The Pittsburgh Steelers have been in the market for a wide receiver for a while now, and the organization is still expected to be pursuing available receivers around the league until the NFL's trade deadline on Tuesday, November 5th. General Manager Omar Khan was working to land Brandon Aiyuk through a trade during training camp, and he also made an attempt to land Davante Adams earlier in the season.
Matt Freed / Pittsburgh Post Gazette
Steelers General Manager Omar Khan speaks to the media.
Khan wants to improve the Steelers' wide receiver room and get some more depth and contributors. One receiver that was a candidate for Pittsburgh was Christian Kirk, who was looking like he would be moving on from the Jacksonville Jaguars. Unfortunately for Kirk, he was injured in Jacksonville's Week 8 game against the Green Bay Packers which effectively took him off the trade market. NFL insider Adam Schefter reported on Saturday that the Steelers nearly had a deal done for Kirk before his injury.
The Steelers were in the process of trying to get a deal done for Christian Kirk, and league sources told ESPN there was a reasonable chance that the Jaguars wide receiver was going to wind up in Pittsburgh until he broke his collarbone last Sunday.https://t.co/8YDTPmxThd
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 2, 2024
Pittsburgh could have used Kirk; mainly due to his versatility. He can be a deep threat and is also effective playing out of the slot. He is one of the better route runners in the league, and he had nearly 400 receiving yards before getting injured. His injury was a broken left collarbone which forced him to be placed on Injured Reserve.
Mark J. Rebilas / USA TODAY Sports
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Christian Kirk (13) against the Los Angeles Chargers during a wild-card playoff game at TIAA Bank Field.
Kirk has never been labeled a superstar wide receiver but he has always been able to produce, which is exactly what Pittsburgh needs. He has caught over 55 passes in four separate years, and he was on pace to meet that mark once again in 2024. It seems like Kirk would have wound up playing for the black and gold had he not been injured in Week 8.
Schefter also pointed out that the Steelers are still actively trying to add a receiver before the trade deadline hits. He reported in his article that Pittsburgh has been in contact with other teams about the availability of their receivers. This includes the New York Jets and Mike Williams, as well as the Carolina Panthers and Adam Thielen. Either of these additions would be intriguing. Both players would provide a veteran presence to the position for Pittsburgh and should be able to make an impact almost immediately.
Ben VanHouten / The Associated Press
Panthers' Adam Thielen during a game in the 2023 season.
The hunt for a new wide receiver continues as Khan has now narrowly missed out on Aiyuk, Adams, and Kirk.
What do you think of the Steelers having prior interest in Kirk? Let us know in the comments below!
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