When the Pittsburgh Steelers traded Diontae Johnson, it created a hole at wide receiver across from George Pickens.
Bringing in Van Jefferson was a solid, low-risk signing, but he projects as a depth piece more than anything else. Calvin Austin III seems to be the top internal option but is more of a gadget player at this point in his career.
The team could make a move in the draft, but the list of needs seems to be stacking up pretty quickly, and it’s not like Pittsburgh is flush with draft capital. Center, offensive tackle, and cornerback are all likely to be addressed fairly early in the draft, with taking a center in the first two rounds being almost certain (or as certain as anything can be during draft season).
That leads to acquiring a veteran at the position. The classic Pittsburgh move would be to sign Tyler Boyd, a veteran who could provide some stability to the WR room. The move that would fit the most with the aggressive offseason that Omar Khan has put together might be a trade for Brandon Aiyuk.
But insider Mike Florio has a different name in mind. He shared his thoughts on 93.7 The Fan today.
“I think the Steelers are better off just playing it cheap, playing it safe, see what’s in the draft,” Florio said. “I’m intrigued by [Odell Beckham Jr.]. He’s available. He’s not gonna get the $15 million he got last year, and he still had some moments last year in Baltimore. Players always love him and he wasn’t whining about his playing time or his production last year. I think as free agency gets deeper and deeper into March and into April, some of these veteran guys are gonna be cheaper to get. Couple that with a draft pick or two, and I think you have what you need.”
Odell Beckham Jr., who would turn 32 early next season, would be quite the addition to Pittsburgh’s roster. He’s had quite the up-and-down career, with a lot of his early success coming with character concerns and off-the-field issues. He was one of the most exciting wide receivers in the game at the time, racking up over 1,000 yards in five of his first six seasons in the league.
However, his best days are well behind him, and he hasn’t recorded 600 yards in a season since 2019. He did have a decent bounce-back season in Baltimore in 2023 after sitting out all of 2022 in part to recover from an ACL injury. He posted 35 catches for 565 yards and three touchdowns over 14 games but was held to just four catches for 34 yards in two playoff appearances.
Beckham would likely come cheap, and there’s still some upside there, but I think I’d rather go the Boyd route personally. He does have gas in the tank and could have a decent 2024 campaign, but Pittsburgh doesn’t need another wide receiver with potential attitude issues after last season.
