The Pittsburgh Steelers just passed up an opportunity to obtain wide receiver, Josh Reynolds in the 2024 offseason. They've been on the lookout for another exceptional veteran to replace Diontae Johnson after trading him to the Carolina Panthers in return for cornerback Donte Jackson and a sixth-round draft pick.
The Canadian Press
Reynolds, who started his career in 2017 and was selected in the fourth round by the Los Angeles Rams, was just signed to a two-year, $14 million deal with the Denver Broncos according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Reynolds spent the past three seasons with the Detroit Lions where he totaled 1,393 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns.
Former Lions WR Josh Reynolds is signing a two-year deal worth up to $14 million with the Denver Broncos, per source. pic.twitter.com/QVfhI0Www3
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 27, 2024
Reynolds began his career with the Rams before heading to the Tennessee Titans. There, he would play only 5 games. Eventually being taken in by the Lions, where he has shown nothing but versatility, he also showed an ability to make one-on-one receptions and cause problems for opposing defenses. In his career, he has averaged 13.3 yards per reception, accumulated 2,933 yards, and scored 19 touchdowns. He now moves to a situation in Denver where he is still unsure who his quarterback will be.
The Steelers have continued to bring in wide receivers, but no one has yet to fill the wide receiver No.2 spot just yet. They've brought in Quez Watkins, Van Jefferson, and as of this week, Cordarrelle Patterson. Before the additions in free agency (and just after the Johnson trade), the Steelers only had two wide receivers on the roster from last season, George Pickens and Calvin Austin III. Reynolds had his best performance in the league in the 2023 season with 40 receptions, 608 yards, 5 touchdowns, and only 3 drops, helping the Lions advance to the NFC Championship. Reynolds now heads to Denver to play alongside Courtland Sutton and Marvin Mims Jr. in the Broncos receiver corps.
What WR Options Are Left For The Steelers?
Pittsburgh seems to be running out of free agent options at the wide receiver position, with only few notable options left like, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Odell Beckham Jr., Hunter Renfrow, Michael Thomas, and Tyler Boyd. The 2024 NFL Draft may be the last option to obtain a star wide receiver at this point to help support Pickens, Austin, and the rest of the current receiver room. Having pick number 20 in the first round of the draft provides many options for the Steelers. At the NFL Combine, the team met with eight different wideouts, the most notable being, Keon Coleman, Rome Odunze, and Brian Thomas Jr. Adding one of these young players could turn out to bring some much-needed value to the Steelers' offense, especially in the event of an injury to Pickens. The Steelers have mentioned on multiple occasions that the upcoming draft has a "deep draft class."
X: @BrianThomas_11
This is not the first time the Steelers have missed an opportunity on a veteran player of need. Players like Boyd and Calvin Ridley this offseason, as well as All-Pro caliber players like Matthew Slater in years previous, have all seemed to be notable "what if" possibilities. The Steelers also had high hopes of acquiring San Francisco 49ers star wide receiver, Brandon Aiyuk. However, 49ers General Manager John Lynch said that a trade with Pittsburgh wasn't in the cards at the 2024 NFL Annual Owners Meeting.
While not perfecting the wide receiver position, the Steelers have improved drastically in other areas. They've brought in major improvements in free agency, such as quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. They've made the most progress in improving the defensive side of the ball. The Steelers signed previous Baltimore Ravens linebacker Patrick Queen, safety DeShon Elliott, and as previously mentioned, traded for cornerback Donte Jackson. Special teams has also seen the upgrade of previous Houston Texans punter, Cameron Johnston.
Do you think the Steelers missed out out Reynolds? How would you fill the WR2 role at this point in the offseason? Be sure to comment below!
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