Through four weeks, the Steelers’ receiver room has gone from underwhelming to a real problem, and the latest outing only sharpened that concern. Pittsburgh has spent another offseason trying to reshape the position, but the results have been thin: there’s occasional splash, not much consistency, and not enough separation to help Aaron Rodgers capitalize when throws are there.
DK Metcalf has struggled. Roman Wilson has been up and down.
Germie Bernard hasn’t really had the chance to make a mark. Michael Pittman Jr. has been a non-factor.
With the offense needing more juice, three possible trade targets stand out as ways to give the passing game a jolt.
Quentin Johnston is the first name that makes sense. He never fully became the early first-round star some expected, but he has shown he can be a useful secondary option and a threat downfield.
The numbers back that up: over the past two seasons, he topped 700 receiving yards and scored eight touchdowns in each year. This season, though, he has been pushed to the background.
In Mike McDaniel’s offense, Johnston has just seven catches for a little over 100 yards through four games. With the Chargers struggling and likely facing roster changes after the year, he looks like a player who could be on the move.
Even with his fifth-year option picked up, the contract would be manageable if Pittsburgh wanted to keep him beyond this season.
Tyreek Hill is another possibility, and the appeal is obvious. He appears to be getting healthy again, and for a Steelers receiver group that is failing to separate, create after-the-catch damage, and threaten deep, Hill would bring instant credibility.
His speed and burst may not be what they were at this point in his career, but he still has enough left to matter. He can line up anywhere and impact the game in multiple ways.
The catch is that he has not played in a while, so he would need time to get back into game shape. There’s also real risk that he never fully returns to his old form.
Still, he wouldn’t cost a draft pick, and for a team struggling to get efficiency from its receivers, that kind of swing is worth considering.
Brian Thomas Jr. may be the most intriguing option of the three. He burst onto the scene as a rookie and even looked like a Rookie of the Year candidate, but things changed after Liam Coen took over.
Since then, the fit has seemed off, and Thomas has become an afterthought. He has only nine catches through the first four games, he’s no longer being used deep, and Parker Washington has seemingly passed him on the pecking order.
That kind of situation could open the door for Pittsburgh. Thomas would give the Steelers another explosive target alongside Metcalf, and while the quarterback play would need to improve, he could still help elevate the offense.
He is only entering his third season, which gives a team control for at least two more years, plus the possibility of the fifth-year option later. There’s some risk he never gets back to his early form, but among available receivers, he stands out.
The Steelers should be calling.
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Hunter Greene is the other half of the conversation, which is where the real risk starts to show up for Cincinnati. He is still dealing with injury questions, and his salary situation only adds to the calculation, making any deal feel less like a simple fit and more like a franchise-level gamble. Nothing is close to confirmed, but if the Reds decide to chase a reshaping move, this is the kind of trade framework that would force them to weigh present need against long-term stability. [Read more 🡒]
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For Cincinnati, the appeal is obvious. Nick Krall has already talked about the need for complementary players, and a right-handed hitter who can balance a left-handed-heavy lineup fits the description almost too neatly. Grichuks age and recent production could make him an affordable option when the market opens, which is why he looks like the sort of move the Reds could pounce on if they want help without chasing the top of the market. [Read more 🡒]
Reds Face A Tough Offseason Decision On One Valuable Trade Chip
After a 2026 season that ended with the Reds back in last place in the National League Central and short of the postseason again, the front office now has a different kind of roster question to answer. Cincinnati largely stood pat at the trade deadline, a choice that drew plenty of second-guessing, and it leaves the club headed into the winter with fewer obvious paths to upgrade than it would have liked.
One of the most interesting pieces in that conversation is JJ Bleday, the outfielder acquired in December 2025 who brought both production and volatility in his first full year with the club. He had his moments, including a cycle and a career-high 24 home runs, and he is still under team control for two more seasons, which gives Cincinnati a real asset to weigh if it decides to reshape the roster rather than simply tweak it. [Read more 🡒]