After all of the rampant speculation surrounding the Pittsburgh Steelers and their pursuit of a new addition to their wide receiver room, the NFL trade deadline came and went without a single move. General manager Omar Khan opted to hold onto his 18 combined draft picks over the next two years, and fans will have to hope that the return of Roman Wilson and Michael Pittman Jr. is enough to improve the passing game.
Whether you are upset with Khan for not making a deal or if you applaud him for not overpaying for someone like Josh Downs or Keenan Allen, there is a real risk in his inaction at the deadline. Sitting at 6-2 and currently atop the AFC North, Pittsburgh is in a great position to finally break their 10-year playoff win drought.
But if Wilson and Pittman either struggle to stay healthy once they return or fail to move the needle, the Steelers could quickly regret not adding another playmaker.
Pittsburgh Steelers choose to bet on the return of their injured WRs
Despite all of the criticism that has come the Steelers way in the wake of their quiet deadline, it seems as though most of the potential difference-makers at receiver were never truly available. Sure, paying what the Chiefs paid to land Downs may have been a solid move, but would it have changed the outlook of the season for Pittsburgh? I highly doubt it.
There were some brief rumors surrounding Jets WR Garrett Wilson as a potential Steelers target, but nothing came of it. Unless a move of that magnitude was on the table, standing pat seems like it was the right move by Khan. Still, it's a serious gamble to rely on Wilson and Pittman to be a big part of the passing game.
Pittman wasn't playing well even before he got banged up, so who knows what he can really offer the offense for the rest of the season. Wilson was coming off perhaps the two best games of his career before hurting his ankle against the Colts, but he still has a lot to prove before he can be considered a big part of the offense.
With how the run game has exploded for the Steelers in recent weeks, neither of them has to be special by any means once they return to the lineup. Still, they have to provide something for Aaron Rodgers to work with, or fans will be questioning Khan's silent deadline.
Add us as a preferred source on Google