Through four weeks, the Steelers’ receiver room has done little to fix one of the biggest problems on the roster. The offense has flashes, but not enough consistency, and the lack of dependable separation has become impossible to ignore. Aaron Rodgers has also struggled to capitalize when the openings do appear, which only makes the need for another big-play threat feel more urgent.
That’s why three names stand out as possible targets: Quentin Johnston, Tyreek Hill, and Brian Thomas Jr.
Quentin Johnston is the kind of player who still makes sense even if he hasn’t fully lived up to his draft slot. He’s settled in as a useful secondary option who can threaten defenses down the field, and the numbers from his last two seasons back that up - over 700 receiving yards and eight touchdowns in each.
This year has looked very different, though. Through four games, he has only seven catches for a little over 100 yards, and with the Chargers struggling across the board, a bigger roster shakeup after the season feels possible.
Johnston doesn’t seem like part of their long-term plans, and 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 a different kind of swing, but the fit is easy to understand. He appears to be getting healthier, and for a group that has struggled to separate, create after the catch, and win deep, Hill’s speed would change the conversation fast.
He won’t be the same player forever, but he still has enough athleticism to line up anywhere at receiver and hurt defenses in multiple ways. The catch is that he hasn’t played in a while, so he’d need time to get back into game shape.
There’s also risk that he never returns to his pre-injury form. Still, he wouldn’t cost a draft pick, and for a Steelers offense that has already been inefficient at receiver, that’s a gamble worth considering.
Brian Thomas Jr. might be the most intriguing name of the group. His rookie season made him look like a breakout star, the kind of dynamic playmaker who could force his way into Rookie of the Year talk.
But once Liam Coen took over, the fit changed, and Thomas has since looked like an afterthought. Through the first four games, he has just nine receptions, and he’s no longer being used as a deep threat the way he once was.
Parker Washington has apparently moved ahead of him in that offense, which only adds to the sense that Thomas needs a reset.
For Pittsburgh, that reset could be the opportunity. He’d need better quarterback play, but Thomas could also help raise the level of the offense around him.
He’d bring another dangerous option next to DK Metcalf, and unlike some of the other names that might be available, he’s only entering his third year. That gives a team at least two years to figure out exactly what it has, with the fifth-year option available if things work out.
There’s some risk that he never gets back to where he was, but among available receivers, he stands out as one of the most intriguing possibilities.
In Other News...
Steelers Fans May See Joey Porter Jr. Trade Very Differently Now
The Cowboys acquisition of Joey Porter Jr. came with the usual instant questions about what comes next, but the early read on his approach may ease some of that anxiety. Rather than pushing immediately for a new deal, Porter is reportedly willing to play out his current contract, which gives Dallas some breathing room as it sorts through the longer-term picture around one of its newest defensive additions.
For Steelers fans, that detail may change the way the move is viewed from afar. Porters market value is estimated at around $27.4 million per year, so the price tag is still substantial, but the bigger issue now appears to be how much security and how many years the Cowboys want to offer when the time comes. The contract conversation is not going away, but the early signs suggest this may be more about fit and timing than any urgent showdown over money. [Read more 🡒]
Missing Steelers Fan Case In Cleveland Just Took A Disturbing Turn
A trip to Cleveland for a football game has turned into a search that now carries real weight. Phoenix Phillips, a 24-year-old from Maryland, was last seen downtown after attending the game, and police have said his disappearance is concerning. His phone was found, adding to the unease around a case that has quickly moved beyond a simple missing-person report.
Authorities have also recovered an unidentified body near the area where Phillips was last known to be, though they have not confirmed any connection. The investigation remains active, and online chatter has added another layer of noise around Phillips, with unverified allegations tying him to unauthorized trading and scamming. For now, though, the only thing that matters is the unanswered question of what happened after he left the game. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers LB Cole Holcomb Shares A Feel Good Life Update
For a Steelers defense still trying to settle in through a 2-2 start, Cole Holcomb has had a more personal milestone to celebrate away from the field. Holcomb and his wife, Casey, welcomed their second child this week, a baby boy named Drew Jarrett, or DJ, adding a bright spot to a season that has already had its share of on-field grind for the veteran inside linebacker.
Holcomb has continued to be part of Pittsburghs mix in the middle of the defense, even as the early weeks have brought a little bit of everything, including an NFL fine for a blindside block on a special teams play in Week 3. The newborn news, though, is the kind of update that can reset a players week in a hurry, and it gives Holcomb and his family a memorable moment as the Steelers move deeper into the season. [Read more 🡒]