No Brandon Aiyuk. No Davante Adams. Is there anywhere else for the Pittsburgh Steelers to turn? After striking out on the top two names to enter and exit the trade market, the Steelers’ options are dwindling while their WR search continues. The Steelers can put on a good face, talk up their group and say they’re happy with the status quo. But we know they’re not. If they could’ve swung a favorable deal for Adams, they would’ve done it in a heartbeat.
So what’s left? Who could the team look at over the next three weeks ahead of the Nov. 5 deadline? Here’s some options to consider.
Mike Williams – New York Jets
The most talked about and arguably the most likely name right now. With Adams in New York along with Garrett Wilson and Allen Lazard, there’s no home or role for Williams. With 10 catches in six games before Adams entered the mix, it’s hard to believe he’s going to remain with the team by the end of the season. Immediately after the deal, reports came out he’s on the block.
These dots are easy to connect. Pittsburgh had interest in Williams shortly after trading WR Diontae Johnson, scheduling a visit with the former first-round pick. Who knows if a deal would’ve gotten done or if the intent was to focus on his health, Williams coming off a 2023 ACL tear, but we never got to find out. Williams had his visit with the Jets first and inked a one-year deal, never getting on a plane to Pittsburgh.
Now, the Steelers don’t have to find out if he’s healthy. He is and could step in right away. They’ll like his size and jump-ball ability downfield. I have serious reservations over how much I think he will help, Williams isn’t a great separator, and Steelers receivers have had trouble getting open, but he’s a veteran they like who would be really cheap to acquire. I bet the Jets would basically give him away. Something like trading a sixth-round pick for Williams and a seventh. It’s not going to take much.
DeAndre Hopkins – Tennessee Titans
Name on my radar for awhile. Mike Tomlin has always spoken highly of him, including last season.
“D-Hop’s always open,” Tomlin said last year before the Steelers’ Week 9 game against the Titans. “His catch radius, his strong hands, his ability to high-point the ball makes that a true statement. Obviously, we gotta be conscious of one-on-one circumstances with him.”
And Pittsburgh was, tasking CB Joey Porter Jr. to shadow him throughout the game. It was Porter’s breakout game, clamping Hopkins down in the second half in a Steelers victory.
At 1-4 in the AFC South, Tennessee won’t be a contender this year and could look to sell and re-load. At 32, Hopkins won’t be part of the Titans’ future plans, and he’s barely involved in their current plans. He’s caught just 14 passes for 175 yards in five games, playing under 50 percent of the offense’s snaps in four of them. In the final year of his deal, he’s a prime deadline-deal candidate.
Like Williams, he’s not much of a separator though analytics suggest he’s not completely inept. ESPN gives him a 62 open score, 29th out of 73 qualifiers. NextGenStats has him in the middle of yards of separation and far better than Williams (3.2 versus 2.1 yards). Those numbers lack context but suggest Hopkins still has some juice left. And he would be a strong option to have on the other end of those Russell Wilson moonballs.
To me, the most logical and likely name for Pittsburgh to still pursue. The cost? I would guess a fifth-round pick.
It’s also worth mentioning another Titans wideout, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, who has fallen into a deep reserve role this season with just one reception (it, at least, went for a touchdown). Arthur Smith coached him in 2020 and he’s had past production against the Steelers. There’s size and blocking ability here for dirt cheap.
Christian Kirk – Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars are in free fall and selling, making one deal with the Seattle Seahawks already. All things considered, the 27-year-old Kirk’s had a serviceable season with 24 receptions, 239 yards, and a score on a last-place Jacksonville outfit. His contract runs through 2025 and isn’t cheap, a $15 million-plus base salary owed next year.
But he’s younger than the above options and better, too, and would be a higher-end target that wouldn’t leave them team going back to the well in the offseason.
Courtland Sutton – Denver Broncos
Why not try to dance with Sutton again? Denver made it clear in the offseason that it wasn’t budging on dealing Sutton, turning down a 49ers proposal that would’ve sent Brandon Aiyuk to Pittsburgh. It’s worth at least calling to see if Sean Payton has changed his tune.
My guess is no, Bo Nix is struggling enough as it is, but if you give a too-good offer, maybe Denver would bite. Sutton has been as consistent as ever, recording between 13.0 and 13.4-yards per catch each year since 2021.
David Moore – Carolina Panthers
We’ve ruled out the team even being allowed to trade back for WR Diontae Johnson but there is another Panther to consider. That’s Moore, a veteran who hasn’t played much this season. He has just five receptions on nine targets. What’s interesting about him is his relationship with QB Russell Wilson, who could be the starter from here on out.
Moore was drafted by the Seahawks in 2017 and had a real role in the passing game from 2018-2020. During that span, he hauled in 78 passes for 1,163 yards and 13 touchdowns. Wilson even changed a play call in 2020 to get Moore his 35th catch, triggering a $100k incentive bonus.
Obviously, this wouldn’t be a high-level move and it’s fair to question how much Moore could help the offense. But knowing Wilson could accelerate the learning curve any outside addition would have, the biggest issue with adding someone midseason.
Cedrick Wilson Jr. – New Orleans Saints
A height/speed type, Wilson is the son of former Pittsburgh Steeler Cedrick Wilson Sr. It’s been hard for him to find a role in New Orleans this season, catching just three passes and zero touchdowns. But he’s one year removed from catching three touchdowns for the Miami Dolphins in 2023, and in 2021, he went over the 600-yard mark. His size and speed would make him a different body type compared to many of the receivers in this room, which Pittsburgh could find attractive.
