The Pittsburgh Steelers are continuing to look to upgrade their pass catchers, with the team reportedly in trade talks with the Miami Dolphins for TE Jonnu Smith and hosting free agent WR Gabe Davis for a visit. Former first-round pick Amari Cooper remains unsigned after a season in which he caught just 44 passes for 547 yards between the Cleveland Browns and Buffalo Bills, but Cooper had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2022 and 2023. Sports Illustrated’s Gilbert Manzano named the Steelers the best fit for Cooper to “make life easier” for whoever their quarterback may be.
“Cooper, who turns 31 in June, had a quiet, brief stint with the Bills after being traded by the Browns midway through the season. He’s still a solid route runner capable of opening up the field for his teammates,” Manzano wrote. “The Steelers are thin at wide receiver after sending George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys. Cooper can help move the chains and take some attention away from newcomer star wideout DK Metcalf. Cooper, who has 711 career receptions, would make life easier for Mason Rudolph or a popular unsigned quarterback.”
Manzano also named the Steelers the best fit for Aaron Rodgers, which isn’t a surprise given that they have been the only team linked to him recently and all the speculation about him playing in 2025 revolves around him signing with the Steelers.
Whether it’s Rodgers or Mason Rudolph or someone else under center, the Steelers could use an upgrade to their receiving corps after trading George Pickens. The addition of DK Metcalf and the continued development of Calvin Austin III and Roman Wilson (whose rookie season was essentially a wash after playing just five snaps) should make the group better than what it was last year, with Robert Woods also in the fold.
But it’s still a group that can improve, and Pittsburgh seems to recognize given its interest in Davis and Smith. While the Steelers haven’t been linked to Cooper, he would be a nice fit on the outside as someone who’s been productive and has experience in the AFC North with the Browns. If he can regain his pre-2024 form, he might be the best addition the team could realistically make at this point.
The question is whether he can recapture that. Cooper turns 31 in two weeks and wasn’t all that productive with the Bills after being acquired via trade, catching 20 passes in eight games. He still could represent an upgrade for Pittsburgh’s receiver room, and if the team doesn’t sign Davis or trade for Smith, it might be worth taking a flier on Amari Cooper to see if he can be an upgrade across from Metcalf and a weapon for whomever the team’s quarterback is.
