It's not been a pretty start to the season for the Pittsburgh Steelers, but they sit with a 3-1 record heading into Week 6 of competition. They remain on the trade hunt to try to locate where they could potentially upgrade their roster. General Manager Omar Khan doesn't seem excited about the idea of giving away 2026 draft capital, which could lead to trade complications this year.
As the season pushes closer to the trade deadline, the bottom-of-the-standings teams will commit to selling off some of their assets. Those who opt to rebuild their roster will likely request draft picks in return, which is what Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox has outlined in recent speculation. The New Orleans Saints have a star receiver they could dangle at a high price.
In his article, Knox speculated that the Saints might make star receiver Chris Olave available via trade, though acquiring him would likely come at a high cost for the Steelers.
Knox listed Pittsburgh along with the New England Patriots as potential suitors for Olave's talents. Both teams have been searching for an upgrade to the receiver position, and acquiring a young talent like Olave would secure that.
Trade price for Chris Olave might be too rich for the Pittsburgh Steelers to consider
According to Knox's speculation, Olave could cost a conditional 2026 1st round pick to get in a potential trade. If New Orleans is willing to send their star receiver elsewhere, that's not an insane asking price, at least to start negotiations. Pittsburgh dealt George Pickens this offseason for a third-round pick, but he is a pending free agent. Olave is under contract control through 2026.
New Orleans picked up Olave's fifth-year option, which will bump his cap hit from $6.14 million this season to $15.49 million next year.
That's a significant increase for the playmaker, but the Steelers would form a solid tandem with him and DK Metcalf. The issue persists as Pittsburgh’s offense continues to struggle with finding consistent roles for its receivers.
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Bringing Olave onto their roster would be a fantastic addition by Khan, but it doesn't make sense at the price listed by Knox. The team isn't in a position to make a move like that with how shaky their foundation has been during the early portion of the campaign.
The Steelers could use some help at the receiver position, but they also cannot forget about the potential future implications regarding the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft for their franchise.
Khan is likely unwilling to trade picks for the 2026 draft, especially his first-round selection. They want to target a potential franchise quarterback this offseason through the draft process, and they will need high-end selections to have a shot at one. Olave would be a nice pickup, but the cap hit and cost to acquire him don't make sense. They might consider it if the trade price were lower.