The Pittsburgh Steelers get to sit back and watch the games during Week 9 as the organization enjoys its bye week, but General Manager Omar Khan certainly has some work to do. The NFL's trade deadline is on Tuesday, November 5th, and Pittsburgh is still looking to add at the wide receiver position. Khan has been trying to improve that spot since the 2024 offseason, but has struck out a few times while pursuing big-name wideouts. Pittsburgh isn't expected to land some superstar, but rather a veteran who could come in and contribute immediately.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers General Manager Omar Khan (left) and Head Coach Mike Tomlin (right) sit in the franchise's draft room as they anxiously watch the board in 2023.
Khan was in heavy pursuit of Brandon Aiyuk back during training camp, and he also missed out on Davante Adams after the season began. Now his focus has shifted elsewhere, as he nearly had a deal done for Christian Kirk before the wide receiver suffered a broken collarbone in Week 8 which took him off of the trading block.
Khan still has some time to land a wide receiver, and should have a pretty good chance to. NFL insider Tom Pelissero reported on an episode of The Insiders on Sunday morning that it would be a surprise if more wide receivers weren't on the move.
"We've already seen four wide receivers traded over the past few weeks." Pelissero reported. "It would be a surprise if we don't have at least one or two more receivers on the move ahead of Tuesday's deadline."
Pittsburgh is not the only team looking for help at wide receiver, so Khan may have to get aggressive when talking to other organizations. He has already lost out on three other receivers, so it would be inexcusable for the deadline to pass without him improving Pittsburgh's roster at all. Pelissero mentioned some other teams on the hunt for wide receivers.
"The Steelers have been in on every high-profile wide receiver." Pelissero said. "Other teams like the Texans, the Bucs, the 49ers have had injuries."
The Steelers have been pretty healthy at wide receiver, but they just need some help behind George Pickens. They have begun to see some production from Calvin Austin III and Van Jefferson, but it has been inconsistent throughout the year.
The two really began to flourish once Russell Wilson took over as the starting quarterback, but that sample size has been small. It would be wise for Khan to do everything he can to upgrade the wide receiver position before the deadline passes.
Jared Wickherham / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' George Pickens walks out before a home game against the Dallas Cowboys.
Pittsburgh will see some competition in the trade market when it comes to acquiring a wide receiver. The Houston Texans are currently missing two of their top three wide receivers, with one of them being out for the season. The San Francisco 49ers lost Aiyuk for the year, and the Tampa Buccaneers will be without Chris Godwin for the year and Mike Evans is expected to miss considerable time with a hamstring injury.
Seth Wenig / Associated Press
Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton begins to run a route as New York plays a professional football game at home.
Steelers Have A Few Options At Wide Receiver As The Deadline Approaches
Khan has a few options as players like Darius Slayton and KJ Osborn are expected to be available. Two players that Pittsburgh has been keeping tabs on are Mike Williams and Adam Thielen. These are considered the two receivers who are most likely to land in Pittsburgh after the deadline hits on Tuesday. It's anybody's guess as to which one Khan and Pittsburgh may prefer.
Williams may stay put as the New York Jets are a bit thin at wide receiver after Allen Lazard was placed on Injured Reserve. However, Thielen should be available as the Carolina Panthers are one of the worst teams in the league currently. They are clearly sellers, as they already traded away Diontae Johnson for nearly nothing in return.
Which receiver do you want to see in the black and gold? Let us know in the comments below!
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