Steelers Have Pieces for WR Trade

The Steelers have the resources to acquire a bonafide number two receiver.

Jan 15, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Calvin Austin III (19) celebrates a touchdown in the second half against the Buffalo Bills in a 2024 AFC wild card game at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports / Kirby Leei-USA TODAY Sports

PITTSBURGH -- The waiting game continues for the Pittsburgh Steelers' wide receiving room. The rumors that the Steelers are pursuing a massive playmaker like Brandon Aiyuk continue making the rounds, but Omar Khan is seemingly in no rush to complete a trade.

If the team misses out on a game-changer like Aiyuk, that doesn't preclude them from pursuing another target. Courtland Sutton is another name frequently connected to the Steelers in the rumor mill, and many other WR2 options are being thrown around.

A question emerging among all the trade chatter is: what would a viable WR2 cost the Steelers in the trade market? It's not as simple as the position has a certain value. Age, contract length, money owed, and myriad other factors can raise or diminish the asking price for a player.

Over the past few years, trades for receivers have run the gambit. Superstars like Tyreek Hill have been moved for boatloads of draft picks, while other superstars like Keenen Allen are moved for middle to late-round picks. Some players are swapped one-for-one if the team has a specific positional need.

Let's start with discussing some similar trades. The most recent example came when the Cleveland Browns acquired Jerry Jeudy from the Denver Broncos. His 2023 statistics put him firmly in the WR2 category, with 54 receptions for 758 yards. The Browns snagged him for a fifth and sixth-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

The year prior, the Browns acquired a different number-two wideout. They parted with a second-round pick for the speedy Elijah Moore and a third-round pick.

In 2022, Calvin Ridley was in the middle of serving his suspension for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy. He had put up two 800+ yard seasons and a 1,000+ yard season before his suspension. The Jacksonville Jaguars sent a third and fifth-round pick to the Atlanta Falcons for his services.

The Steelers themselves have been a frequent participant in the trade market, but recently they have been the ones sending players out of town. They traded the greatest receiver in team history for middle-round draft picks. They sent Chase Claypool to the Chicago Bears for a 2023 second-round pick and most recently swapped Diontae Johnson for cornerback Donte Jackson.

Looking at all of these examples, the Steelers have two possible approaches to acquiring another target for Russell Wilson. The first is they can use their draft choices in the 2025 NFL Draft. It's highly unlikely Omar Khan will give up a first-round selection, but their second-round pick should be available. If so, it could be the main component of a trade for a receiver like Courtland Sutton.

The second is to make a more even exchange, similar to what they already did during the Johnson trade. If they can link up with another organization in need of a position the Steelers are wealthy in, they could work out a deal that helps both teams. This is the less likely route for two reasons. The first is that there aren't a ton of positions the Steelers are comfortable subtracting from. The second is that this type of trade is much rarer in the NFL than in other professional sports leagues.

That leaves the Steelers with really one option: their upcoming draft picks. Luckily, the team has eight selections in the 2025 NFL Draft, so they have a few to spare when they are ready to finally acquire a wide receiver to pair with George Pickens.

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