While many presumed that a potential Tee Higgins trade could be a holdup to a Tyler Boyd free agency move, The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly, who first reported mutual interest between Boyd and Pittsburgh, said the Kansas City Chiefs are the biggest hurdle to Boyd returning home.
Per Kaboly on Twitter, the Chiefs are the biggest hurdle with the New York Jets being a dark horse as a team also interested in signing Boyd, who grew up in the Pittsburgh area and starred at Pitt.
The Steelers have a huge hole at wide receiver after trading Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers, a trade that became official last night. Boyd is one of the best free agent receivers available right now, and he could come in and be a legitimate No. 2 option for the Steelers in the slot. The team would likely look to add another receiver either through free agency or the draft, but Boyd would be one of the best options to come in and replace Johnson’s production.
But the Chiefs have won back-to-back Super Bowls, and they also have a hole at wide receiver. Outside of Rashee Rice, Kansas City struggled to get consistent production from its wide receiver room last season. It’s hard for a receiver to turn down the opportunity to play with Patrick Mahomes, and that’s likely a factor in Boyd’s mind as he weighs coming home and catching passes from Russell Wilson or presumably having a better chance to win it all with Mahomes.
The Jets should have Aaron Rodgers back next season and they do need another wide receiver to pair with Garrett Wilson, so there’s no surprise that they’re also interested. With three teams reportedly vying for Boyd’s services, it wouldn’t be a surprise for him to get a somewhat sizable contract, potentially around the $8.25 million APY as Dave Bryan speculated on Twitter.
While the Steelers and Boyd might have mutual interest, they aren’t the only team Boyd is considering, and if the price gets too high, the Steelers may look for alternative options. Even though Pittsburgh is Boyd’s hometown team, other factors like playing with Mahomes and trying to build a dynasty with the Chiefs or going to New York and playing with Rodgers could compel Boyd to go elsewhere. We’ll see in the coming days how the Steelers look to fill their hole at receiver and if the team ends up bringing in Boyd.
