The Pittsburgh Steelers might have D.K. Metcalf as their WR1, but they're still searching for a true WR2 to take some of the pressure off him and to help out Aaron Rodgers more. That's why the trade deadline is going to be massive for the Steelers. They have a chance to add add but how big of a swing are they willing to take?
One name that would make Steelers fans go absolutely bezerk (in a good way) would be if the team somehow worked out a trade for Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle. Matt Bowen and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN recently included Waddle on their list of possible trade candidates and, better yet, put the Steelers as a potential landing spot for the explosive wideout.
Unfortunately, Fowler put the chances of Waddle actually being dealt at a mere 10%, which likely means a trade won't be happening. Fowler discussed how the Dolphins, despite their 1-6 record, see Waddle as a key piece for their future, and that means he's probably staying put.
"The team does not plan to trade the player, but interest is there. While Miami could be tempted to trade players due to its 1-6 record, Waddle is a building block on offense, and he's due $36.1 million in cash over 2025-26 -- reasonable for a high-end receiver these days. Multiple league execs expect the Dolphins' no-trade stance to stand, barring a surprise."
Jaylen Waddle linked to Pittsburgh Steelers, but it's probably not going to happen
It makes sense why the Dolphins wouldn't entertain trading Waddle. He's a really good player, and elite wide receivers are hard to find. Miami spent the sixth overall pick on Waddle in the 2021 NFL Draft, one year after drafting Tua Tagovailoa fifth overall, reuniting the two Alabama Crimson Tide players in South Beach.
The early results of that are excellent. Waddle has been electric in the NFL, going over the 1,000-yard receiving mark in his first three years. He missed two games last year but still managed to get 744 receiving yards and two scores. But it's also worth mentioning that the Dolphins had quarterback injuries in 2024, impacting Waddle's numbers as well.
As great as Waddle would be to have at Rodgers' (and whoever is the next Steelers quarterback) disposal, the odds of Pittsburgh actually landing him are slim to none. We can all dream, though, can't we?