While the Steelers feel good about their tight ends, former TE Tony Gonzalez wonders if they need to trade for another wide receiver. On Thursday, Aaron Rodgers threw four touchdowns to their tight ends. But they got all of six receptions from their receivers for 76 yards—the entire group, sans Calvin Austin III.
On the other hand, the tight ends combined for 11 receptions for 141 yards and four touchdowns. Amusingly, Darnell Washington caught three passes for two yards and a touchdown. That’s a Jerome Bettis stat line. But I digress. Just as the Steelers have when it comes to trading for more talent.
“I think right now, when you look at the tight ends, I was saying that they needed to get more involved, and they did. I like what I saw”, Gonzalez said after the Amazon Prime broadcast about the Steelers’ tight end room. “Pat Freiermuth makes $12 million a year. He is a big-time tight end, and they finally went to him”.
“I think they’re gonna lean on these tight ends”, he added of the Steelers’ offense. “I love DK Metcalf out there at the receiver, but they still need one more explosive player. Calvin Austin III, he’ll come back, but I still think maybe even a trade or something to go out there and get one more explosive player. Because this team, they lost tonight, but they’re still a really good football team”.
Recently, Eagles WR A.J. Brown’s name has been floated out there as a target the Steelers could try to trade for. That would undoubtedly be a big-time target, in more ways than one. It’s also not implausible, given his history with Steelers OC Arthur Smith. They’ve acquired their share of former Smith players, including TE Jonnu Smith.
For years, it’s been apparent that A.J. Brown isn’t entirely happy in Philadelphia with QB Jalen Hurts. Winning helps to smooth some things over, but there has long been an undercurrent of frustration. This year, in six games, he has just 25 catches for 274 yards and one touchdown. Metcalf, in comparison, has only 22 catches but for 406 yards and four touchdowns.
It’s hard to say where things are going to go, though. In recent weeks, the Steelers have seen signs of life from their running game. They’ve wanted to see that for some time now, and wanted to ride that. But the Steelers have also seen that they need Aaron Rodgers, and that Rodgers needs weapons. It’s certainly not unreasonable for them to try to get one by the trade deadline.
But that might depend on how the next few games go. The Steelers play the Packers and Colts before the trade deadline hits. If it looks like they’re starting to sink, they might not push to add to this year. Certainly not if it costs them 2026 draft picks, which has been a priority. Then again, they may see it necessary to maximize this one-shot run with Aaron Rodgers.
