Did the Ravens beat the Steelers in the trade deadline arms race?
Over the past week or so, both the Steelers and the Ravens bolstered offense and defense via trade. The Steelers added WR Mike Williams, while the Ravens acquired WR Diontae Johnson. Defensively, the Ravens added CB Tre’Davious White, the Steelers deepening their pass rush with Preston Smith.
My guess is the vast majority will agree that the Ravens helped themselves more than the Steelers did. While White is no longer the Pro Bowler he once was, he is still a starter, while Smith is depth for the Steelers. And the Ravens needed more secondary help than the Steelers needed edge rush depth.
One can easily argue that Diontae Johnson is a better (and healthier) wide receiver than Mike Williams. And the Steelers were in much more desperate need of receivers than the Ravens were. While the Steelers are coming off a good offensive run, the Ravens already had a superior offense.
Then again, perhaps the Steelers’ deeper need at wide receiver is the key. Though he hasn’t torn up the league this year, Mike Williams can make a legitimate difference. Diontae Johnson is just another weapon in a potent and diverse offense. They already had Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman, Mark Andrews, Isaiah Likely, and Derrick Henry—not to mention Lamar Jackson.
The Steelers and Ravens will square off for the first time this season in a couple weeks. By then, both parties should have all their new pieces up and running.
Regardless of who may have gotten better than the other, though, the Steelers do have recent success against the Ravens. Even when the Ravens had clearly better teams, they managed to find ways to win. And now the Steelers have their best offensive nucleus in five or six years.
Plus, never discount the value of a fresh pass rush. To have Nick Herbig and Preston Smith in the game while T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith are catching their breath is an unexplored advantage the Steelers are probably pretty excited about.
The Steelers’ 2024 season is underway, following another disappointing year ending in a first-round playoff loss. They have had a long offseason since the Buffalo Bills stamped them out of their misery back in January. There are positive signs, but things could jump off the rails any moment.
The biggest question hanging over the team is the quarterback question. Is Russell Wilson earning a lucrative new deal next year, and is Justin Fields still in consideration? How will the team continue to address the depth chart, which is surprisingly still in flux?
The regular season is here, following weeks of camp and preseason games. The Steelers made numerous moves through signings and trade—and release. More than usual, they seemed comfortable creating holes, confident they can fill them. Some they managed to fill, others not so much. Now that we have so many pieces of the puzzle, however, we merely have a new set of questions to ask.
