The Pittsburgh Steelers have one obvious need at the NFL trade deadline: a bona fide No. 1 wide receiver. Unfortunately, these players don't grow on trees, and you won't see many teams willing to part with their go-to option in the passing game.
But nearly every player could be available at the right price—especially from teams that have no shot at contending this season.
With the Steelers sitting on a 6-2 record entering their Week 9 bye, the clock is ticking for them to make a splash, as we're under a week until the sun sets on the NFL trade deadline. Sure, general manager Omar Khan could think 'small potatoes' and land quality wide receiver depth at the cost of a mid-round pick.
But if this team is hoping for serious improvements in the passing game that could make them legitimate contenders, it's going to take a blockbuster trade move, the likes of anything Khan has pulled off in his first four-and-a-half years as the Steelers' GM.
The irony in all of this is that the Steelers had a go-to weapon not so long ago in George Pickens, and the DK Metcalf experiment keeps going south. These seven players are hardly on the NFL trade block, but perhaps Khan could pull one of these star receivers away from these bottom-dwelling teams for a package of high draft picks.
The Pittsburgh Steelers would go from pretenders to contenders by trading for one of these wide receivers
Chris Olave, New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are 2-5, but in the NFC South, that hardly means they're out of the playoff race. Still, with a little self-awareness, general manager Mickey Loomis probably understands that it's time to punt on the 2026 season, as the Saints don't come close to resembling a contender.
While the Saints won't want to part with one of the few talented building blocks on their roster, an enticing trade package could perk their ears. Chris Olave has an extensive concussion history that can't be taken lightly. But he played in 16 games last season and hasn't missed time in 2026 (knock on wood).
Olave has quietly established himself as one of the most well-rounded and efficient wide receivers in the NFL. The 26-year-old wouldn't just make the Steelers threatening for the remainder of the season; he could be the go-to option in the passing game for whichever quarterback takes the reins after Aaron Rodgers.
Of course, a deal of this magnitude may have the Steelers and Saints starting the trade conversations with a pair of first-round picks.
Garrett Wilson, New York Jets
Equally as valuable as Olave to his respective team is Garrett Wilson to the New York Jets. Wilson, Olave's former teammate at the Ohio State Buckeyes, has gained a reputation as one of the best route-runners and separators in the game.
This is exactly the type of receiver the Steelers need.
With Metcalf and second-round rookie Germie Bernard, the Steelers don't have a receiver on their roster who can create much space out of their breaks. Not only is Wilson that guy, but he also already has familiarity with Aaron Rodgers.
The Jets, meanwhile, already have a collection of high draft capital, so trading Wilson for draft picks isn't necessary. Wilson was also handed a massive contract extension during the 2025 offseason, so the Jets would need to be well compensated for the amount of dead money they would have to absorb in the deal.
Wilson recently shut down trade speculation, but if the Steelers are willing to send a pair of first-rounders and a player to New York, anything is possible. I'm willing to bet the Jets didn't intend to trade Sauce Gardner or Quinnen Williams last year either, until they got offers they couldn't refuse.
CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys
Of all the (semi-unrealistic) blockbuster trade candidates on this list, this one takes the cake. CeeDee Lamb has always felt like a player who would be a lifelong Dallas Cowboys player, but with his team falling apart, prying him away might actually be possible.
Before the start of the 2025 season, Jerry Jones and the Cowboys sent superstar edge rusher Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers for a package that included a pair of first-round draft picks (under different circumstances, but still). This shows that they may yet be willing to part with one of their best players.
The Cowboys are 3-5; they possess one of the league's worst defenses and are coming off a disheartening home loss to the Arizona Cardinals—a game they simply could not afford to lose.
Meanwhile, the Steelers and Cowboys seem to be frequent trade partners these days. Omar Khan sent George Pickens, Broderick Jones, and Joey Porter Jr. to Dallas. If the Cowboys were okay with punting on the season, they could return the favor and give the Steelers one of their best players as Pittsburgh pursues a Super Bowl window.
It's not like the Cowboys would get nothing in return. This conversation doesn't even start without looking north of two first-round picks. However, this could be intriguing for a team that currently needs to find a way to pay Pickens and Porter next offseason.
DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia Eagles
For whatever reason, DeVonta Smith often doesn't get lumped in with the best receivers in football. But despite the Eagles' decision to trade A.J. Brown to the New England Patriots and the fact that he's been at the mercy of downright awful quarterback play, Smith is quietly having an excellent season.
Yes, the Eagles' WR1 has missed multiple games, but he's still the clear-cut No. 1 option in the passing game. Smith is also a top-five-graded wide receiver entering Week 9, per Pro Football Focus.
Smith will turn 28 years old four days after the NFL trade deadline, but he should still have several quality seasons left in the tank. Meanwhile, the Eagles should be selling everything but the kitchen sink, as their 2026 season is already lost after a sixth straight loss and QB Jalen Hurts' unfortunate diagnosis.
Trading for Smith would be more affordable than the three previous blockbuster dream scenarios outlined, and he's on an excellent team-friendly deal. If the Eagles are willing to negotiate, a first-rounder and an additional Day 2 pick could prove to be enough to get a trade done.
Drake London, Atlanta Falcons
Like the Saints, the Atlanta Falcons could still come away with a division title this year, even as they enter Week 9 with a 3-5 record. Unfortunately, Michael Penix Jr. clearly is not the answer at quarterback. And this was a team that was already without its two first-round pass rushers.
The window to compete in the NFC is clearly not now for the Falcons. Though they recently gave Drake London a massive four-year, $141 million deal during the 2026 offseason, there are ways of working around this.
The biggest is that the Steelers could offer a deal sweetener, like an additional high draft pick on top of what would be a fair offer for the talent acquired. They could do this because of the excellent base salary and cap numbers they would be getting on London's contract, which runs through 2030.
Trading for the 25-year-old wideout would cost Pittsburgh an arm and a leg because the Falcons would be forced to eat significant dead money, but they're a team without a quarterback, and they may look to take another big swing at the position in the 2027 NFL Draft.
With only three current picks projected inside the top 100, per Tankathon, the Falcons might be open to stockpiling draft capital—even at the expense of trading one of their top players.
Ladd McConkey, Los Angeles Chargers
If the Steelers want to land a really good wide receiver at a discounted rate compared to the rest of the names on this list, look no further than Ladd McConkey. The 34th overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft is still the top pass-catching option on a dismal Los Angeles Chargers team, but he has an extensive injury history worth examining before making an aggressive move.
McConkey has been routinely banged up since entering the league, but he's an excellent player with the ability to play outside or in the slot and run a full route tree while creating space out of his breaks. As a rookie, McConkey exploded onto the scene with 82 catches for 1,149 yards and seven touchdowns.
So why would the Chargers want to trade him?
They probably don't, to be honest. However, at 0-7, the Chargers are the worst team in football this year, and they could be cleaning house during the 2027 offseason. While McConkey could be part of the future plan in LA, he's also going to be entering a contract year next season.
McConkey might be the only name on this list of dream trade candidates that the Steelers could potentially acquire without a first-round pick (maybe a second and change). And it's only because of a plethora of injuries that could drive the price down.
Emeka Egbuka, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Emeka Egbuka somehow feels like an afterthought after an impressive rookie season in 2024. But for whatever reason, he can't seem to get on the same page as his quarterback, and the Buccaneers are really struggling to throw the football.
Egbuka doesn't have the pedigree of any other name on this list. But he has youth and a cheap rookie deal in his favor. Egbuka recently turned 24 years old and has two and a half years remaining on his rookie contract, plus a fifth-year option in 2029.
While Egbuka would help an ailing Steelers wide receiver room right away, he would also be an ideal building block who could aid the future quarterback in Pittsburgh in 2027 and beyond.
Egbuka has shown glimpses of greatness and has a little bit of Jaxson Smith-Njigba to his game (as we saw in the Buccaneers' head-to-head matchup with the Seattle Seahawks last season when he went off for 163 yards and a touchdown on seven targets).
Prying Egbuka away from the Bucs wouldn't come cheap, but this is a player who could be part of the long-term plan in Pittsburgh if Tampa Bay is willing to trade him.
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