The NFL trade deadline is nearly upon us, and the Pittsburgh Steelers are expected to be active leading up to the November 4 cutoff. General manager Omar Khan has been more than willing to explore ways to upgrade his roster during this time of the year, but they have been primarily small moves that didn't amount to much.
This deadline could very well look the same, as many of the top trade candidates are likely to stay put. Players like the Saints' Chris Olave, the Eagles' A.J. Brown, and the Dolphins' Jaylen Waddle all look to be either too expensive or too valuable to their current teams to get moved.
Recently, however, a new name may be in the mix that nobody could have expected before the start of the season. According to The Athletic's Dianna Russini, the Jaguars are reportedly listening to calls for 2024 first-round pick Brian Thomas Jr. While it would be a shock to see him be traded, the Steelers should absolutely be in on any talks surrounding the second-year receiver.
The Pittsburgh Steelers should be on the phone with the Jaguars about the availability of Brian Thomas Jr.
It's rare to see any player coming off the rookie year Thomas Jr. just had end up in trade discussions, but it's not completely out of left field. The young playmaker has struggled mightily with drops in his sophomore season, with six in just seven games. His overall production has also dropped off, averaging just 52.1 yards per game compared to 75.4 in 2024.
Not all the blame falls on him, as quarterback Trevor Lawrence has struggled to throw accurate passes in his direction, but the numbers and film are night and day compared to his rookie performance.
Add in the massive trade-up in the 2025 NFL draft for two-way superstar Travis Hunter, and it's not hard to see what could be happening behind the scenes in Jacksonville. New regime's move on from players taken by the previous one all the time in the NFL, even when it may not be the obvious decision.
If new GM James Gladstone and head coach Liam Cohen don't believe that Thomas Jr. is a long-term fit, moving him now, while his dominant rookie year is still fresh in people's minds, could be the right move. Still, giving up on a receiver who just had 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns at 22 years old is a tough sell.
If he really is available, however, this is the type of big swing that has eluded the Steelers in recent years. They tried to make a move for the 49ers' Brandon Aiyuk in 2024, and were tied to several other big-name receivers at last year's deadline. Adding a player like Thomas Jr. wouldn't just raise the ceiling of this year's squad, but give them multiple cost-controlled seasons of a potentially Pro Bowl-level player.
It won't be cheap (if it's even possible at all), but it could be worth it for a team that no longer looks like the wide-receiver factory it once was.