The Pittsburgh Steelers’ wide receiver problem is staring everyone right in the face. With Roman Wilson dealing with a finger injury, Michael Pittman Jr. sidelined by a foot issue and Ben Skowronek out with a calf injury, there’s no clear timeline for any of them to get back.
That has left Pittsburgh leaning on DK Metcalf, Germie Bernard and practice squader Brandon Smith in the passing game, and the results haven’t been there. In Week 7 against the New Orleans Saints, that trio combined for just seven catches and 107 yards.
So as the trade deadline approaches, receiver has to sit near the top of the Steelers’ shopping list. A bunch of names are already floating around the fanbase - Ladd McConkey, Juaun Jennings, Josh Downs and others - but the real name Pittsburgh should be circling is DeVonta Smith.
Philadelphia’s situation makes the idea at least worth monitoring. The Eagles are without their starting quarterback for the rest of the season, had their franchise tackle retire a quarter of the way through the year and are now depending on a banged-up Saquon Barkley to carry them.
That’s why Smith stands out as the best possible swing for Pittsburgh. He signed a three-year, $75 million extension in 2024, but the deal is structured in a way that doesn’t hit the cap too hard for the team that trades for him. His cap number is just $14.7 million in 2027, then $20 million in 2028.
Smith turns 28 this season and has missed time because of a hamstring injury, but his production still looks like that of a true No. 1.
In four games in 2026, he has 26 catches for 310 yards and two touchdowns. Across six seasons, he has topped 1,000 receiving yards four times, and his lowest yardage total is 833.
That’s the kind of player Pittsburgh has been searching for - somebody who can stretch the field, work the middle and win with burst and quickness. Smith fits that mold as well as anyone. He’s fast, slippery out of his breaks and gives a quarterback a legitimate top target.
He also looks like a natural fit for Aaron Rodgers.
The catch, of course, is the cost. Smith isn’t in the same bucket as the cheaper names being thrown around.
If the Eagles were willing to move him, it would probably take close to a second-round pick, and maybe a team could get him for a third if the market broke right. But Philadelphia could very well aim for a return similar to the one it got in the A.J.
Brown deal, which brought back a 2028 second.
That’s why the Steelers should treat Smith as the exception, not the rule. If he becomes available, he’s worth paying up for.
He’s productive. He’s affordable.
He’s still very much a star. And for a Pittsburgh team that has been trying to solve this position for years, Smith would give them the wideout they’ve been chasing.
There’s still time before the deadline, and the rumors are only going to pick up. But if DeVonta Smith hits the market, Pittsburgh shouldn’t waste much time making the call. If the price is right, they should be ready to move fast.
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Steelers Receiver Trouble Is Putting Real Pressure On Omar Khan
The NFL trade deadline is creeping closer, and the Steelers are once again weighing whether they need outside help at wide receiver. For Omar Khan, it is a familiar kind of pressure point: Pittsburgh has already spent time trying to reinforce the room, and the search for steady production has only gotten more complicated as injuries have thinned the depth chart.
With the deadline approaching, the urgency has sharpened around a position group that has not given the Steelers the consistency they want. Khan has been aggressive enough to explore upgrades, but the window to land one is closing fast, and the next move could say a lot about how he plans to handle a roster hole that has become hard to ignore. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers QB Search Just Got More Complicated With Dante Moore
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Now the evaluation gets trickier. Moore will miss the rest of Oregons season because of a concussion, and any absence at this stage complicates how teams view a young quarterback who had been building momentum early. For Pittsburgh, it adds another layer of uncertainty to a process that already hinges on projection, health and whether Moore ultimately decides to enter the draft at all. [Read more 🡒]
Deshaun Watson Just Made Steelers-Browns A Lot More Complicated
Deshaun Watsons early-season rebound has changed the tone around Cleveland in a hurry, and that matters plenty for the Steelers, who know how quickly the AFC North can shift when the Browns have stability at quarterback. Through seven games, Watson has helped push Cleveland to a 5-2 start while throwing for 1,482 yards with seven touchdowns and three interceptions, a line that looks a lot different from the uncertainty that surrounded him entering the season.
Ian Rapoport recently suggested Watson has done enough to put himself in the mix to stay under center beyond 2026 if he stays healthy, which is a meaningful step for a Browns team still sorting out its future. Still, the discussion has not reached the point of locking him in as the long-term answer, and that gray area is where this gets interesting for Pittsburgh, because a division rival with a resurgent quarterback can complicate everything from the standings to the offseason conversation. [Read more 🡒]