In live chat Tuesday, Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette was flooded with questions about the Pittsburgh Steelers adding another WR this offseason.
Specifically asked if the Steelers might acquire a top wide receiver in free agency or the draft, Fittipaldo replied, “The [Steelers] are doing their due diligence with the trade market.”
This not-so-subtly alludes to the idea that Omar Khan and the Steelers could be pursuing another splash move via trade, several days after the shocking trade for Justin Fields. Since the Steelers dealt Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers one week ago, how to address a shallow wide receiver room has been the biggest question. The addition of veteran wideout Van Jefferson was one step in the right direction but not enough to significantly solve the problem.
Tyler Boyd’s name has circulated a lot in Steelers-related discourse as another veteran option who’s had a ton of success playing slot receiver. The Cincinnati Bengals aren’t expected to resign the 30-year-old Pittsburgh-area native, and the Steelers could really use someone with Boyd’s physicality and over-the-middle reliability.
However, Fittipaldo’s comment points to the trade market as a possible solution to the Steelers’ wide receiver dilemma. It’s hard to predict which players the team might be targeting in a trade, but rumors today are already flying around mentioning San Francisco 49ers stud wideout Brandon Aiyuk as a potential option. Aiyuk tweeted at Mike Tomlin today:
While fans shouldn’t make too much out of a playful tweet, it’s well-known that Aiyuk is seeking a big contract. If the 49ers aren’t willing to pay him, then there is a legitimate chance they will shop him. Aiyuk is coming off a phenomenal season in which he caught 75 passes for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns. The 26-year-old is ascending toward true stardom and would do more than solve the Steelers’ wide receiver issues.
That being said, a new deal with Aiyuk would likely exceed $20 million per year, severely costing the Steelers next season.
It may be more likely that they trade for a less expensive wide-receiver option to pair with George Pickens while also looking to draft a receiver in the first few rounds of this loaded wide-receiver draft class. As it stands, the Steelers wide receiver room consists of Pickens, the clear No. 1, Jefferson, Calvin Austin III, Marquez Callaway, and Denzel Mims. Pickens is the only player in that group who would be anything more than a fringe WR3 on most NFL teams. There’s still some optimism about Austin’s speed and playmaking ability, but he hasn’t shown enough to inspire real confidence.
The Steelers will further address the wide receiver spot, whether it’s via trade, free agency, the draft, or any combination of those options. Ultimately, I trust that Omar Khan and Mike Tomlin will provide a solid supporting cast for new quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Justin Fields; a cast that will revitalize the once-great Steelers offense.
