3 receivers Steelers should be calling about before the trade deadline

The Steelers have a lot to like about Omar Khan's stint as General Manager so far. However, his first real mistake was trading away Diontae Johnson without a clear plan to replace him with a second receiver opposite George Pickens.

Pittsburgh placed all their eggs in one basket for Brandon Aiyuk and, when that trade never materialized, they were left with nothing with the season already here. There seemed to be no backup plan for Aiyuk and the offense has felt the failure to get another receiver.

The Steelers were also seemingly in on Davante Adams, only to lose out to the New York Jets. It never seemed like a real possibility for Pittsburgh to get him, and that is why their attention needs to be on other options before the clock strikes 4 p.m. ET on November 5th. Any later than this will make any trades for a receiver impossible until the offseason.

A few options could help inject some life into a receiver room that sports Van Jefferson as the second-leading wide receiver with just 8 receptions for 62 yards in 6 games this season. They must take a look at these guys to try and bolster the unit for the playoff push.

Mike Williams, Jets

Mike Williams was set to visit Pittsburgh in the offseason as a free agent. He never made it to the visit, signing with the New York Jets on a one-year deal worth up to $15 million.

Williams had an up and down start to his career with the Chargers missing many games and playing banged up in others throughout his time there. He tore his ACL last season in Week 3 and missed the rest of the year.

He is now healthy but he becomes the odd man out in New York with Garrett Wilson, Allen Lazard, and now Davante Adams in the room. It shouldn't take much for the Jets to deal him and he would provide a good second option and give the offense another deep-threat target.

Christian Kirk, Jaguars

The Jaguars came into the season with big expectations but have fallen short after a 1-5 start to the year. They drafted Brian Thomas Jr. in the 2024 NFL Draft and he has quickly become their leading receiver.

They also signed Gabe Davis in the offseason after he left the Buffalo Bills but that signing has not panned out as they had hoped. Christian Kirk is second on the Jaguars in yards but, with the season quickly going downhill in Jacksonville, Kirk could be on the market if a team is willing.

Kirk is better suited for a slot role in an offense but, the Steelers need playmakers regardless of whether they will play inside or outside. Kirk can provide that as a second receiver with a career 12.7 yards per reception and 15 of his 24 receptions this year have gone for first downs.

The big question with Kirk will be the money side of things. He carries a cap hit of $27.268M into the 2025 season so, any team that trades for him may want to restructure his deal or talk the Jaguars into eating some of that money in exchange for better compensation in return.

Cooper Kupp, Rams

The Rams are in a similar position to the Jaguars in that the season is not going how they may have hoped. After a 1-4 start to the year, they may be willing to part with some of their better players to start the rebuilding process sooner.

Kupp lit the league on fire in the 2021 season, He posted 145 receptions for 1,947 yards and 16 touchdowns. He fell just short of Calvin Johnson's all-time single-season receiving yards record by just 17 yards and Michael Thomas's all-time single-season reception record by just 4 receptions.

Since that season, Kupp has dealt with injuries much like he did to begin his career. He has played in just 23 games over the last three years and is currently working his way back from another injury this season.

Kupp did put up 18 receptions for 147 yards and a touchdown before exiting the game in Week 2 with the injury. He looked closer to his All-Pro form than he had in 2022 and 2023 and Pittsburgh could use that in a big way.

Kupp is much like Kirk in the way of money as he carries cap hits of $29.78M and $27.33M in 2025 and 2026 respectively. The Steelers would likely need to talk the Rams into eating a lot of the money in exchange for better compensation but he would do a lot for this offense regardless of who is behind center.

Another option for the Steelers could be Adam Theilen as an honorable mention. He had a 1,000-yard season in 2023 in a bad Carolina offense and could be a good veteran presence for the younger guys in the room. He is 34 years old and would not move the needle much but anything could be better than nothing.

Of these options, Williams and Thielen seem like they would be the most likely options to come to fruition but Kupp and Kirk could be big splash moves Khan could make to really help the offense the rest of the season. One thing remains for certain, the Steelers must make a deadline move to help the receiver room in 2024.