Should the Pittsburgh Steelers seek trades before the deadline?

The Pittsburgh Steelers have plans of making the playoffs at the end of the season, can they benefit from participating in the NFL trade deadline?

Many teams across the National Football League are preparing themselves for one final roster change. The regular season trade deadline is Tuesday, November 2nd. While franchises across the league evaluate their current depth charts, the Steelers’ front office has been shopping around for potential new additions of their own.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are a few transactions away from becoming an elite playoff contender. Their three consecutive wins have helped their fan base forget about the team’s 1-3 start. Since then, The Steelers have caught their stride. Pittsburgh’s victories against the Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos, and Cleveland Browns have taken some attention off of Matt Canada’s struggling offense.

Ben Roethlisberger has received most of the blame for Pittsburgh’s offensive woes as his play has been less than desirable, struggling to lead the offense into scoring opportunities. The eighteen-year veteran had four interceptions during Pittsburgh’s three-game losing streak. Roethlisberger’s performances had analysts wondering if his time was up at Heinz Field.

It is a challenge to complete passes in the NFL if you cannot rely on your targeted receivers. This has been an ongoing problem for Mike Tomlin’s offense. Diontae Johnson has served as the Steelers’ number one receiver, but his efforts have not been enough. His 40 receptions have helped him acquire 474 receiving yards thus far.

Steelers have trouble in the passing game

Najee Harris has been a vital part of Pittsburgh’s aerial attack as his 37 receptions have kept Roethlisberger from making costly mistakes. Najee’s targets have been a result of Pittsburgh’s lack of production from their rostered tight ends.

Eric Ebron has underperformed this season with only seven receptions, not helping the team transform yards into points. The former University of North Carolina tight end performance has led many to believe that he will be traded before Tuesday’s deadline. If the Steelers decide to part ways with Ebron, rookie Pat Freiermuth will take over as the starter.

The Steelers could see a few players bid their goodbyes come Tuesday morning. Players such as Joe Haden, James Washington, and Ebron are all players to watch as the trade deadline quickly approaches. Washington has expressed his dissatisfaction with his current role on the Steelers roster.

If the Steelers are planning to become a stronger team, they must quickly rectify their problems on offense. Both Ebron and Washington are worth a potential 2022 draft picks, but how will that help Pittsburgh in the now? With time working against them, the Steelers must decide if participating in the trade deadline is worth it.