There are rumors out there that claim the Steelers could be trying to acquire a playmaker for their team. Read into that what you will, but don't get your hopes up just yet. No notable reports have claimed that a trade is imminent for Pittsburgh, and the team has some starting options currently on the roster who have held starting roles before.
It seems obvious that the black and gold are not afraid to be aggressive and try to upgrade the receiver position if a situation presents itself. Well just a bit ago, the Jaguars announced that they were releasing former starting receiver Zay Jones. He has bounced around the NFL some in recent years, but he has been a proven starter before.
Jones was selected in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft. He had a promising year with the Bills before he was traded to the Raiders. His final season in Las Vegas was one of the best of his career, but none of his numbers were staggering. He signed with the Jaguars and had back-to-back solid campaigns in Florida. His best season of his career came in 2022 with Jacksonville.
Zay Jones could battle for a starting job or at least a roster spot in camp
Jones is coming off a lackluster year. It wasn't all terrible for him in 2023, but he didn't put up great numbers. He wasn't able to build off his quality campaign from 2022. That was disappointing and the Jaguars have done enough in the draft where they feel comfortable enough to move on from this player. He still has value in the NFL.
Regarding how Jones would stack up against some roster competition currently on Pittsburgh's team, he would be more proven. Jones has had better seasons as a whole than Van Jefferson and Quez Watkins. Both Jefferson and Watkins could stick around in a slot role, but they do have that inside and outside flexibility.
Jones could provide some of that, but he would likely slide into that second outside option opposite of George Pickens. It might not be the most dynamic duo, but Jones would provide a proven receiver who could bring experience on the outside. That would open the door for Roman Wilson to either start in the slot or take things slow once he got to training camp.
Signing a free agent like Jones might not be the flashiest move that most are looking for, but it should provide a reliable option at receiver. Jones has never been a huge touchdown guy, other than his blip of seven back in the 2018 season. He is a guy who will get you between 500 to 800 receiving yards and a couple of touchdowns at most in a season.
He would be a cheap option for the Steelers to target as a free agent looking for work with training camp getting closer. The Steelers would be wise to bring him in on a cheap short-term contract for this upcoming season. He would be a tremendous addition to provide starting experience and quality competition for guys like Jefferson and Watkins who are trying to make the roster.