With roster cutdowns underway and NFL teams wrapping up their roster construction for the 2024 regular season, now is the best opportunity for teams to add to their roster to fill in any cracks. The Pittsburgh Steelers have been looking to add help to the wide receiver room, as evidenced by the reported trade offer on the table for San Francisco 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk. According to Mike Klis of 9NEWS Denver on X, the Denver Broncos are looking to move on from veteran WR Tim Patrick.
According to Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz, Patrick is drawing a “buzz” on the trade market.
The receiver-needy Steelers could be viewed as a logical landing spot, not only to upgrade one of the league’s weaker wide receiver rooms but also for Patrick’s connection to the team. He was coached by current Steelers’ WRs Coach Zach Azzanni from 2018 to 2022. In a 2021 ESPN article, Azzanni praised Patrick for being detail-oriented.
“Tim has consistently just put the work in, to see something that needs attention in his game and give it attention,” Azzanni told Broncos’ beat writer Jeff Legwold. “Details, always with the details, and when he goes to get the ball, he wants the ball to be his.”
Patrick, now 30 years old, is reportedly a hot name despite not playing a down since 2021. In August 2022, he suffered a season-ending ACL tear and spent the year on injured reserve. His 2023 comeback was cut short after he tore his Achilles that July, and he spent another year on IR.
Patrick was a productive and sure-handed receiver the team trusted on third down when healthy. In 2021, he caught 53 passes for 734 yards and five touchdowns, averaging a healthy 13.8 yards per catch. He posted similar numbers in 2020, finishing with 51 grabs for 742 yards and six scores.
Patrick was healthy this summer, catching five passes for 44 yards and this touchdown from first-round rookie Bo Nix against the Green Bay Packers.
Patrick’s salary is also reasonable to take on in any potential trade. Denver would be on the hook for his signing bonus, and his base salary this season is just $1.125 million. As Over The Cap’s Nick Korte outlined earlier today, he does have a list of incentives.
https://twitter.com/nickkorte/status/1828177184995058130
Of course, the Steelers have remained in Brandon Aiyuk trade talks and may be hesitant to make a move, unsure of what the 49ers and Aiyuk will do. But if they miss out on Aiyuk or decide he’s not worth the wait, Patrick is a logical name of other options the team could look towards. He certainly wouldn’t provide the high impact that Aiyuk brings, but he wouldn’t cost nearly as much, either.
In addition to Patrick, Houston Texans WR John Metchie III has also received trade buzz. Other receiver options to consider include the Tennessee Titans’ Treylon Burks and Indianapolis Colts’ Alec Pierce, though there have been fewer rumors about their availability in the last 24 hours.
