It’s no secret that the Pittsburgh Steelers are in the market for a No. 2 receiver. And with the AFC as wide open as ever, this feels like Pittsburgh's best shot at making a deep postseason run for the first time in several years. But finding a pass catcher that can complement D.K. Metcalf and fit with Aaron Rodgers is easier said than done.
By now, everyone knows the names that have been rumored to be connected to the Steelers. But there is now a new target for Pittsburgh who might suddenly be available, and that is none other than Jaylen Waddle of the Miami Dolphins.
Waddle would be the perfect No. 2 WR for Pittsburgh Steelers
One of the requirements for a No. 2 receiver in Pittsburgh is speed. It’s clear that the Steelers have no interest in going with the big-bodied receivers like they have in the past with Allen Robinson and Mike Williams. Instead, they want a field-stretcher who can make plays vertically and help keep the safeties deep to open up the run game.
Waddle checks that box as he’s one of the league’s fastest receivers and is a legitimate deep threat. He’s not a player who needs a bunch of targets to be successful, and that’s what makes him such an intriguing fit in Pittsburgh. The Steelers don’t throw the ball to their receivers at a high rate, so they need to be highly efficient when they get their opportunities.
In a recent article by Sayre Bedinger of the NFL Spin Zone, he connected Waddle and the Steelers together for a potential trade. Here is why Bedinger believes Waddle could be the ideal trade target for the Steelers ahead of the deadline:
"Unlike the Bengals and Saints, it's easy to see the Dolphins having an everything must go sale at the NFL trade deadline. It's easy to see this team making wholesale changes soon and setting its sights completely on 2026 and beyond. Saying goodbye to Jaylen Waddle would require a decent amount of NFL Draft capital, or at least a 2nd-round pick. And there are teams that would probably pay up."Sayre Bedinger, NFL Spin Zone
Waddle is under contract through the 2028 season, according to OverTheCap.com, which means this isn’t a short-term rental for Pittsburgh. Metcalf and Waddle would be paired together for the foreseeable future, and it would give the Steelers one of the top wide receiver duos in the league. And it doesn’t hurt that it also might be the league’s fastest pairing.
The contract would be very manageable for Pittsburgh moving forward, and that should ease some concerns about a potential trade. The Steelers would likely need to give up at least a second-round pick to acquire him, but that feels like very fair value for a player of his ability and his contract.
The Steelers are expected to be highly aggressive, targeting a wide receiver before the deadline, and it’s hard to imagine them getting a better player than Waddle. Even if the Steelers have to overpay to get him, this could be the move that takes them from a borderline playoff team to a legitimate Super Bowl contender in the AFC.