Steelers Loaded with Draft Picks, Could Eye Trade for WR to Pair with DK Metcalf
The Pittsburgh Steelers are sitting on a pile of draft picks heading into the 2026 NFL Draft - and with the draft taking place right in their backyard at Acrisure Stadium, they’ve got more than just home-field advantage. They’ve got options. Real, tangible options that could reshape their offense in a hurry.
And one of those options? Packaging some of that draft capital to go get a proven wide receiver to line up opposite DK Metcalf.
NFL analysts Daniel Jeremiah and Bucky Brooks floated the idea this week, pointing out that while Metcalf is still a dominant outside threat, the Steelers are missing that second punch - the kind of playmaker who can stretch defenses and take some pressure off No. 14.
“They need an explosive playmaker on the outside, too, to go with DK Metcalf,” Brooks said on the Move the Sticks podcast. “They need another viable weapon.
I know George Pickens didn’t work there. A lot of that had little to do with on-the-field, had more to do with off-the-field and his interactions.
I’ve gotta find someone who can give me that kinda juice, though, on the outside with DK.”
That’s a key point. Pickens had the physical tools, but the fit just wasn’t right - and it wasn’t about his route tree or his hands.
It was about the stuff that happens between games, not between the lines. Now, the Steelers are looking to reset and reload.
Metcalf, for his part, still put up solid numbers in 2025 - 59 catches, 850 yards, and six touchdowns across 15 games. But after him, the drop-off was steep.
Running back Kenneth Gainwell and tight end Pat Freiermuth tied for second on the team in receiving yards with 486 apiece. That tells the story: the Steelers need another wideout who can make defenses pay.
And here’s where things get interesting. Pittsburgh owns a first-round pick, a second-rounder, and three third-round picks. That’s a lot of flexibility - and as Jeremiah pointed out, that third-round haul could be the sweet spot.
“They have the one, the two, the three third-round picks. That’s gonna be the sweet spot for them,” Jeremiah said.
“And guess what, if A.J. Brown were to become available, if there’s other wide receivers that end up on the trade market - they’ve already done this once with DK - they could very easily parlay one of those third-round picks into trying to free another wide receiver from somewhere else.”
It’s a compelling idea. The Steelers already showed they’re not afraid to make a bold move when they acquired Metcalf.
If a player like A.J. Brown hits the trade block, Pittsburgh could be in a position to strike again.
Brown, who’s coming off a down year by his standards - 1,003 yards, his lowest total in four seasons with the Eagles - has made no secret of his frustration with his role in Nick Sirianni’s offense. That situation could be worth monitoring.
There’s also D.J. Moore, who’s spent the past three seasons in Chicago.
With the Bears now building around young targets like Rome Odunze and Luther Burden for Caleb Williams, Moore could become expendable. He’s still got plenty of juice and could thrive in a new environment.
Bottom line: the Steelers have the ammo, and they have the need. Pairing Metcalf with another dynamic wideout would give this offense a whole new gear. Whether it’s through the draft or the trade market, Pittsburgh’s front office has a real opportunity to reshape the receiving corps - and they don’t have to wait until April to start making moves.