending out anyone who MIGHT become an issue.
Because of Tomlin’s poor coaching the Steelers they sent out Pickens for nothing. They could have had a really nice 1-2 punch with DK and Pickens.
Jakobi makes sense