The Steelers need to make one more splash and trade for a receiver

With the way the trade market has fallen, Pittsburgh should get to calling teams

Things have been quiet on the Steelers’ front for the last couple weeks. Outside of depth signings such as wide receiver Quez Watkins and, most recently, tight end MyCole Pruitt, the seas have calmed after a tsunami of moves from Pittsburgh to kick off the new league year.

The league as a whole was somewhat slow for big moves until Wednesday when the Buffalo Bills traded four-time Pro Bowl receiver Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans.

The deal also included two Day 3 picks being sent to Houston in exchange for a 2025 second round pick. With that trade, the trade market continues to tell the same story- proven receivers can be acquired for minimum draft capital.

The return that the Bills got for Diggs is by far the biggest of any receiver move this offseason, and even then, they acquired a draft pick in next year’s draft. The Steelers themselves only got a Day 3 pick and Donte Jackson from the Carolina Panthers in return for Diontae Johnson, and the Browns acquired Jerry Jeudy from the Denver Broncos for a pair of Day 3 picks.

With that in mind, the Steelers should get back on the offensive, pick up the phone, and try to acquire a proven receiver to put on the outside. Because while the thought of adding receivers in the draft can be exciting, they will be expected to play and be effective right away. This isn’t a situation like Mike Wallace being added in the third round and having Santonio Holmes and Hines Ward to learn from. If the Steelers draft a Ricky Pearsall or a Jermaine Burton, they will have to step in immediately and be the No. 2 receiver, but really be the No. 1 receiver. Because while George Pickens is a tremendous playmaker downfield and can make plays after the catch, he isn’t known for his route tree or creating natural separation at the line of scrimmage. The Steelers need a surefire, go-to X receiver, and they should hit the phones to see what it would take to get one.

I’ve been vocal about my complete support of acquiring Brandon Aiyuk. If you can get a guy of that caliber, you do it. No questions asked. If it cost you a first-round pick, okay. No one else you are taking there is going to be as good as Aiyuk is right now. You are what you invest in, and the Steelers have been a prime example of that. They have the lowest paid offense in the NFL, and their offense has been one of the worst in the NFL over the last two years. Premium players require premium price tags, so if you can get a player at the level of Aiyuk, you do it.

Even if it’s not Aiyuk, there are plenty of other guys worth calling about. Call the Commanders. “Hey Adam Peters, what can I give you to get Terry McLaurin?”

Call the Buccaneers. “Hey Jason Licht, can we discuss a trade for Chris Godwin?”

Call the Seahawks. “Hey John Schneider, Omar here. What can I give you for Tyler Lockett or D.K. Metcalf?”

The Packers have four guys in Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks, and Christian Watson- all of them are better than every receiver on the Steelers’ roster not named George Pickens.

Plus, there is still a free agent that I would love the Steelers to add to the offense- sign Hunter Renfrow. Before Josh McDaniels got to the Raiders and did what Josh McDaniels does anytime he’s a head coach and screws everything up, Renfrow was one of the top slot receivers in football. He had 103 catches for over 1,000 yards and nine touchdowns in 2021 and was a Pro Bowler. And then McDaniels got hired and decided not to use him. He would be a huge get at this stage, and the immediate starter in the slot.

The Steelers could potentially have their cake and eat it, too. Should they be able to acquire a proven veteran perimeter starter at receiver, it likely wouldn’t involve trading their first-round pick. It may not even involve trading any of their picks on the first two days of the draft. Which would allow them to zero in on getting a tackle and center, as well as help in the secondary. Signing a guy like Renfrow, on top of trading for someone opens up what they can do in the draft, and I fully expect them to be busy before and/or on draft day to bang out one more big move.