The Pittsburgh Steelers have very little to complain about as the November 10 NFL trade deadline nears. They sit atop the AFC North with a 6-2 record, are coming off their Week 9 bye, and are currently on a four-game winning streak. Most importantly, they seem to have found their identity as a team.
Pittsburgh has utterly dominated in the trenches in recent weeks, and head coach Mike McCarthy has started to lean on his running game after seeing how dominant the offense can be when he does. Still, reinforcing the wide receiver room and finding more options in the secondary at the deadline remain likely.
Will general manager Omar Khan make a big splash? Or will he simply look to shore up a relatively strong roster as the Steelers make a push for a playoff berth? Be sure to bookmark this page and check back as the deadline approaches.
Latest Steelers trade rumors
Albert Breer, Adam Schefter both feeding into Steelers wide receiver pursuit
Everyone is well aware of the Steelers' need at wide receiver. Between injuries to Michael Pittman Jr., Roman Wilson, and Ben Skowronek, as well as the struggles of DK Metcalf, any receivers who could be had in a trade will be mentioned as potential targets.
Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer named Pittsburgh as a team actively looking for receiver help, as did Adam Schefter in a recent segment for ESPN's NFL Countdown. Josh Downs, Calvin Ridley, and Brian Thomas Jr. were all names brought up by Schefter as likely trade targets for teams looking for help. Downs reportedly could be had for a fourth-round pick, which the Steelers notably don't have at the moment.
Potential Steelers trade targets
WR Josh Downs, Indianapolis Colts
Why they should: Josh Downs is perhaps the most common name mentioned as an option for the Steelers, and it makes sense why. He is in the final year of his rookie contract, plays for a Colts team that is in fire-sale mode, and is an excellent route runner who would help the Steelers beat man coverage more often. He may end up being a rental, but he is the exact type of player who could thrive as an underneath target for Aaron Rodgers.
Why they shouldn't: Downs skill set may be a match for their quarterback and what they struggle to beat from a coverage standpoint, but he would also feed into Rodgers' desire to avoid throwing looking for explosives in the passing game. Maybe that's not the end of the world with how the run game has developed in recent weeks, but it's something to consider. He also may be more expensive than what Pittsburgh would want if he were a true rental option.
WR Calvin Ridley, Tennessee Titans
Why they should: This one is simple: he is cheap, can still threaten defenses deep, and should be motivated to play well in a better situation to try and stay relevant in the NFL.
Why they shouldn't: To be blunt, Ridley may just not have it anymore. He has just 91 yards on the season, and he has looked nothing like the player who had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2023 and 2024. Unless the trade costs next to nothing, it's probably not worth it.
WR Brian Thomas Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars
Why they should: Brian Thomas Jr. is the classic buy-low candidate of this trade deadline. He was dominant as a rookie back in 2024, putting up 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns. Since then, he has just 824 yards and four scores. If the Steelers believe he can recapture his rookie form, it could be worth giving up as much as a third-round pick.
Why they shouldn't: For the same reason he is a potential buy-low candidate, he may be a player who defenses figured out after an explosive rookie year and he has yet to adapt. Unless he can get back to being a potential 1,000-yard receiver, giving up a Day 2 pick for him could look bad quickly.
S Amani Hooker, Tennessee Titans
Why they should: The Steelers' safety room is starting to improve now that DeShon Elliott is back healthy and rookie Robert Spears-Jennings has emerged as a valuable member of the rotation, but what they lack is a true playmaker in the back end. Hooker is tied with Packers safety Xavier McKinney for the NFL lead in interceptions with five, including three off of Joe Burrow in Week 8. He could be the missing piece for Pittsburgh's secondary.
Why they shouldn't: Giving up draft capital for a 28-year-old safety with a $13.15 million cap hit in 2027 is probably not ideal, especially with how Spears-Jennings has looked so far. While they could move on from both Elliott and Jaquan Brisker in that scenario, it still may not be how they want to use their assets.
CB Riq Woolen, Philadelphia Eagles
Why they should: With Joey Porter Jr. shipped off to the Dallas Cowboys, the Steelers could use another big, physical corner opposite Jamel Dean. Riq Woolen would definitely fit the bill, and he should be available given the Eagles' disastrous 2-7 record. He should also be relatively cheap since he is on a one-year deal.
Why they shouldn't: While Woolen is still a good player, he hasn't been quite as good in Philadelphia compared to his days in Seattle. With Asante Samuel Jr. holding up for the most part across from Dean and the steady growth of rookie Daylen Everette, it's not a guarantee that Woolen would be an upgrade from what they already have.
Honorable mentions: WR Ladd McConkey, Chargers, CB Donte Jackson, Chargers, S Cam Bynum, Colts
Positions of need
1. Wide Receiver
There may not be a clearer area of need among playoff contenders than the Steelers' receiver need. With the aforementioned injury woes and Metcalf's disastrous first half of the year, a strong argument could be made that the best healthy WR on the roster is rookie Germie Bernard.
While I love how Bernard has played this season and think he can be a big part of their future, asking him to carry the load in Year 1 is not fair to him or to the offense as a whole. Adding an established starter to this room should be priority No. 1 for Khan.
2. Safety
I could have easily just had the overall secondary as the Steelers' No. 2 need, but I think they are worse off at safety. The depth is the biggest concern, as an injury to any of the top three players would mean turning to practice squad safety Sebastian Castro.
Whether it's trading for a potential difference-maker like Hooker or bringing in a veteran stopgap option to protect themselves from an injury, the position should be addressed in some way.
3. Cornerback
Again, you could make a good argument that the cornerback room for the Steelers is good enough as is, especially with how dominant the run defense has been recently. It has forced opposing QBs into obvious passing situations, which in turn allows the Steelers' pass rush to be more aggressive.
They have also already brought in veterans Sean Murphy-Bunting and Terrell Smith, so Khan may feel comfortable with how the depth chart looks for now.
4. Linebacker
If I were writing this piece three weeks ago, linebacker would probably be right behind wide receiver on this list. Patrick Queen and Payton Wilson have since played some of the best football of their careers in wins over the Saints and Browns, quieting even their harshest critics (myself among them).
Unless they plan to finally bring Elandon Roberts up from the practice squad, however, adding another backup option could be worthwhile.
Steelers draft assets
2027
- Round 1
- Round 2
- Round 3 (from Cowboys)
- Round 3
- Round 5 (from Cowboys
- Round 6 (from Cowboys
- Round 6
- Round 7 (from Dolphins)
- Round 7
While player-for-player trades are becoming more common in the NFL, most trades are still centered around draft capital. The Steelers luckily have plenty to work with for the upcoming draft, including two picks in the third, fifth, sixth, and seventh rounds. Most of those extra picks have come from their flurry of trades with the Cowboys over the past two years, which haven't exactly worked out for Dallas thus far.
The lack of a fourth-round pick may complicate some potential trade packages, but pick swaps and other potential workarounds should keep it from being a major roadblock.
2028
- Round 1
- Round 2 (from Cowboys)
- Round 2
- Round 3
- Round 4
- Round 5
- Round 6 (from Packers)
- Round 6
- Round 7
It's a similar story in 2028 for Pittsburgh, as they have nine selections for that draft as well. The extra second-round pick is the highlight, picked up via the Porter Jr. trade. While I expect that pick to be off-limits in any trade discussions they have during the deadline, having that pick could make them more comfortable parting with a Day 2 pick in 2027.
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