Many still envision the Pittsburgh Steelers making a move or two before the trade deadline passes on November 4, but there are no guarantees. The team would love to add a receiver to upgrade the position, but Pittsburgh may roll with the playmakers it currently has. If they do want to upgrade the roster, they'd better go all-in and not go with a cheap option.
Veteran receiver Tyler Lockett is now a free agent after he requested his release from the Tennessee Titans. He signed with them after a very productive 10-year career with the Seattle Seahawks. He has become a legendary figure in Seattle sports, but not every spectacular career ends with the original team. Lockett joined the Titans, but things fell apart rather quickly.
After seven games in Tennessee, Lockett requested his release, which the Titans abided by.
The free agent playmaker is available to sign anywhere, and some will connect him to the Steelers. While the move makes sense on paper, it wouldn't help their cause. Instead of signing an aging player, Pittsburgh would be better off rolling with Calvin Austin III or Roman Wilson for the remainder of the campaign.
Pittsburgh Steelers would be wise to ignore free agent Tyler Lockett's calls
Pittsburgh will continue to be linked to several free agents and trade targets over the next several weeks. The truth is, the only way they can find a legit upgrade to their current roster is via trade. Lockett isn't the same player he once was, and it's unlikely he would do better than Wilson or Austin. They would be better off without the old veteran taking snaps.
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Lockett is 33 years old, and it appears Father Time has finally caught up to the dependable target. He hasn't done terrific things in Tennessee like he did with the Seahawks. His early-season struggles to find snaps on the field led to the mutual divorce between team and player.
It would be foolish to completely rule out the Steelers' interest in the free agent, but a signing isn't likely.
Through seven games with the Titans this season, Lockett has only started one game. His stat line is as rough as his game action. He has only caught ten of his 21 targets this year, which is fairly poor. He has only tallied 70 receiving yards and no touchdowns. In this case, Pittsburgh would be wise to steer clear of this aging free agent and target some other choices on the trade front.
Unless the Steelers make a significant upgrade through a trade, they are better off placing their trust in their two young receivers.
Either Wilson or Austin could develop into a solid second option opposite of DK Metcalf. It would be a gamble putting their faith into those two, but that's better than signing Lockett.