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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Browns Defense Suddenly Has A New Problem Ahead Of Jets Game
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Safety Grant Delpit was limited because of a shoulder issue, adding to the sense that this unit may not be at full strength when it needs to be. Dillon Gabriel has been cleared to return but is still waiting on a roster spot, while wide receiver Tylan Wallace sat out practice with a knee injury, leaving a few moving parts for Cleveland to sort through before game day. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Could Be Eyeing A Week 5 Opponent For Defensive Line Help
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Phillips also comes with a contract situation that makes him easier to imagine in trade discussions as the calendar moves toward the 2026 deadline, especially if New York slips and decides to move veterans for future assets. For Cleveland, the appeal is straightforward: a short-term fix for the defensive line now, while still leaving room to spend a draft pick on a more permanent answer later. [Read more 🡒]
Former Bears QB Turned A Terrifying Health Scare Into A New Mission
Connor Shaws life changed in an instant during a youth flag football game in September 2025, when the former NFL quarterback and ex-Bears signal-caller suffered sudden cardiac arrest while coaching his son. He was saved by quick CPR from bystanders and medics using an automated external defibrillator, then later had a heart monitoring device implanted as he continued to recover from the scare.
Now Shaw is turning that frightening experience into a broader push for preparedness through HRTHUDL, the nonprofit he founded to raise awareness about sudden cardiac arrest, teach CPR and help get AEDs into communities in South Carolina. For anyone around football, especially youth sports, it is the kind of reminder that the most important play can happen long before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]