Steelers Need To Root For 1 AFC Team To Consistently Lose If Big Trade For Wide Receiver Is Still Possible In 2024

The Pittsburgh Steelers started the 2024 season with a win amidst quarterback uncertainty and plenty of new faces in the locker room. The defense was stout against the Atlanta Falcons, Chris Boswell's talents were on full display, and the offense did enough to control the clock, only having two three-and-outs throughout the contest. It's hard to not remain focused on the wide receiver position, however. George Pickens and Pat Freiermuth hauled in 10 of Justin Fields' 17 completions, and only Jaylen Warren had more than one catch otherwise. Running the ball will be the focal point, but wide receiver still remains a concern.

Fans haven't seen Roman Wilson on the field just yet, and he could end up being the addition that the unit needs to have success. Pickens and Freiermuth were expected to be the top two targets and after just one week, that seems like the case. The unfortunate reality is that, based on new reports, the Steelers were quite literally minutes away from acquiring Brandon Aiyuk from the San Francisco 49ers.

This tells fans a couple things. General Manager Omar Khan was willing to pay Aiyuk, and Pittsburgh was fully on board with giving up draft capital in order to land a star wide receiver to pair with Pickens. This shouldn't be ignored as the season progresses, and one team in particular could pique the Steelers' interest if losses pile up on the West Coast.

Davante Adams of the Las Vegas Raiders has made it clear that he wants to be with the organization. If the Raiders, however falter throughout the early portion of the regular season, it might make sense to move on from the 31-year-old and pick up some draft picks in return. That's where Khan and Pittsburgh could potentially step in and become active in the trade market again.

The Raiders lost in Week 1 and have a very difficult first half of the season when it comes to their schedule. A potentially one or two-win team around Halloween could absolutely be willing to cut ties with a wideout under contract only through 2026. One could relate it to Las Vegas beginning a rebuild, and overall, Adams likely doesn't help the franchise get a Super Bowl by 2026.

Adams is older than Aiyuk and comes with a significant cap hit, which could lead to the Steelers offering a third-round pick for the former All-Pro. There's no proof that he would be interested in playing for Pittsburgh, but most players don't have to be sold on the fact that they get to play for Mike Tomlin. The Raiders have been involved in trade rumors regarding Adams before, and it will certainly heat up if losses are stacked on top of one another.

The Steelers are worried about who is currently in the building and how winning can be achieved with that personnel group, but consistently checking in on how things are going for Las Vegas wouldn't be a poor idea in the coming months. Pittsburgh will also get a look at Adams in Week 6, as the two teams will face off just a couple weeks before the trade deadline. There's a world in which the Raiders are 1-4, or maybe even 0-5, at that point.

Steelers Can't Get By With Mediocre Wide Receiver Play For Too Long

Pickens was fantastic in the season opener, as was expected by a majority of the fan base. The reality is, however, he can't be relied on each week, especially due to the fact that teams are going to double team him more often than not. Moving forward, the Raiders losing game after game could spark a conversation between Khan and Tom Telesco in relation to Adams. If the veteran does buy into the idea of being traded, it's possible that Pittsburgh is one of the most likely destinations.

Do you think that the Steelers and Khan could pull off an in-season trade with the Raiders for Adams? Let us know in the comments below!

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