Who is the “significant playmaker” the Pittsburgh Steelers are supposedly working toward adding?
Former Steelers CB Bryant McFadden made headlines yesterday with a simple tweet. Now a member of the media, he claimed that the Steelers are “very close to landing a significant playmaker”. And he left it at that, beyond confirming that he’s not talking about CB Patrick Peterson.
Given the rampant speculation about the Steelers continuing to explore wide receivers, that proved the immediate target. It is also the most likely, though the big trade options seem to be losing steam. The Steelers have, based on reports, explored trades for Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel, and Courtland Sutton.
Of the three, Sutton seems to make the most sense on paper. Like Aiyuk, he’s clamoring for a new contract. He also worked with QB Russell Wilson and WR coach Zach Azzanni, so there are some very significant connections. The Steelers do like their connections.
Simply by logical deduction, we’re probably not talking about a running back or a tight end. The Steelers have running backs and tight ends—they also have quarterbacks and offensive linemen, for that matter. As far as the offensive side of the ball goes, that basically leaves just wide receivers.
But you can talk about defensive playmakers as well. The problem here is where on defense might the Steelers be looking for a playmaker, e.g. a starter? The most plausible option I could come up with is Justin Simmons at safety.
The Broncos released Simmons to save $14.5 million earlier this offseason. He has not signed with any team since then, but now figures to do so following the draft. As a street free agent, he wouldn’t have factored into the compensatory formula anyway, by the way. But now teams have clarity on where they stand at safety.
So are the Steelers bringing in current Broncos WR Courtland Sutton via trade? Are the Steelers signing former Broncos S Justin Simmons? Are the Steelers making some other kind of notable addition in the near future? Maybe they’re not going to do anything at all. We’ll just have to wait and find out.
The Steelers’ 2023 season has been put out of its misery, ending as so many have before in recent years: a disappointing, blowout playoff loss. The only change-up lately is when they miss the playoffs altogether. But with the Buffalo Bills stamping them out in the Wild Card Round, they have another long offseason ahead.
The biggest question hanging over the team is the quarterback question. Does Russell Wilson make them a Super Bowl-caliber team, or are they wasting a year? Will he play just one season in Pittsburgh before moving on, or the Steelers moving on from him? How will the team address the depth chart?
The Steelers are past free agency and the draft and their roster for the 2024 season is coming into focus. They made numerous moves through signings and trade—and release. More than usual, they seemed comfortable creating holes, confident they can fill them. Now that we have so many pieces of the puzzle, however, we merely have a new set of questions to ask.
