It is uncommon for Pro Bowlers to find themselves in free agency or available on the trade market. Most of those players are long-term avenues for their current team. Those Pro Bowl-caliber talents that become available will find lucrative markets. None of them would come cheap, but it is always a fun exercise to dream exponentially and imagine the impossible.
As Pro Bowl festivities start up, many fans will ignore the event. It's been boring since they removed the helmets and shoulder pads. No one is hitting hard and forcing someone into an injury. Flag football is ten times less exciting than what the Pro Bowl used to implement. Because of this, players continuously drop out of the end-of-season event.
Pittsburgh shouldn't count on these additions, but there are some players in the Pro Bowl the Steelers could use.
Brian Thomas Jr., WR, Jacksonville Jaguars
Looking back at the 2024 NFL Draft, the Steelers should've taken Brian Thomas Jr. with their top pick. Troy Fautanu could become a top tackle in the NFL, but Thomas was a promising rookie. He would have helped save Pittsburgh from headaches caused by their lack of receiver depth.
Fautanu was out for most of the season while Thomas caught on fire.
Pittsburgh showed pre-draft interest in Thomas in the draft last year. They neglected the receiver position and put all their eggs into one basket by running their offense through George Pickens. Thomas had a Pro Bowl campaign, and the Steelers wish they could turn back the clock and take the young receiver if they had another chance at a do-over.
READ MORE: Steelers hit offensive trifecta in groundbreaking 3-round Mock Draft
Dion Dawkins, OT, Buffalo Bills
You could look at any offensive tackle in the upcoming Pro Bowl as a dream addition for the Steelers. Pittsburgh's offensive line is young and has too many unanswered questions. Broderick Jones and Fautanu will be the starters, but neither have proven reliable players yet. It is time they show they can sink or float, but their inexperience is concerning.
Dion Dawkins makes the list here. He's a solid veteran tackle. The eight-year veteran has been a key piece of the Buffalo Bills offensive line. He would provide tremendous leadership and experience to a group that lacks both. Dawkins might not be a fix-all in this case, but he would make the Steelers feel better in the trenches.
Dexter Lawrence II, DT, New York Giants
Cam Heyward deserves a ton of credit for the type of season he compiled at his age. He earned the contract that many were skeptical of giving him before the year transpired. With that being said, Heyward isn't getting any younger, so the organization needs to pivot toward a youth movement.
Adding an impact defensive lineman to the defensive trenches is a must.
The Steelers have to infuse some quality players who are either young or in their prime. Dexter Lawrence II would be a dream addition for Pittsburgh. Letting Larry Ogunjobi go and adding an upgrade like Lawrence would be tremendous. Imagining a dream scenario where Lawrence and Heyward terrorize the trenches would make fans blush.