Sitting at 4-1 on the season and staring down a tough stretch of action, starting with a difficult Thursday Night Football road trip to Cincinnati, the Pittsburgh Steelers are in good shape within the AFC North. But that isn’t going to stop them from searching for potential upgrades on the roster.
As ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Monday, the Steelers are looking for wide receiver help. It’s a position that GM Omar Khan has been looking at for a few years now. Though they traded for DK Metcalf in the offseason and extended him, answering the WR1 question, the Steelers traded away George Pickens, leaving Calvin Austin III as WR2.
Austin is currently banged up, and Roman Wilson and Ben Skowronek have combined for three receptions for 41 yards and a touchdown on the season as the only other receivers on the roster with a reception behind Metcalf and Austin.
So, another receiver for Aaron Rodgers to work with could be in the cards.
Fortunately for the Steelers, there should be some options on the trade market this season. For Pro Football Focus’ Bradley Locker, there are two veteran wide receivers that could be a possible fit for the Steelers, not to mention a backup quarterback that the Steelers could take a swing on to try and develop.
In a piece highlighting 20 trade deadline candidates Tuesday morning, Locker identified Las Vegas Raiders’ WR Jakobi Meyers, Baltimore Ravens’ WR DeAndre Hopkins, and Indianapolis Colts’ QB Anthony Richardson as possible fits for the Steelers.
Meyers and Richardson are names that have been talked about for the Steelers previously.
Previously, Meyers requested a trade leading into the season after being unable to come to terms on an extension with the Raiders. The Raiders weren’t interested in trading him though, so he’s remained in Vegas. So far this season, he has 29 receptions for 329 yards, but the Raiders are 2-4 on the year.
“Pete Carroll’s first season with the Raiders has been a disaster, with the team having only an 8% chance to make the playoffs through five games. With Meyers on an expiring deal and Las Vegas drafting both Jack Bech and Dont’e Thornton Jr. in April, the veteran could be expendable,” Locker writes of Meyers as a possible fit for Pittsburgh. “The Steelers are only 25th in yards by slot receivers this year and could use another viable option next to D.K. Metcalf.”
Along with the Steelers as a possible fit, Locker lists the Patriots, 49ers and Broncos, so there could be plenty of competition for the receiver, should the Raiders decide to move him.
Adding a weapon of Meyers’ level to the offense could open things up even further offensively for Pittsburgh, though it would be interesting to see how they’d adjust and get both Meyers and Austin on the field, while still trying to find playing time for tight ends Darnell Washington, Pat Freiermuth and Jonnu Smith under offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.
Outside of Meyers, Hopkins is an interesting name as a fit for the Steelers.
Things have gone very poorly for the Ravens so far this season as Lamar Jackson has missed the last two games with injury. The defense hasn’t stopped anyone, and things have gone off the rails as Baltimore sits 1-5.
That’s a tough hole to climb out of, and that could lead to some additional changes via trade, including Hopkins.
“Although the Ravens entered play Sunday ranked 22nd in offensive EPA per play, Hopkins has assembled a bounce-back season,” Locker writes. “His 92.7 PFF receiving grade is the second-best among all receivers. On top of that, Hopkins has hauled in five of six contested targets and has yet to drop a pass.”
On the year, Hopkins has hauled in nine passes for 178 yards and two touchdowns. Those aren’t eye-popping numbers, especially considering he has four catches for 66 yards in his last three games. But when given the opportunity, he’s making plays.
In a limited role in Pittsburgh, one that theoretically could work in the red zone, Hopkins could be a nice complementary piece for Metcalf. He still has great hands and can make contested catches, but he wouldn’t be expected to step in and be a game-changer like he was earlier in his career.
Then, there’s Richardson.
He’s on Injured Reserve after a freak accident in warmups on Sunday, suffering an orbital bone fracture during band workouts to warm up. But he lost the starting job in Indianapolis in training camp to Daniel Jones, and won’t be getting it back anytime soon — if ever — based on Jones’ play.
That could lead to him being a trade candidate.
He’s been tied to the Steelers multiple times before.
“It’s possible that the Colts could want to keep Richardson on their roster, either as insurance for this season or in case they can’t retain Jones this offseason,” Locker writes of Richardson. “Still, teams with quarterback questions come March and April could try to get ahead of the curve, stashing Richardson and his potential several months earlier. The Steelers will confront another offseason of uncertainty under center with Aaron Rodgers set to be a free agent.”
With Aaron Rodgers’ future uncertain in Pittsburgh due to his age, and only Mason Rudolph and Will Howard under contract for 2026, Richardson could be an intriguing buy-low option. He has elite tools at his disposal with a cannon arm and great mobility. But he’s never been able to put it all together.
Maybe he could under Smith, who has had success in the past with those types of quarterbacks. But it seems very unlikely the Steelers would trade for Richardson in-season and use a roster spot on another backup quarterback. Maybe in the offseason.
Plus, head coach Mike Tomlin has taken some shots at him in recent weeks, so maybe he’s not a guy Tomlin wants at the position.
