The Pittsburgh Steelers are in desperate need of a difference-making wide receiver, and the available trade options are slim. Their best hope of landing a player who could move the needle was by executing a trade with the Raiders for their All-Pro receiver, but Omar Khan lost out to the Jets on the Davante Adams sweepstakes.
While Cooper Kupp is a quality trade option, the 31-year-old receiver has an extensive injury history and the Rams may not be willing to part with one of their best players without being handsomely compensated.
But there's one potential blockbuster trade Steelers could explore.
Pittsburgh should be calling the New Orleans Saints about a potential deal for wide receiver Chris Olave. Though this thought may seem wild, a blockbuster trade could make sense for both teams involved.
Why a Chris Olave trade makes sense for the Saints
Let's start with the Saints. After back-to-back wins to open the 2024 season, New Orleans has since lost five straight games. In Weeks 6 and 7, the Saints scored just 37 points compared to 84 for their opponents (and it's not like the Buccaneers and Broncos are the cream of the crop in the NFL).
Though New Orleans' schedule isn't exactly daunting down the stretch, the NFC is packed with bonafide Wild Card contenders, and the Saints won't be one of them.
Instead of sitting on their hands as a below-average team with a 2-5 record, the Saints could look toward the future. Chris Olave isn't old, and he could be a building block for this team. However, Olave will be heading into a contract year in 2025 and will need a massive extension. Knowing that their window isn't now, the Saints could get a first-round pick from the Steelers in return for Olave.
Perhaps the biggest issue for the Saints is a severe lack of salary cap space in 2025. As of now, New Orleans is projected to be $82.3 million in the hole in 2025, per Over the Cap -- by far the worst number in the league. Climbing out of this won't be easy, and they might not even be able to find a way to pay Olave next offseason at this rate. Cap space plus draft capital could be more valuable to them at this point than a talented young receiver who needs a new deal.
Why a Chris Olave trade makes sense for the Steelers
The Steelers, meanwhile, love their draft capital as much as the next team, but that wouldn't prevent them from getting a blue-chip player at their biggest position of need. In 2019, Pittsburgh had a glaring need at the safety position, and they pounced at the opportunity to land Minkah Fitzpatrick for a first-round pick.
These days, there's no question that the value of the wide receiver position grossly outweighs the safety position. Scoring points would come easier with an outstanding WR2 to pair with George Pickens.
While the Steelers would be unlikely to hand extensions to both Olave and Pickens, Pittsburgh would still get these receivers together for a few more years before one of them ultimately hits the free-agent market. Olave would give the Steelers Pickens insurance and a reliable player they can ink to a new deal if they don't feel comfortable enough with Pickens' character.
Most importantly, a move of this magnitude would crack Pittsburgh's Super Bowl window wide open and give Russell Wilson a reliable target in the passing game who can do all the things Pickens does not.
A blockbuster trade involving Chris Olave isn't something that has been talked about often, but it's a deal that could make sense for both parties involved, given their current situations.