The Steelers have some cap space to work with and make some changes through some trades.
The Steelers seem to have some work ahead of them when it comes to talent acquisition. They have some holes on this roster that could need a facelift now. There are just too many glaring needs, especially at depth for certain positions to pass up on adding to this club.
There are many different avenues that this franchise can go through to make the team better right now. They could always sign a free agent looking for work, and that is a real possibility. Looking to bring someone aboard via trade seems less likely now, but it cannot be ruled out completely.
Pittsburgh has pulled off trades before and other forms of adding players during the pre-season process. They would like to add players on the trade front for late-round picks and go from there. This roster is still incomplete and should have some other names before the actual final roster is cemented.
Mason Rudolph could be dealt with by the Steelers under the right circumstances
Mason Rudolph is first up on the trade board for Steelers that could be sent packing out of town before final cuts roll through. It has been reported that the trade market for his services is not great right now, and that is bad news for his current employer. There is still time and injuries happen, which could lead to a spike for other clubs being interested in this player.
Many fans of the black and gold would probably scoff at the idea of some other club wanting to trade an asset for a backup quarterback, but it has happened before. The Steelers will just need to find a dance partner for this to get set into motion. Rudolph might even demand a trade out of here if he thinks there is no actual future at starting in Pittsburgh.
Clelin Ferrell would add experienced depth at the edge spot for the Steelers
Clelin Ferrell would be an interesting add for the Steelers via trade with the Las Vegas Raiders. This player was taken in the top five of the 2019 NFL Draft, which seemed to be a reach at the time. Many thought that this talented pass rusher coming out of Clemson would go after pick 15 during that event.
It was a different regime for the Raiders as the decision-makers in 2019 are no longer with the organization. That could always make a player more expandable as the new staff looks to implement their own personnel that they prefer. It has not been a productive career for this young player in the NFL and he needs something to spark change.
Getting sent to another team via trade might just be enough of a spark for him to turn his career around. There has been a lot of scrutiny ever since he was over-drafted and has not produced as he did during his college days. He needs to start showing something and the Steelers could be a great opportunity for him.
This would be a win-win scenario for both the organization and this player. He would get a second chance at a limited role, which should allow him to come into games fresh and give the starters a break. Pittsburgh would get a young, experienced veteran to provide depth at the position.
The Steelers could trade Johnson if they are offered a huge trade package
This scenario might have been seen as crazy just a couple of weeks ago, but here we are now. There was a report that potentially the Steelers could move Johnson if they got some nice trade packages come their way during negotiations. Most people know the contract status of this star receiver and it could get interesting.
Diontae Johnson has been the club’s number one receiver on offense for the past couple of seasons. He wants a new contract that will pay him the going rate for star receivers in today’s game. Many have reset the market and Pittsburgh seems to have little interest in making a deal with this player.
He still has this year under contract with the team, but they could always trade him away. An earlier report had him linked to the Dallas Cowboys, who traded away Amari Cooper earlier this offseason to the Cleveland Browns. That would be an interesting landing spot for a franchise that seems to need a number one receiver.
This still does not seem too likely to happen as Johnson is still the best overall receiver on the Steelers offense currently. His future with the club after this season does not seem too promising. It would take a high pick for the black and gold to sit and listen to offers if they start rolling in.
Phillip Lindsay would add great depth at the running back position
Phillip Lindsay has not been with the Indianapolis Colts for very long. He just signed there on a short-term contract earlier this offseason. He enters a loaded running back room that is full of talented players.
It is going to be a struggle for this player to make the final cut, but he still has talent that could make other players in this stable expandable. He seems like the odd-man out and the Steelers should be monitoring this situation. The Colts will likely have to get rid of one of these talented backs and the black and gold need someone to add depth to their position.
Najee Harris is the bell cow, but Pittsburgh needs to find ways of extending his career and keeping him from taking almost every snap in 2022. It is going to be interesting to watch this franchise figure out the running back position because they cannot go back out there with Benny Snell and company behind Harris.
Lindsay has been a starter in this league before with the Denver Broncos and did well there. He lost his starting gig rather quickly and then had a short stay with the Houston Texans last year. He needs to find a nice role to play on a club and that could be with the Steelers.
Laviska Shenault could be a nice upcoming slot receiver to look out for
Laviska Shenault is someone that many Steelers fans might not be familiar with. He is only entering his third year in the NFL after having a slow start with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He is a former second-round selection by the club, which selected him over Chase Claypool.
This player has not put-up terrible numbers, especially when you consider the kind of teams that he has played on since being drafted. The biggest concern for this player seems to be the lack of touchdowns that he did not have this past season as he totaled zero. It was ugly in that sense, and it seems like this receiver might need a change of scenery.
Size is something that comes with this player and he kind of looks like a running back in certain instances. His thick frame allows him to get better leverage inside for the slot receiver position. That is a spot that the Steelers could be in the market for if someone does not emerge in training camp.
This player would be an interesting option to investigate if you were the black and gold. Shenault would be able to fill a kind of role that JuJu Smith-Schuster has been playing for the Steelers offense over the last couple of years. With another new regime in Jacksonville, perhaps he could be traded to Pittsburgh for cheap.
The Steelers are not a complete team right now as they have the rest of the pre-season process to play out. These trades could be some options that could become reality if the club decides to go that route.