Pittsburgh is learning the hard truth about the impact George Pickens has on their offense. Yes, Pickens is a top receiver in the NFL, but the Steelers' problems have come from their lack of talent behind him. They added Mike Williams and Calvin Austin III has shown some promise, but they don't seem to be the long-term fix.
But without Pickens in the lineup, they are in a heap of trouble.
Adding another receiver to their core group would be beneficial to Russell Wilson next year. They could be in the rumor mill frequently based on how often they were linked to outside options this past offseason and leading up to the trade deadline. If Pittsburgh can acquire another top receiver, it will be interesting to see if they are willing to pay Pickens to stick around.
Pickens has showcased more than enough problems throughout his career that have started to become an issue. Perhaps Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan will feel uncomfortable dishing out a big contract extension this offseason to their top receiver.
If a star receiver was available via trade, the Steelers might be willing to allocate that money elsewhere. New betting odds might be the first peek into the future at receiver.
Deebo Samuel now betting favorite to land with Steelers in offseason
Some betting odds swirling around social media suggest Deebo Samuel could be trading in the 49ers' colors for the Steelers crest. A graphic from The 33rd Team shows the Steelers as one of six teams in contention for the star receiver. It would be great drama to watch unfold, especially with the amount of talent that San Francisco holds on the offensive side of the ball.
There are plenty of things that should put this rumor to bed, but Pittsburgh would love to add someone like Samuel to their team next season.
Brock Purdy has shown some signs of regression as the 49ers' offense plays without star players. They seem to be struggling with a Super Bowl hangover. San Francisco has plenty of top talent on offense, and Samuel might be too costly to keep around. They wanted to add Brandon Aiyuk via trade this past offseason, but they could always target Samuel as their backup option.
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Samuel himself is under contract control, so a trade request would need to occur for this train to get down the tracks. He is wrapping up his three-year contract extension soon but will be under team control through the 2025 campaign. Taking on Samuel's big contract could be a gamble with his recent performance, but it could also provide a cheaper value on the trade market.
Unless plenty of drama picks up leading up to this offseason, it is hard to imagine San Francisco entertaining a trade of Samuel, especially with their offensive struggles this year. Pittsburgh could target the 49ers receiver this offseason, but it is difficult to imagine Sanuel being a realistic possibility right now. He would certainly be a welcomed addition and could replace Pickens.