The Steelers have a bye week to sit on a win over the Cleveland Browns, but the schedule waiting on the other side is no joke. After the break, Pittsburgh dives into a brutal stretch that includes two games with the Baltimore Ravens, another meeting with the Cincinnati Bengals, a cross-state matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles, and dates with the Denver Broncos and Jacksonville Jaguars.
That kind of run is exactly why the Steelers need help on offense before the 2026 NFL Trade Deadline passes. The ideal move would be a splashy addition, the kind that costs real draft capital or even a roster player, giving Aaron Rodgers another top-end target. More likely, though, Pittsburgh ends up shopping in a more modest lane and sends out a Day 3 pick for a receiver lower on the depth chart.
That doesn’t mean the move has to be minor in impact. One name worth watching is New York Jets wide receiver Adonai Mitchell, who has quietly put together a strong start to the 2026 season and could come at a manageable price.
A lot of the buzz around the Jets has centered on Garrett Wilson, and there have been rumors about Pittsburgh’s interest there. Mitchell, though, might be the cleaner fit for what the Steelers need right now.
The 24-year-old has already shown he can build trust with a veteran quarterback. Geno Smith leaned on him early, targeting Mitchell 15 times over the first two weeks. He turned that into nine catches for 123 yards before a finger injury in practice knocked him out from Weeks 3 through 6.
Even with that interruption, Mitchell has bounced back as a productive piece of the Jets’ passing game. He was blanked in Week 7, then erupted in Week 8 against the Las Vegas Raiders with seven catches on nine targets for 142 yards and a touchdown. New York lost the game, but Mitchell was the kind of field-stretching weapon that can change how a defense has to play.
His game fits that profile because he can threaten defenses vertically. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound receiver has averaged 16.6 yards per catch this season, and that number jumped to 20.3 against the Raiders. His speed kept creating problems for the Las Vegas secondary, and he popped for multiple big plays throughout the afternoon.
That’s the sort of juice Pittsburgh could use. The Steelers haven’t had a receiver consistently stretching the field in 2026. DK Metcalf has done it at times, but the season has still been marked by inconsistency.
Mitchell would give them another outside option. According to data from SumerSports, he has lined up out wide on 71% of his offensive snaps this season. That same data shows a 25% explosive play rate in 2026, meaning one out of every four plays he’s involved in goes for 20 yards or more.
The trade case also makes sense because of where the Jets are sitting. New York is back near the bottom of the league and looking at a top selection in the 2027 NFL Draft. The team needs young talent, but it’s fair to wonder how central Mitchell is to their long-term plans.
The Jets got him as part of the Sauce Gardner trade last season, a deal that brought back two first-round picks from the Indianapolis Colts along with Mitchell. That return made New York the clear winner of the trade, and it also shows the Jets value Mitchell. Still, that doesn’t guarantee they’d refuse to move him.
Receiver prices around the league have been climbing. The Colts, for example, reportedly want a third-round pick for Josh Downs.
If Pittsburgh is willing to pay that kind of price, Mitchell looks like the better fit. He would give the Steelers a needed playmaker on the outside and let Metcalf and rookie Germie Bernard continue developing in their current roles.
Even so, a third-rounder may be more than Pittsburgh needs to spend. The Steelers don’t have a 2027 fourth-round pick, but they do have that selection in 2028. If they want to avoid paying Day 2 value for another receiver, Adonai Mitchell still gives them a path to upgrade the offense.
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For Pittsburgh, Mason Rudolph sits in the middle of that conversation as a possible trade chip with real strategic value. A deal would not only give the Steelers a chance to extract draft capital, it could also keep Baltimore from turning to a more established name at quarterback, which would change the balance of the division in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Have A DK Metcalf Problem They Cant Ignore
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What makes the issue harder to ignore is the way Metcalf seems to fit best when another receiver can draw attention away from him. The Steelers have not really given him that kind of partner yet, and until they do, the offense may keep asking him to carry a role that does not fully match how he is most effective. [Read more 🡒]
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Highsmiths contract situation only adds to the intrigue, since he is signed through 2027 after landing a four-year, $68 million extension. The Cowboys also have a recent history of doing business with the Steelers, which is why this idea has enough traction to linger even if Dallas ultimately stays in the market rather than becoming one of the deadlines major buyers. [Read more 🡒]