Pittsburgh Steelers General Manager Omar Khan hasn’t been afraid to make moves since taking over in the summer of 2022. That includes several different trades, which have had their varying levels of success (or failure). We are now less than a week away from the 2023 trade deadline, and you can never rule out the possibility that Khan will engage in discussions.
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With starter Pat Freiermuth on the IR, the Steelers could look to add a tight end ahead of the 2023 trade deadline.
What position could the team look to bolster? They could go in several different directions. With starter Pat Freiermuth on IR, tight end makes some sense. Even with Diontae Johnson’s return, they could also use another wide receiver if the price is right. Those are some points that Bryan DeArdo of CBS Sports makes, as he gives a few potential trade ideas for the Steelers involving an NFC South opponent.
"Carolina [Panthers] has reportedly granted [Terrace] Marshall [Jr.] permission to seek a trade, so it's clear the former second-round pick is no longer in the Panthers' long-term plans. A fresh start might be all the 23-year-old Marshall needs. While he hasn't done much in Carolina, Marshall caught 23 touchdown passes during his final two years at LSU. He caught 13 scores from Joe Burrow in 2019, while helping the Tigers win a National Title."
Terrace Marshall Jr. was a second-round selection in the 2021 NFL Draft, but has been unable to fully find his footing. In 32 career games with the Panthers, the LSU product has just 61 catches for 742 yards and one touchdown. He's been unable to translate his college success to the NFL, however. He's appeared in just five games this season, and he's been on the field for 57% of the offense's snaps.
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The return of wideout Diontae Johnson helped open up the Steelers offense in Week 7, but they could target additional depth at the position.
As DeArdo states, the Panthers recently gave Marshall Jr. permission to seek a trade. Given that they are 0-6, it would make sense that they try to recoup some draft capital. In the scenario, DeArdo has the Panthers receiving the Steelers' sixth-round pick in 2024, while Pittsburgh receives a seventh-rounder and Marshall. That could be a worthy, realistic buy-low idea for Pittsburgh.
Do The Steelers Need Help At Wide Receiver?
The former second-rounder hasn’t established himself in Carolina, but could bring some depth to Pittsburgh. The Steelers recently tried a similar idea with Denzel Mims, whom they signed to the practice squad. Allen Robinson hasn’t exactly produced on the field for Pittsburgh, as he has just 18 catches in six games. That could make a late-round pick worth the possible upside value of getting a guy like Marshall. His rookie contract ends after the 2024 season, and the Panthers have already began to explore the trade market.
As for a separate trade idea that he gives out, he has the Steelers acquiring Panthers tight end Hayden Hurst. Freiermuth was placed on IR just ahead of Week 7, which means he'll be out a minimum of another three weeks. In his road to recovery from a hamstring issue, he suffered a setback. The team will probably be extra cautious with him this time around. Despite the starting tight end out for the foreseeable future, Hurst doesn’t make too much sense.
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Steelers rookie tight end Darnell Washington has yet to provide much of an impact in the passing game through the first two months of the season.
The former Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens tight end has a contract larger than his worth. The deal extends through the 2025 season, and the Steelers really only need a temporary option. Over the next two seasons, he'll incur a combined cap hit of nearly $20 million. Coming into the season, the team’s tight end depth was seen as one of the better situations in the NFL. Now, rookie Darnell Washington hasn’t provided much of an impact in the passing game, as he has just one catch across 181 offensive snaps.
The team still has Connor Heyward, who has stepped up in Freiermuth’s absence. With a solid 1-2 punch still, the team could lean toward their in-house options to fill out the tight end room until Freiermuth’s return. Rodney Williams has seen some snaps recently, as he had some impressive moments in the past few summers. If there were a more likely option between the two, Marshall seems to make much more sense than Hurst.
Do you think either Hurst or Marshall make sense for the black and gold? Will Khan make a trade before next week's deadline? If so, what position needs the most help? Share your thoughts in the comment section below, yinz!
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