If the general manager Omar Khan and the Pittsburgh Steelers can find a suitable deal to bring a wide receiver at the trade deadline, they’ll do it. The problem is in finding the deal.
Some of that is thanks to Pittsburgh’s plans, which certainly don’t involve spending premium capital in next year’s draft held in the Steel City. The team will likely need ammunition to move up to select a quarterback, so Khan can’t dig too deep into his pockets while begging for receiving help.
However, another aspect is the reluctance of other teams to trade their wide receivers. Steelers fans have heard plenty about the Miami Dolphins' unwillingness to trade Jaylen Waddle, and the same holds true for New Orleans with Chris Olave and, to a lesser degree, Las Vegas with Jakobi Meyers.
Being strapped for options, maybe the Steelers could be forced to make a drastic move. The Eagles need edge help so badly they’re bringing Brandon Graham out of retirement. With A.J. Brown leading NFL wide receivers in disgruntled performances, maybe Pittsburgh would be inclined to swing for the fences on a package that would swap Alex Highsmith for Brown.
Peter Schrager made it clear the Pittsburgh Steelers shouldn’t waste time dreaming about a blockbuster trade with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Well, wake up from the fever dream, because the Eagles won’t be looking to play ball, according to ESPN Insider Peter Schrager.
“Knowing Howie Roseman as well as I know Howie Roseman, Eagles are usually a team that looks to acquire assets, not ship them off. I don’t get the feeling that A.J. Brown is necessarily going to be traded,” Schrager said on Get Up Friday morning. “ I will say this: there will be teams who will be calling leading up to that deadline.”
Khan and the Steelers could certainly be one of those teams that give Roseman a call, but it seems rather unlikely that there’s a deal that could come together between the franchises. Between the expensive contracts of both players, particularly Brown, and the team-building strategies of both organizations, Steelers fans would be better off putting this one out of their heads until the trade deadline finally hits on November 4.
Of course, Pittsburgh doesn’t necessarily need to make such a blockbuster move anyway. If they can land Jakobi Meyers for a mid-round pick, most Steelers fans would be satisfied picking up a veteran wideout ready for a new contract with a change in quarterback on the horizon and the skillset to contribute right away.
If Pittsburgh really wants that blockbuster move that sends shockwaves through the league, the best bet is probably to hope for Miami to continue to lose, so they possibly feel more comfortable trading Waddle. Otherwise, Steelers fans can wait for an inevitable notification about Meyers or Calvin Ridley joining the team.
Either option is better than putting stock in the hopes for a trade with Philly.