When the NFL negotiation period opened, the Pittsburgh Steelers did something unexpected—they pulled off a trade for Michael Pittman Jr. The former Indianapolis Colts wide receiver was up for grabs as the team was in the process of coming to terms on a new contract for WR Alec Pierce.
Many Steelers fans were thrilled with the team's decision to go after Pittman. While the veteran wideout's reported new contract will make him roughly the 25th-highest paid receiver in the league, it only costs Pittsburgh moving 16 spots back late in the 2026 NFL Draft in the pick-swap exchange. And because he was traded, the addition of Pittman doesn't count against the team's compensatory formula.
Already, the combination of Pittman and DK Metcalf looks stronger than anything the Steelers have had going for them at wide receiver in recent years.
But the Steelers are still missing an essential part of Mike McCarthy's offense: a true No. 1 option.
The Pittsburgh Steelers still need a true WR1 after the Michael Pittman Jr. trade
The definition of a No. 1 receiver is vauge and it can mean different things to different teams and NFL analysts. My definition of a No. 1 wide receiver has nothing to do with size or athletic traits; rather, it's a receiver who can be peppered with targets thanks to an ability to manipulate coverages, get open consistently, and win anywhere on the field.
Sadly, that does not fit the description of either Metcalf or Pittman.
This isn't a knock against these quality veteran receivers. Pittman and Metcalf profile as No. 2 receivers. And that's okay. The Steelers are still better than they were last year with Pittman now on their roster.
Unfortunately, this means that Pittsburgh is still missing a true WR1 for McCarthy.
With a pair of roughly 6'4'' receivers working the boundaries against smaller defensive backs, McCarthy needs a go-to option who can win over the middle of the field from the slot (much like CeeDee Lamb did for McCarthy during his time in Dallas).
Because the Steelers already have big-bodied receivers who don't exactly excel at getting open with hip fluidity and snap movements out of breaks as a route-runner, this is the type of receiver Pittsburgh could be targeting next.
Looking ahead to the 2026 NFL Draft, the Steelers could be apt to go after players like KC Conception or Omar Cooper Jr. early. If they're lucky, a player like Makai Lemon would fall within striking distance of a potential trade-up, or Jordyn Tyson will slip in the first round due to injury concerns.
If the Steelers wait until Day 2 of the NFL Draft to address wide receiver, the underlying issue still remains: this team wouldn't have a true WR1.
DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr. make a solid pairing as quality WR2-types, but the addition of Pittman doesn't change the fact that the Pittsburgh Steelers still need a true WR1 for McCarthy's offense to reach its ceiling.