Commanders, Steelers Were Contenders For WR Brandon Aiyuk
The month of June has been full of news pertaining to the strained contract negotiations between wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk and the 49ers. As things currently stand, it appears that a trade is no longer expected separate the two parties, but negotiations seem to be at a standstill as both sides refuse to cede ground on price. While most all signs are still pointing to Aiyuk playing for San Francisco in 2024, he did mention two other teams whose uniforms he could see himself in should negotiations fall through over the summer. 
In his appearance on The Pivot Podcast (video link), Aiyuk was asked what uniform he sees himself playing in next season. “If I were to take a guess, probably a Niner uniform,” he answered. “Probably a Niner uniform. If not a Niners uniform, probably a Washington Commanders uniform. If not a Washington Commanders uniform, probably a Steelers uniform.”
Aiyuk would be a phenomenal addition to either squad. In D.C., the second-team All-Pro wideout would join Terry McLaurin atop the depth chart as Jahan Dotson would return to a WR3 role. Aiyuk would be a massive upgrade over last year’s WR2, Curtis Samuel. Currently, without Aiyuk, Washington has Dotson bumping up to WR2 in his third season as Dyami Brown, Olamide Zaccheus, and Jamison Crowder attempt to hold off third-round rookie Luke McCaffrey for the WR3 job.
Aiyuk would also be an interesting addition to the Commanders due to his history with No. 2 overall pick Jayden Daniels. The rookie out of LSU transferred to Baton Rouge after three years at Arizona State. Daniels’ freshman season in Tempe aligned with Aiyuk’s senior year with the Sun Devils. Working together on offense, Aiyuk led the team with 65 catches for 1,192 yards and eight touchdowns. Reuniting the two could be a huge safety blanket for Daniels as he makes the jump to professional play.
It’s been no secret that the Steelers are looking for veteran wide receiver help after sending Diontae Johnson to Carolina. The team currently rosters budding star George Pickens and Van Jefferson, who impressed in 2021 with an 800-yard, six-touchdown season but has faltered in the two seasons since. Pittsburgh also selected Michigan wide receiver Roman Wilson in the third round of this year’s draft and are holding out hope that third-year wideout Calvin Austin will blossom soon.
Still adding Aiyuk to the roster in Pittsburgh would be huge for new quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. The Steelers showed early interest in acquiring Aiyuk’s teammate, Deebo Samuel, back around the time of the draft, but should Aiyuk come up in an offer, it’s hard to imagine they would turn him away.
When all is said and done, it’s still widely expected that Aiyuk will remain in the Bay Area for at least next season. The two sides continue to work towards a common goal, but the 49ers seem to be employing similar tactics as they did when extending Samuel two years ago. If that road continues, a new Aiyuk deal could be coming around the end of July, like Samuel’s did. Should things fall through, though, it sounds like Aiyuk is open to a change of scenery.
Steelers DL Isaiahh Loudermilk On Roster Bubble?
Isaiahh Loudermilk has seen an inconsistent role in Pittsburgh since being selected in the fifth round of the 2021 draft. With the defensive lineman being pushed even further down the depth chart this offseason, there’s a chance he doesn’t reach Week 1 with the Steelers. As Mark Kaboly of The Athletic writes, training camp may “force a decision on Loudermilk,” with the reporter hinting that the fourth-year pro could ultimately earn his walking papers.
The defensive lineman had a productive college career at Wisconsin, including a 2020 campaign where he earned third-team All-Big Ten honors. That production hasn’t translated to the pros, where Loudermilk has started only five of his 42 regular-season appearances. The six-foot-seven, 293-pound defensive tackle got into 29 percent of his team’s defensive snaps as a rookie, but that number fell to 19 percent in 2022 before bottoming out at 18 percent in 2023.
In total, the 26-year-old has collected 46 tackles and one sack, and he added another three stops to his resume in a pair of postseason appearances. Loudermilk has shown some talent on special teams, culminating in a 2023 campaign where he appeared in a career-high 82 ST snaps. Still, that might not be enough to save the player’s job heading into the 2024 campaign.
Cameron Heyward, Larry Ogunjobi, and Keeanu Benton are secure atop the DL depth chart. However, the Steelers have to start preparing for an uncertain future on their defensive line. As Kaboly notes, Heyward is set to hit free agency next offseason, and Ogunjobi will be an obvious cut candidate prior to the 2025 campaign.
Loudermilk’s impending free agency means he doesn’t have a definitive spot on future iterations of Pittsburgh’s roster, and the organization started to add some youth to the unit this offseason. The team used a sixth-round pick on Logan Lee, and assuming the rookie makes the roster, that would only leave a handful of DL spots for veteran backups. Loudermilk’s ST experience could give him a leg up in that competition, although there’s a chance the team opts for more recent draft picks like 2022 third-round pick DeMarvin Leal.
Elsewhere on Pittsburgh’s defense, it sounds like linebacker Cole Holcomb could begin the 2024 season on the physically unable to perform list. As Kaboly notes, the linebacker will only be eight months removed from a serious knee injury by the time training camp opens up, and the team could look to buy themselves some time by keeping him off the field for at least the first four games of the 2024 season.
Steelers WR Calvin Austin To Take On Increased Role
The Steelers’ receiver room is short on know commodities aside from George Pickens, but a number of in-house options will get the opportunity to serve in a more prominent capacity this season. That applies to Calvin Austin. 
The 25-year-old is in line to see the largest workload of his young career to date, Mark Kaboly of The Athletic writes (subscription required). That come as little surprise considering Pittsburgh’s decision to trade away Diontae Johnson and release Allen Robinson. Those moves have created a pair of starting vacancies, and no veteran presence on the roster is a lock to secure one of them.
Austin was selected in the fourth round of the 2022 draft, but a foot injury cost him his entire rookie campaign. The 5-9, 162-pound speedster was healthy for the entire 2023 season, but the presence of Pickens, Johnson and Robinson limited his offensive role. Austin logged a 35% offensive snap share and made just 17 catches. The Memphis product did chip in on special teams as a punt returner, although free agent addition Cordarrelle Patterson could take on those responsibilities in 2024.
The slot is likely Austin’s primary location for offensive usage, but the same could be true (at least early in his career) of third-round rookie Roman Wilson. The Michigan product was part of a stellar receiver class in this year’s draft, and he should be able to compete for a rotational role amongst Pittsburgh’s other options – a list which includes the likes of Quez Watkins, Van Jefferson and Scotty Miller. Watkins saw his new team as an opportunity to earn a first-team role, but training camp will go a long way in determining the receiver pecking order.
Keeping in line with his previous stance on the matter, Kaboly adds in a separate piece that the Steelers could still be in the market for a wideout addition. Such a move may not happen until the start of training camp, the point at which unsigned veterans often commit to a team. Pittsburgh has nearly $16MM in cap space, so the team certainly has the flexibility to bring in another experienced pass-catcher.
Regardless of whether or not that happens, though, Austin could be primed to take on a starter’s workload in 2024. Doing so would be key for him given he will be eligible for an extension after the coming season. A strong performance would help his leverage in potential contract talks in addition to providing the Steelers with needed production from the WR spot.
Latest On Steelers S Minkah Fitzpatrick
As the Steelers dealt with injuries in the linebacking corps and the secondary last season, Minkah Fitzpatrick was forced to handle a number of different responsibilities. The All-Pro safety is in line to handle a more familiar workload in 2024, however. 
Fitzpatrick – known to be at his best when used as a free safety based on his ballhawking skills – saw a decrease in his usage rate with respect to centerfield-type deployment last season. Instead, his varied workload included an uptick in time spent in the box as well as at slot corner. That played a key role in the four-time Pro Bowler being held without an interception for the first time in his career last year.
“The biggest thing is as coaches, our job is to try to get all of our guys in the best position as possible so they can play as well as they can and play up to their abilities,” Steelers defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said about Fitzpatrick’s usage (via ESPN’s Brooke Pryor). “And so last year I probably failed in that regard. We tried to have him do too much stuff, and I think I’m going to get back to really what makes him special.”
Pittsburgh has Damontae Kazee set to return to from the suspension which ended his regular season, and the team added a veteran safety in the form of DeShon Elliott in free agency. The Steelers’ linebacking corps (which includes holdovers Cole Holcomb and Elandon Roberts) was also strengthened this offseason with the signing of Patrick Queen and the selection of Payton Wilson in the draft. Better health and increased depth at both positions in 2024 should allow Fitzpatrick to return to an all-but exclusive role as a free safety.
The 27-year-old has proven to be a productive acquisition for the Steelers, amassing 17 interceptions and 41 pass deflections since being traded by the Dolphins. Fitzpatrick is under contract through 2026 on his $18.25MM-per-year deal, and expectations will be high for him in 2024 especially if he manages to return to his preferred alignment.
Pittsburgh ranked 11th in the league in interceptions last year despite Fitzpatrick being kept off the board in that regard, but the team finished just 17th in passing yards allowed. Improvement in both areas could take place with him returning to his most effective spot.
AFC Staff Rumors: Canada, Steelers, Shaw, Broncos, Chargers, Jaguars, Titans
The Steelers opted for an outside OC hire, adding Arthur Smith, but both halves of their interim setup from last season — Eddie Faulkner and Mike Sullivan — remain with the team. Sullivan drew OC interest elsewhere, after calling the plays for a Mason Rudolph-led offense that ended up in the playoffs, but he is in place as a Steelers senior offensive assistant. Faulkner remains the team’s RBs coach. Smith should be considered likely to include the duo in his game plans, per The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly, who adds ousted OC Matt Canada was not known for a collaborative approach. Canada did not receive input from staffers especially well, Kaboly notes, before becoming the historically rare Steelers assistant fired in-season.
Here is the latest from AFC coaching staffs and front offices:
- One of the Broncos‘ HC candidates in 2023, David Shaw is now in place to work remotely as a staffer under Sean Payton and George Paton. Shaw has coached with the former (on Ray Rhodes‘ 1997 Eagles staff) and began communicating with the GM more often since the January 2023 interview. Months after the longtime Stanford HC’s interview, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes he expressed an interest to Paton regarding work in NFL personnel. During the time between his Broncos connections, Shaw interviewed for the Chargers and Titans’ HC jobs. The Paton conversations, with likely help from the Stanford ties owners Greg Penner and Condoleezza Rice have, led to the longtime Stanford coach landing with the AFC West franchise.
- Elsewhere on the Broncos’ staff, InsidetheLeague.com’s Neil Stratton notes Ty Murphy has moved from scouting intern to pro scout. Murphy initially caught on with the team in July 2023.
- Four years ago, the Chargers were new on the analytics front. They hired Aditya Krishnan to lead that department in February 2020. Early in Jim Harbaugh‘s tenure, the Bolts are moving in a different direction. Krishnan, who held the title of football research and analytics director, is no longer with the team, according to ESPN.com’s Seth Walder. While new regimes shake up staffs, it will be interesting to see how Harbaugh goes about assembling an analytics department in Los Angeles.
- The Jaguars are also losing an experienced staffer. Brian Squeglia, who worked as an area scout for the past six years and spent eight seasons in Jacksonville, is leaving the team, per Stratton. Squeglia is set to remain in the industry but is not planning to work for another team presently.
- The Titans added two staffers recently, with Walder indicating they hired Erin Psajdl Davis and Alex Rogers as analysts. Psajdl Davis comes over from the Chiefs, having worked on the business side in Kansas City. She previously held a football-related role in Houston. Rogers interned for the Saints previously.
Steelers Sign WR Jacob Copeland, Claim DT
It may not be the veteran contributor that Steelers fans would prefer to see, but the team added some depth today at the wide receiver position, signing Jacob Copeland, according to Steelers.com writer Teresa Varley. Aaron Williams of KPRC 2 adds that the team was also awarded defensive tackle Willington Previlon off of waivers after he was waived from Atlanta.
Copeland went undrafted a year ago after a five-year playing career at Florida and Maryland. Copeland originally signed with the Gators as a consensus top-100 recruit in the nation. He spent his first three years in Gainesville buried on the depth chart under names like Kadarius Toney and Kyle Pitts but proved to be an effective deep threat, averaging 18.9 yards per reception in his redshirt sophomore season with 435 yards and three touchdowns on only 23 receptions.
With Toney and Pitts (and quarterback Kyle Trask) gone in 2021, Copeland finally got to lead the room, tying for the team-lead in receptions (41) and receiving touchdowns (4) while leading the school with 642 receiving yards. Copeland made the decision to transfer for his redshirt senior season, opting to join the Terrapins in College Park. At Maryland, Copeland failed to make the same impact on the offense, finishing fourth on the team with 376 receiving yards to go along with 26 catches and two touchdowns, though he did lead the team with 14.5 yards per reception.
After signing initially with the Titans as an undrafted free agent, Copeland has spent short stints of time with the Vikings, Steelers, and Chiefs. He’ll now return for a second try with Pittsburgh.
Previlon has been floating around the NFL a little longer than Copeland after going undrafted in 2020. The former Rutgers big man was disruptive for the Scarlet Knights, totaling three sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss in his final two collegiate seasons. He’s bounced around since then, spending time with the Packers, Buccaneers, Cowboys, and Falcons before getting claimed by Pittsburgh.
Omar Khan Confirms Steelers Will Not Adjust Contract Negotiation Policy
In his second year as general manager of the Steelers, Omar Khan has made a number of moves to date in his tenure. More will be coming if deals are worked out before the start of the campaign, but the organization’s philosophy with respect to in-season negotiating will remain in place. 
Pittsburgh has exclusively used the offseason to work out signings and extensions for years, and Khan’s succession of Kevin Colbert has resulted in a continuation of that approach. The Steelers are certainly not alone in the sense of imposing a deadline prior to the start of the regular season for agreements to be worked out, though Khan’s stance could lead to plenty of interesting financial situations ahead of free agency in 2025.
“I think it’s an awesome policy,” Khan said during an appearance on 93.7 The Fan. “That policy predates even before [Colbert] and I got here. Once we get into the season, I’m a believer it should be all focused on football. Obviously, there’s a business aspect to this, and that’s okay. That’s just part of it. But once we get into the season, it’s to focus on the season.”
Both of the Steelers’ top quarterbacks – veteran signing Russell Wilson and trade acquisition Justin Fields – are under contract for 2024. The team is open to working out new deals in both cases, but that will only take place after an evaluation of their respective performances this year. Unless extensions with other notable players are worked out in the coming weeks, they too will enter the campaign facing uncertain futures.
Amongst the Steelers’ pending free agent class is starting guard James Daniels. Once thought to be on the extension radar, he will not have a new deal in hand by the time the 2024 campaign starts. Tight end Pat Freiermuth is entering the final year of his rookie contract, and his value would be worth watching closely if he did not have an extension worked out in time for Week 1.
In addition to the uncertain futures of Wilson and Fields, D-line stalwart Cameron Heyward may not be in Pittsburgh beyond 2024. The latter’s contract situation is fluid, and team and player still have plenty of time to work out an agreement allowing him to finish his career as a Steeler. In neither Heyward’s case nor that of any other player will an exception to the in-season negotiating policy be made, though.
Minor NFL Transactions: 6/19/24
Today’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: DT Prince Emili
Denver Broncos
- Signed: LB Dondrea Tillman
New York Jets
- Waived: OL Vitaliy Gurman
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Waived: S Trenton Thompson
After winning a UFL championship with the Birmingham Stallions, Tillman will be joining the Broncos. According to Mike Klis of 9News in Denver, the linebacker will get a three-year deal from Denver that includes a $10K signing bonus. Monday was the first day that UFL players could officially join NFL teams, and Tillman’s agent, Marty Magid, told Chris Tomasson of the Denver Gazette that his client received interest from a handful of squads before landing in Denver.
A former standout at Division II Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Tillman went undrafted in 2019. After spending the past two years in the USFL, he caught on with the UFL for the 2024 campaign and proceeded to have a breakout season. The linebacker finished the campaign with 27 tackles, six tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks.
Troy Fautanu Likely To Enter Steelers Training Camp In Backup Role
A few of this year’s first-round tackle draftees are being asked to change positions. Troy Fautanu had been rumored to be headed to right tackle, and the No. 20 overall pick confirmed that is where he expects the Steelers to slot him in his first NFL training camp.
Fautanu’s expected move to right tackle is part of an interesting plan for the Steelers, who are preparing to use a 2023 right tackle on the left side and pit two 2023 LTs against each other on the right side. After three years as the Steelers’ left tackle starter, Dan Moore Jr. is projected to switch sides to accommodate Broderick Jones‘ rumored LT move.
During Moore’s time at left tackle, the Steelers used back-to-back first-round picks to bolster the position. As the three-year starter heads into a contract year, he could be moving toward free agency from a backup role. That does not appear to be in the cards just yet.
Moore appeared far ahead of Fautanu during the offseason program, The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly notes, while adding the veteran’s lead should be expected due to the experience gap (subscription required). But Fautanu will need to unseat a 49-start player. Pittsburgh’s Moore plan has been rather complicated, as the incumbent LT remained in his blindside post during OTAs. But the expectation remains he will move to right tackle.
The Steelers are certainly grooming Fautanu to start opposite Jones, who manned the left side for Georgia in 2022 before replacing Chukwuma Okorafor at Pittsburgh’s RT midway through the season. Rumors about Jones pushing Moore last summer emerged, but the former fourth-round pick held off the high-end prospect. The Steelers are believed to have viewed Fautanu as a superior prospect to Jones, so it will be interesting to see if the rookie can mount a strong challenge once the pads come on.
Harshly assessing Moore’s pass protection, Pro Football Focus slotted the Texas A&M alum outside the top 60 among tackles last year. The advanced metrics site charged him with eight sacks allowed; among tackles who started full seasons, PFF rated Moore as the worst pass protector. With one of this era’s most sack-prone quarterbacks (Russell Wilson) likely to start, this sets up as a shaky combination.
Moore, 25, is most likely playing his final season in Pittsburgh. With free agency in sight, this profiles as a pivotal position battle. Moore’s experience edge will matter, of course, but the position change stands to negate that to some degree. He has all of five NFL snaps at RT.
The fifth tackle chosen this year, Fautanu checked in as the No. 11 overall prospect on Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board. Fautanu spent the past two seasons as a full-time starter at Washington, including a 2023 campaign where he earned first-team All-Pac-12 honors. He joins Joe Alt, JC Latham, Tyler Guyton, Taliese Fuaga and Graham Barton as first-round O-linemen set to change positions as rookies. Barton is moving from left tackle back to center; the others are flipping tackle spots.
As the Steelers’ Jones rookie-year plan showed, Moore beating out Fautanu in camp would not relegate the rookie to full-season backup duty. But Moore’s early lead here could also point to a developmental season for the team’s hopeful long-term RT.
Steelers OC Arthur Smith: Russell Wilson To Enter Training Camp In “Pole Position”
Before acquiring Justin Fields via trade, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin made it clear the team intended to use Russell Wilson as their starting quarterback in 2024. Both passers are pending free agents, and training camp looms as an opportunity for Fields to reverse the pecking order. 
Tomlin later opened the door to Fields unseating Wilson for the starter’s gig this offseason, but such a development would still be considered an upset at this point. The latter has the opportunity to earn a multi-year stay in Pittsburgh or a deal sending him to another new team during free agency in 2025 with his play as a Steeler. New offensive coordinator Arthur Smith is in line with the organizational notion that the QB1 spot is Wilson’s to lose.
“Russ is in the pole position,” Smith said (via ESPN’s Brooke Pryor). “It’s a competition. Obviously, we get to Latrobe, I’m sure things will heat up, but both those guys knew that, however they were acquired, and they got here and I think it’s been pretty transparent.”
Indeed, Tomlin has routinely used the same phrasing this offseason when describing Pittsburgh’s situation under center. Wilson has impressed during spring workouts, giving him the edge so far over Fields. That has pointed further to the former Super Bowl winner opening the season at the helm, although the 25-year-old does not intend to spend the full campaign on the sidelines.
Opinion amongst PFR’s readers also pegs Wilson as the favorite to operate as Pittsburgh’s starter for at least a majority of the 2024 campaign. In that event, his free agent market (and that of Fields) would be interesting given the Steelers’ reset at the position undertaken this offseason. Moving on from Kenny Pickett, Mitch Trubisky and Mason Rudolph paved the way for the team’s new faces acclimating to Smith’s scheme. More clarity will emerge during training camp and the preseason, but the competition between Wilson and Fields will be one to watch as the summer unfolds.