The Steelers had a chance to act like a team chasing something bigger in 2026. Instead, the trade deadline came and went, and Pittsburgh stayed exactly where it was.
That matters because this roster looked built for a push. Aaron Rodgers is saying farewell to the NFL after this season, the defense has been described as Super Bowl-caliber, and the Steelers were sitting at 6-2 after the bye, leading the AFC North. With Mike McCarthy in his first season coaching in his hometown, the setup seemed to scream for one more move.
It never happened. Omar Khan did not make the splash many expected, and Pittsburgh passed on the kind of deadline upgrade that could have signaled real urgency for the stretch run.
The biggest addition the Steelers made during the 2026 season ended up being a reunion, not a blockbuster. After their Week 6 win, they signed Marquez Valdes-Scantling to the practice squad after the Los Angeles Chargers released him. That was his second stint with the team after a five-game run in Pittsburgh in 2025.
That earlier stretch did not produce much. Rodgers threw to MVS 21 times in those five games, and the connection resulted in 10 catches for 80 yards and a touchdown.
This year has looked similar. Valdes-Scantling opened the 2026 season with the Chargers, where he played in three games and finished with two receptions for 22 yards.
Still, the Steelers value the familiarity. He has the Rodgers connection, and he has McCarthy’s trust from their Green Bay days. In Pittsburgh, that kind of comfort clearly carries weight.
What the deadline did not deliver was just as important. The Steelers did not add help for a secondary that could have used depth, and they did not bring in another weapon for Rodgers. While Buffalo added a starting safety and Jacksonville brought in multiple defensive pieces, Pittsburgh stood still.
That leaves the Steelers in first place in the AFC North, with a Week 10 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals carrying a real chance to help them win the division for a second straight season. But the deadline told its own story: no reinforcements, no surprise, and no reason to think this year would be different from the usual Steelers routine.
In Other News...
Steelers Midseason MVP Debate Says Everything About Their 6-2 Start
At the midway point of a 6-2 start that has Pittsburgh sitting atop the AFC North, the Steelers internal MVP conversation says a lot about how this team has been winning. The debate has centered mostly on running back Jaylen Warren, whose workload and production have made him the most obvious offensive driver, with his scrimmage yards and weekly impact carrying real weight in a season where Pittsburgh has leaned on consistency more than flash.
Zach Frazier also drew support in the voting, which is its own kind of compliment for an offensive line player. His value has shown up in the kind of work that usually gets noticed only when it goes wrong, and that speaks to how important the middle of the line has been in keeping the Steelers on track. For a team with playoff aspirations, the fact that the MVP discussion includes both a back and a center tells you this start has been built from the inside out. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Trade Deadline Talk Suddenly Includes Some Big Names
The trade deadline chatter around Pittsburgh has started to widen beyond the usual fringe names, with a few recognizable veterans now surfacing in the conversation. Patrick Queen, Mason Rudolph, Jaquan Brisker, Yahya Black and Alex Highsmith are all being discussed in different hypothetical scenarios, depending on what the Steelers want to address and how they view their roster and contract picture.
Queen in particular adds a layer to the discussion because his status makes any long-term planning more complicated, while Highsmiths name comes up for a different reason tied to the teams edge-rush depth. Nothing is official, of course, and there has been no confirmed move, but the fact that these kinds of names are even part of the deadline talk says plenty about how Pittsburgh may have to balance present needs against what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Face One Big Trade Deadline Question At Wide Receiver
The Steelers wide receiver picture is still being shaped by health as much as by the trade market, which is why the front office is keeping a wide net out ahead of the 2026 NFL Trade Deadline. Pittsburgh has been linked to a long list of possible targets, from Josh Downs and Dontayvion Wicks to bigger-name options such as Brian Thomas Jr., Quentin Johnston, Hollywood Brown, Jauan Jennings, Keenan Allen, Calvin Ridley, Ladd McConkey and DeVonta Smith, but not every name on that board is equally realistic. Cost and fit will matter, and the most impactful players are viewed as difficult gets.
What makes the situation tricky is that the Steelers may not need to force anything if the roster starts to heal in time. The team is waiting to see whether injured players can return soon enough to soften the urgency at receiver, and that could end up being the deciding factor in whether Pittsburgh actually pushes a deal across the finish line or simply stays patient. For now, the deadline question is less about chasing a splash and more about whether the current group can be stabilized without paying a premium. [Read more 🡒]