Steelers Extremely Unlikely To Pursue A Justin Jefferson Trade Due To Team History: "It'd Be Completely Out Character"

The Pittsburgh Steelers need another receiver to put on the other side of George Pickens for the 2024 season. Naturally, this has led to all kinds of speculation, including some that have connected the team to one of the best receivers in the game in Minnesota Vikings' standout Justin Jefferson. Pittsburgh has been known as a franchise that has stuck to the drafting and developing of receivers in-house. That's a big part of why senior NFL reporter for Monday Morning Quarterback, Albert Breer, doesn't see a move for Jefferson to Pittsburgh. 

Breer put out a mailbag column on Wednesday and laid out his case to a questioner about why Pittsburgh doesn't make sense for a trade to get who he called the best wide receiver in the game. A lot of it has to do with the Steelers tried and true strategy of getting wideouts in the draft. 

"Take a look at this list of receivers: Hines Ward, Antwaan Randle El, Mike Wallace, Emmanuel Sanders, Antonio Brown, Martavis Bryant, Juju Smith-Schuster, Diontae Johnson, Chase Claypool, George Pickens." Breer wrote. "Those 10 have two things in common. One, they were all drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers over the last 26 years. Two, none of them went in the first round."  

Breer went on to add the two Steelers first-round receivers since 2000, Plaxico Burress and Santonio Holmes, to the list. He said despite character risks in some cases, the team was able to get, for the most part, the best out of these players.

"I’m laying this out to explain why it’d be completely out of character for the Steelers to take that kind of swing at a position," he wrote. "Particularly when you consider their ability to scout and develop much more affordable options at the position."

General Manager Omar Khan has proven that he isn't afraid of doing things a little differently than his predecessors in Pittsburgh, but a move for Jefferson would probably be a little too radical. The other factor in all of this is that it takes two to tango, and it sounds like the Vikings don't want to. Breer had previously written that an offer of two first-round picks might entice the Vikings, but it wouldn't be a guarantee. He thinks the Vikings will jump through all the necessary hoops to keep one of the game's best play-makers in Minneapolis. 

Steelers Hunt For Another Receiver Likely To Be In The Draft

While Pittsburgh has been linked to trading for San Francisco 49ers receiver Brandon Aiyuk, the draft capital and then a subsequent extension are hurdles to that happening. As Breer noted on a Jefferson trade, it would be out of character for the team to do that. Out of the list of players that Breer detailed, only Antonio Brown got a big-money extension from the Steelers. JuJu Smith-Schuster got a one-year extension after his rookie contract and then left for another one-year deal with the Kansas City Chiefs.

The 2024 NFL Draft, like many these days, seems to be quite deep at the wide receiver position. On the most recent ranking of top 100 prospects by The Athletic,  23 are receivers. So, even if the top options, like Malik Nabers of LSU or Marvin Harrison Jr. of Ohio State, aren't around when the Steelers have picks in the draft, they should still be able to find one, or multiple, that they like. The team spent a considerable amount of time with Texas Longhorns speedster Xavier Worthy on his pro day. 

The team will continue to do their due diligence on any receiver move that could present an upgrade for 2024. The Khan Artist as the Steelers general manager is affectionately known might have another big move up his sleeve but history suggests that Pittsburgh will go back the draft well to find another target for Russell Wilson.  

Do you think the Steelers should push harder for a Jefferson trade? Do you believe the team can find a rookie that can be productive like Claypool, Smith-Schuster, and Pickens? Comment below!  

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