The Steelers have spent the first half of the season looking like a team that can do more than just survive. They’re 6-2, sitting alone atop the AFC North after a 2-2 start, and the way they’ve gotten there has been even more encouraging than the record itself.
Pittsburgh’s defense is third in the NFL in points allowed, and it hasn’t given up a touchdown in seven quarters. Up front, the offensive line is settling in.
Jaylen Warren is putting together a breakout year, with Rico Dowdle helping out behind him. Aaron Rodgers still has that old touch, too.
So yes, the Steelers may already have enough to snap their nine-year playoff win drought. But if they want to push all the way into true Super Bowl contender territory, the move is obvious: add a receiver before the Nov. 10 trade deadline.
The passing game has gotten useful contributions from rookie Germie Bernard, tight ends Darnell Washington and Pat Freiermuth, and the backfield. That has helped cover for the problem.
It hasn’t solved it. At some point, Pittsburgh’s lack of receiver firepower is going to show up, and the most likely place is in the playoffs.
With Roman Wilson and Michael Pittman hurt and DK Metcalf struggling, the Steelers are back in the market. Here are four trade ideas that would fit the bill.
One possibility would send Ladd McConkey to Pittsburgh along with a 2027 fifth-round pick, while the Chargers would get Roman Wilson and a 2027 second-rounder. Wilson could be the piece Los Angeles wants if it’s looking for a replacement, especially given his success at Michigan under Jim Harbaugh. McConkey, a former 1,000-yard receiver still on his rookie deal, is the kind of player the Chargers probably don’t want to move, but another receiver plus a second-round pick could be enough to change their mind.
For the Steelers, the price is steep. They’d rather not give up a second-round pick, especially with Rodgers retiring and the team still chasing a long-term quarterback in 2027.
Draft capital matters, and Pittsburgh will want as many shots as possible at finding that answer in next year’s draft. The fifth-round pick in the deal helps a little.
McConkey helps more. He’d bring youth, production and affordability, and he’d still be under contract for the 2027 season.
Another option would be Brian Thomas Jr., with Pittsburgh getting him and a 2027 fifth-round pick while Jacksonville lands a 2027 second-round pick and a 2027 sixth-round pick. Thomas, a former Pro Bowler, has mostly been stuck on the Jaguars’ bench this season, and a change of scenery could make sense for both sides.
At 6-foot-2 and 209 pounds, he’d give Rodgers another red-zone target and help create more room for Metcalf. The Steelers also wouldn’t have to include Wilson in the package.
The question there is whether Jacksonville would really send Thomas to a team it still has to face. The Jaguars host Pittsburgh in Week 14, and there’s always the chance of a playoff rematch. Still, if the return is strong enough, that concern could fade.
A third route would bring Jerry Jeudy to Pittsburgh. In that deal, the Steelers would get Jeudy and a 2027 fifth-round pick, while the Browns would receive a 2027 second-round pick and a 2027 sixth-round pick.
The biggest obstacle is Cleveland’s likely preference to deal him outside the division. But the Browns have already shown they’re willing to make in-season moves with rivals, as they did last year when they traded Joe Flacco to Cincinnati.
And since the Steelers and Browns are finished playing each other this season unless they meet in the playoffs, that helps too.
Jeudy fits the same theme as Thomas: a former Pro Bowler who could use a reset. He’s only two years removed from 90 catches for 1,229 yards on a Browns team that won just three games.
The cleanest deal of the bunch might be Josh Downs. In that scenario, Pittsburgh would send a 2027 third-round pick to Indianapolis and get Downs back. The Colts would pick up another solid draft asset for their rebuild, and the Steelers would add a receiver without giving up any of their current wideouts.
There are still a couple of hurdles. Pittsburgh could get dragged into a bidding war for Downs, and while he’s a useful player, he probably shouldn’t cost more than a third-rounder. Indianapolis also has to weigh the fact that Downs is set to hit free agency after the season, which makes him more of a rental than a long-term piece.
Even so, it’s an appealing fit for the Steelers. Downs has 228 career receptions, and he’d give them a proven slot option without forcing them to sacrifice one of their own receivers.
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