Steelers Absolutely Eliminate All-Pro As An Option At Wide Receiver: "Not Their Type"

The Pittsburgh Steelers and General Manager Omar Khan have done a fantastic job of revamping the roster. They made the biggest splash in team history by signing Patrick Queen, then completely flipped the quarterback room with the additions of Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. Add an exceptional draft class on top of that, and Pittsburgh seems to have one of the better rosters in the AFC. There is still a glaring hole at wide receiver however, which the Steelers need to fill before the regular season kicks off.

The Steelers already needed a wide receiver heading into the 2024 offseason, but the need grew tremendously after trading away Diontae Johnson. Due to the Steelers less than impressive receiver room, the organization has found itself enthralled in trade rumors all offseason; most notably with the San Francisco 49ers and Brandon Aiyuk. Another route Pittsburgh could take is signing a veteran receiver who is still available in free agency. Insider Gerry Dulac was asked if the Steelers have reached out to or worked out Michael Thomas, and whether or not signing him is a possibility. 

"They have not, to my knowledge. And I also have been told he is not their type of receiver."

Thomas would be an interesting addition. He has had plenty of success during his career, but has recently been held back by countless injuries. He would be a relatively risk-free investment, as he hasn't garnered much attention in free agency and shouldn't command a ton of money. If he doesn't play well, the Steelers could release him without suffering from a massive cap hit.

Thomas has spent his entire career with the New Orleans Saints, which has stemmed eight seasons. He missed the entire 2021 season with an ankle injury before playing just three games in 2022. He seemed to improve in 2023, but played in just 10 games. In those 10 games and seven starts in 2023, he caught 39 passes for 448 yards and a touchdown. He proved that he can still be productive when healthy.

He started his career with four straight 1,000-yard seasons, and was quickly crowned as one of the best receivers in the league. The football pedigree is clearly still there. He has made three Pro Bowls, been named an All-Pro twice, and won the Offensive Player Of The Year Award during the 2019 season. 

Thomas will likely never return to his old form, but he could still produce and be a good complementary receiver to George Pickens. The Steelers and Khan likely have a good reason not to consider him, but with the way the receiver room currently looks, it's hard not to wonder what Thomas could do in the Steelers' offense.

Steelers Options Are Drying Up At Receiver

Pickens is the only receiver on the Steelers roster that can be relied upon to produce in 2024 as of right now. Roman Wilson is a rookie who is expected to impress, but Pittsburgh should probably look to add a proven veteran to sure up the position. There isn't a ton of talent that is still available in free agency, but there are some interesting names along with Thomas.

When Pittsburgh traded Johnson, they traded away their best route runner. Pickens is a good receiver, but he mostly relies upon his physical attributes to make plays. The Steelers need to find another elite route runner to fill Johnson's shoes, and a good option might be Hunter Renfrow. Renfrow was released by the Las Vegas Raiders after the 2023 season, and remains available.

Like Thomas, Renfrow probably wouldn't require a large contract to come to Pittsburgh. He has been available for over three months, and has garnered little interest. He made a Pro Bowl in 2021, but saw his involvement in the Raiders offense take a hit after the team brought in Josh McDaniels as the head coach. Another chance might be exactly what Renfrow needs.

What do you think about the Steelers not pursuing Thomas? Comment below.

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