With the Steelers hitting the road to take on the Detroit Lions in their final preseason game, there remain plenty of issues with the roster. Receiver remains the biggest concern as Pittsburgh remains in every rumor surrounding any potential upgrades that might be available. Don't forget about other possible issues that might cause concern moving forward.
If they want a strong team full of depth, the Steelers should be considering options on the trade market and free agency. When final cuts come through, everyone should expect the black and gold to be searching the waiver wire for players to bring in.
This roster should not be completed even when the initial 53-man roster gets set.
Hunter Renfrow would be a fantastic veteran option at slot receiver
Slot receiver might be a bigger question mark than the outside receiver options currently on the team. Perhaps Pat Freiermuth can help ease this problem while Roman Wilson works his way into the NFL. One option still out there in free agency is Hunter Renfrow. He was once considered one of the best slot receivers in the NFL, but now he is just looking for an opportunity to re-prove himself.
The Steelers could add Patrick Peterson to provide some stability
Right now, Beanie Bishop is the only starting option to start in the slot at cornerback for the Steelers. They need to add an upgrade or two at the position to either push Bishop for the job or add a reliable backup behind him. Patrick Peterson is getting older, but he proved down the stretch of last season that he can be versatile. Adding Peterson to the slot would be a nice addition late in the process.
Scott Quessenberry has been named as a potential depth option
It was likely Zach Frazier was going to be the starting center at some point anyway, but losing Nate Herbig for the season due to injury still stings. The Steelers would be wise to add an experienced option in free agency to provide quality depth at center and guard. Mason Cole had his name thrown around. Scott Quessenberry would also make a ton of sense as mentioned by Zachary Smith.
It’s a Grade 1 hamstring strain for Jaylen Warren and the team is very optimistic about him being ready for Week 1
— Zachary Smith (@ZacharySmithPGH) August 19, 2024
Name to watch with Nate Herbig going down: Scott Quessenberry #SmittyScoops
Pittsburgh won't want to miss out on Justin Houston for a second time
Rumors swirled years ago that Justin Houston declined an offer from the Steelers to come join them. He signed with the Ravens that season. Now the veteran pass rusher is on the couch waiting for a call to play this year. Markus Golden retired during training camp, and those behind T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, and Nick Herbig are suspect. Adding Houston would provide a tremendous depth option.
JuJu Smith-Schuster could return to the Steelers in the right situation
Many will not like the option of the Steelers potentially adding JuJu Smith-Schuster via free agency. He might not be the upgrade the team is looking for, but he can add another option who will at least upgrade the depth of the roster. We will see if Pittsburgh can land a topflight option via trade, but if they can't, someone like Smith-Schuster could be their fallback option.