Through four weeks, the Steelers’ receiver room has gone from a project to a problem.
Pittsburgh spent another offseason trying to fix the position, but the results have been rough. There’s been the occasional splash play, yet nobody is separating with any consistency, and Aaron Rodgers has not been able to fully capitalize when opportunities have appeared.
DK Metcalf has struggled, Roman Wilson has been up and down, Germie Bernard hasn’t had much of a chance to make an impact, and Michael Pittman Jr. has been a complete non-factor. For a team that needs more juice, the answer may be outside the building.
Quentin Johnston is one name that fits.
He never quite became the early first-round star some expected, but he has still carved out value as a solid secondary target who can win downfield. Over the past two seasons, he posted more than 700 receiving yards and eight touchdowns in each year.
This season has been different. In Mike McDaniel’s offense, Johnston has become an afterthought, catching seven passes for just over 100 yards in four games.
With the Chargers struggling and a possible roster overhaul looming after the season, he looks like a player who needs a fresh start. Even with his fifth-year option picked up, his contract would be manageable if Pittsburgh decided to keep him beyond this year.
Tyreek Hill is another possibility, and his appeal is obvious for a Steelers offense that can’t separate, create after the catch, or stretch the field.
Hill is getting healthy again, and even if his speed and athleticism have started to fade with age, there’s still plenty left in the tank. He can line up anywhere and hurt defenses in multiple ways.
The catch is obvious: he hasn’t played in a while, and he’d need time to ramp back up and get into game shape. But if he gets there, he could be a strong complementary piece.
He also wouldn’t cost a draft pick, which makes the risk easier to stomach for a team that needs to try something.
Brian Thomas Jr. might be the most intriguing name of the three.
As a rookie, he burst onto the scene and looked like a dynamic playmaker with Rookie of the Year buzz. Then Liam Coen took over, and the fit never seemed right.
Now Thomas has just nine catches through four games and looks like an afterthought, even with Parker Washington taking on a bigger role. Like Johnston, he appears to be stuck in an offense where he isn’t being used to his strengths.
Pittsburgh could change that. The quarterback play would have to improve, but Thomas could help drive that improvement too.
In the Steelers’ system, he would likely get plenty of chances and could give Metcalf a dangerous running mate. The long-term control is part of the appeal as well: Thomas is only entering his third year, giving the Steelers at least two seasons to evaluate him before the fifth-year option comes into play.
There’s no guarantee he gets back to form, but among receivers who could actually be available, he stands out. The Steelers should be asking.
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Chiefs Suddenly Have A Trade Question Fans Werent Expecting
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Kristian Fulton is one name Fowler floated, with Jalen Ramsey also mentioned as a possibility, and the urgency is obvious given that Detroit has been the leagues worst defense this season. The Lions are allowing 423.8 yards per game, but whether they actually pull the trigger on a deal before the deadline remains unclear, which is exactly the kind of uncertainty that can reshape who is available for teams watching the market closely. [Read more 🡒]