Josh Downs is headed to the Kansas City Chiefs, leaving the Pittsburgh Steelers without one of their most intriguing wide receiver trade targets. General manager Omar Khan now has one fewer option to strengthen a passing attack that desperately needs another reliable weapon.
Downs had been connected to Pittsburgh throughout the trade deadline buildup. Still Curtain recently examined how Downs could help an offense struggling to get consistent production from its receiving corps. Unfortunately, Kansas City ultimately landed the 25-year-old playmaker.
According to The Ringer's Tom Pelissero, Kansas City acquired Downs and Indianapolis' seventh-round selection in 2027. The Colts received fourth- and fifth-round selections in the same draft, adding more future assets to their rebuilding effort.
Pittsburgh Steelers have no excuse to ignore their offensive limitations
Pittsburgh enters the final hours before the trade deadline without adding to its offense. That's a difficult pill to swallow for a team sitting atop the AFC North with a 6-2 record and legitimate postseason aspirations.
The Steelers have survived largely through defensive excellence and a productive rushing attack. But Aaron Rodgers hasn't received consistent support from his wide receivers, and injuries to Michael Pittman Jr. and Roman Wilson have complicated an already frustrating situation.
According to the NFL's official offensive statistics, Pittsburgh has completed just 60.3 percent of its passes while averaging 6.4 yards per attempt. Those numbers illustrate a passing offense that hasn't consistently threatened defenses.
DK Metcalf was supposed to be Pittsburgh's dominant receiving threat. Instead, his production has fallen short of expectations, leaving the Steelers searching for additional playmakers as their schedule becomes increasingly demanding.
Downs wouldn't have solved every offensive problem. His effectiveness comes primarily from creating separation underneath and working through the middle of the field. Pittsburgh also needs more explosive plays and better execution beyond the short passing game.
But Downs could've provided Rodgers with another dependable target on critical downs. His ability to uncover quickly would've offered Mike McCarthy more flexibility when opposing defenses focused on Metcalf.
The Steelers weren't necessarily wrong to pass on the price Kansas City paid. As Still Curtain previously explained, Downs presented significant risks because he's approaching free agency. Sacrificing multiple draft selections for a potential short-term rental isn't automatically smart roster management.
But Pittsburgh can't use that to justify complete inactivity.
The Chiefs recognized a weakness and invested resources to address it. Meanwhile, Khan is approaching the deadline with a receiving corps that remains vulnerable to injuries and inconsistent performances.
Pittsburgh doesn't necessarily need Downs specifically. It needs another player who can help Rodgers move the chains when defenses take away his preferred options.
With the deadline approaching, Khan's remaining opportunity is to find that player without sacrificing the valuable draft capital Pittsburgh needs for its future.
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