Buy or Sell: The Steelers should punt on drafting a wide receiver in 2025.
Explanation: The Steelers already used a draft pick on a wide receiver as part of the DK Metcalf trade. They have both starters and depth at the position. While they might need to replace George Pickens in 2026, that is a 2026 problem. With few draft picks and many needs, using one on a wide receiver might be tough to swing.
Buy:
At wide receiver, the Steelers already have George Pickens, DK Metcalf, Calvin Austin III, Roman Wilson, Ben Skowronek, and Scotty Miller. That’s a better group than they had last season, and they need to spend valuable resources on it?
Put simply, no, they don’t, and they shouldn’t. The Steelers could use another wide receiver, in theory, but they have bigger needs. If it is a choice between adding a wide receiver and double-dipping along the defensive line, I’m doing the latter.
Plus, the Steelers already have their “bonus” wide receiver draft pick in Wilson. They basically didn’t get to use him last year due to injury, so between him and Metcalf, that’s significant reinforcements. That’s a far cry from Van Jefferson in last year’s lot.
Sell:
Wide receiver is always a worthy draft target, especially to a team like the Steelers. They draft one nearly every year, and frankly, in more recent years, they have needed to replenish the pipeline. Their track record isn’t as strong as it used to be, though that has something to do with quarterback play.
The thing is, we only have to look to last year to be reminded that drafting a wide receiver doesn’t guarantee the Steelers immediate contributions. They are hoping for an impact from Roman Wilson in his second season. They will probably need to replace Pickens in 2026, so his replacement should already be on hand now.
And we’re not even talking about the very real possibility that the Steelers trade Pickens, which would all but necessitate drafting a wide receiver. This isn’t the strongest wide receiver class in recent years, so teams may be tempted to trade for him. And considering the Steelers’ prospects for this season, they should definitely be listening.
The Steelers are building toward the 2025 season, following yet another disappointing year. While they reached the playoffs, they once again lost authoritatively in the first round. They are facing questions, both publicly, and perhaps privately as well. Questions about The Standard, and what the Steelers stand for.
The rookie class of a year ago was successful, but they need to step up into staple starters in 2025. And they need everyone healthy to do it, not an insignificant consideration. They needed a strong influx of talent in both free agency and in the 2025 NFL draft yet again.
These sorts of uncertainties are what we will address in our Buy or Sell series. In each installment, we will introduce a topic statement and weigh some of the arguments for either buying it (meaning that you agree with it or expect it to be true) or selling it (meaning you disagree with it or expect it to be false).
