When it comes to trades, there’s a largely accepted list of players the Pittsburgh Steelers could pursue. Mainly at wide receiver, Omar Khan seems to – again – be in the market for help. Jakobi Meyers, Chris Olave, Allen Lazard, top the list. But every front office and pro personnel department looks far and wide, high and low, for help across the league.
Obviously, every trade should be considered carefully and Khan has good reason to keep his stockpile of draft picks for next season. But no stone unturned for the Steelers, looking to win the division and make a playoff run.
With that in mind, here’s three plausible and viable trade suggestions the Steelers should consider ahead of November 4’s deadline.
Dane Belton/S New York Giants
Injuries often force team’s hands at making a move. And Pittsburgh was just dealt a blow in losing special teams captain Miles Killebrew to a knee injury that presumably though unofficially, will cost him the rest of the season. Perhaps the rest of his career.
Belton can fill those shoes. Cut from a similar cloth, Belton is a special teams ace leading the NFL with 11 tackles on football’s third unit. He’s on pace to record his third-straight season with over 300 special teams snaps. Like Killebrew, Belton is the personal protector of the punt team, the quarterback of the formation that sets the blocking scheme, identifies the number of rushers, and tells the long snapper to hike the ball.
Unlike Killebrew, Belton is much younger. Just 24 years old. He’s playing on the final year of his rookie deal, making him cheap to acquire. He also has more defensive value than Killebrew, who was a pure special teamer. Belton is versatile and can align all around the defensive formation, picking up snaps at free safety, in the box, and even a smattering of reps at outside corner during his career. On the season, he has 26 tackles, two pass breakups, and a forced fumble.
Pittsburgh has decent safety depth and has liked the contributions of its new additions: Juan Thornhill, Chuck Clark, and Jabrill Peppers (who took over as PP for Sunday’s game). But there’s room for one more and it would be nice to get some youth in an old safety room where the aforementioned three are 30 years old, making DeShon Elliott the “youngest” at 28.
The Giants are still fighting for their season. Rookies Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo have infused new life into the team – and Brian Daboll’s job. But another loss or two before the deadline, potentially one to the Denver Broncos on the road today, would put the writing on the wall of a team not making the playoffs. Potentially making New York sellers or, at least, willing to sell one piece for a future draft picks.
Kelvin Beachum/OT Arizona Cardinals
Ok, I take back what I said in the title. Beachum has been mentioned before. By us. A free agent target we floated in January, Beachum opted to re-sign with the Cardinals for his 14th NFL season. An incredible feat.
The reasons that made him viable then still apply now. A versatile, smart, and respected player, the Cardinals’ playoff hopes hang in the balance. Like the Giants, they aren’t out of it yet and but a fifth loss in an NFC West with every other team above .500 makes the math obvious. And makes Beachum someone the Steelers should call about.
Pittsburgh’s offensive line depth hasn’t been tested. They’re one of the few teams who have started the same starting five each week of the season. But an injury is always just one play away and having great depth is key. Calvin Anderson re-signed this offseason and sits next-man-up at tackle but another backup option is never a bad thing.
Importantly, the Steelers must consider what happens if an interior line injury forces Spencer Anderson to start at guard. If LG Isaac Seumalo or RG Mason McCormick goes down, Anderson has to replace him. Meaning, Pittsburgh loses out on Anderson being the sixth offensive lineman/tackle-eligible role that’s proven to be so valuable. Beachum has logged 34 snaps as a tackle-eligible this season in addition to 66 left tackle snaps. Beachum could be the backup to Anderson’s role, giving him value beyond just his traditional ability to play offensive line.
A great locker room guy and community member with a cheap and expiring contract who began his career in Pittsburgh, Beachum is arguably the most logical and sensible fit on this list.
Josh Reynolds/WR New York Jets
The other other Jets wide receiver not talked about behind Lazard and Garrett Wilson. Reynolds has size and big-play ability. It hasn’t been shown in New York this season because of the Jets’ terrible quarterback play but Reynolds has a career 13.3 yards per catch average. That number has sat around or above 15 yards in 2023 and 2024.
The Jets are obvious sellers and Reynolds is arguably the better player than Lazard, though he doesn’t have the built-in background with Aaron Rodgers like Lazard does. Reynolds is owed just a $1.5 million base salary, meaning the Steelers would pay about half of that if acquired. A pittance to them.
Tre Tucker/WR Las Vegas Raiders
The other Raiders’ receiver. While Jakobi Meyers gains all the buzz at the top of the trade market ticket, don’t forget about Tucker. If Pittsburgh is looking for more speed at receiver like Ian Rapoport indicated, it’s hard to find anyone faster than Tucker. A pure speedster out of Cincinnati, Tucker ran a 4.32 40 yard dash ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft.
In three years with the Raiders, he’s averaging 13.6 yards per catch and nearly 15 yards this season. He’s posted a 24/356/4 line, breaking out with a three touchdown game against the Washington Commanders earlier this season. Like this 61 yard score that would sure look pretty in Pittsburgh’s offense.
Tucker has versatility as a runner and has dabbled slightly in the return game, though he wouldn’t replace Ke’Shawn Williams.
A former third round pick, he’s under cheap cost control through the 2026 season. There’s incentive for the Raiders to hold him, especially if Meyers gets dealt, but it’s also a new regime that didn’t draft him. There’s less attachment to keeping him in Vegas.
Oli Udoh/OT Tennessee Titans
Finishing things out with another offensive lineman, depth is never “good enough” up front. A former sixth round pick of the Minnesota Vikings, Udoh is versatile with the ability to play either tackle and both guard spots. He can play everything but center. Like Beachum but less extensively, he’s even taken three tackle-eligible snaps this season. He’s logged 171 offensive snaps this season, though has started only two games.
Udoh would be an upgrade over Andrus Peat, a weekly inactive who is at the end of his career.
In a year of parity without obvious candidates, the Titans are clear sellers. Reporters have made it clear Tennessee is willing to listen to anyone not named QB Cam Ward and DT Jeffrey Simmons. Of course, this is also one of the NFL’s worst rosters, making it hard to find attractive candidates. But Udoh is one of them. A free agent after the season, there’s little incentive for the Titans to keep him.
