PITTSBURGH -- The Steelers’ wide receiver room has gone from manageable to thin in a hurry.
Just a day ago, the conversation was about whether Pittsburgh even needed to dip into the receiver trade market with so much young talent in the mix. Now the situation looks very different. Roman Wilson is expected to miss multiple weeks with a finger injury, Michael Pittman Jr. is on Injured Reserve with a foot injury, and Ben Skowronek also exited Week 5 against the Indianapolis Colts with a calf injury.
That leaves DK Metcalf and Germie Bernard as the clear starters, with rookie Kaden Wetjen next in line. Wetjen has mostly been used as a returner and has not played an offensive snap yet.
Pittsburgh will likely elevate Brandon Smith from the practice squad. Smith did not record a catch against the Colts, but he was one of the standouts in training camp, and Aaron Rodgers has praised him more than once.
"Well, B-Smith hasn't taken a ton of offensive reps. I've been around him for a few years.
He was with us in New York, and always enjoyed him being on the fieldand his ability. I think he's a talented guy," Rodgers said after the Colts game.
"But we can play in 12 all day long, and if we need to, we will. But I was really proud of Germ the way he stepped in.
There were a couple of plays with B-Smith. Like we had this play we're running inside zone, and we have this short motion to block the safety.
Just by the end of the week it was just assumed that motion. I wasn't even calling it.
"I looked over, and I was, like, Oh, B has probably never done this. I was, like, Hey. He didn't know what I was thinking.
"So we were kind of making it up a little bit as we went there, but I'm proud of B-Smith. He's a smart guy and knows his stuff, and he'll be ready to take on a bigger role this week, I’m sure."
Even with Smith in the picture, the Steelers likely need to look outside the building. The biggest name floating around is Tyreek Hill, but he’s not the only veteran available. Two of the options also have Steelers ties, and the size of the role Pittsburgh wants to fill will shape the move.
If Mike McCarthy wants a starter-level addition, Hill is the headline name. The six-time All-Pro is 32 and wants to play this season after suffering a dislocated knee in 2025. He says he’s healthy, and if that’s true, he stands out as the biggest name on the market.
If Pittsburgh is hunting for more of a support piece behind Metcalf and Bernard, and alongside Smith, Skowronek and Wetjen, the list opens up. JuJu Smith-Schuster spent his first five seasons in Pittsburgh and hasn’t played there since 2021. He’s more of a slot receiver now, but he could still provide dependable hands on short throws and routes across the middle.
Gabe Davis is working back from an ACL injury and may not be ready yet, though at 27 he’s at least worth a call to check on his status for Week 6.
There are other names worth considering too. Ray-Ray McCloud is familiar to the organization, Curtis Samuel remains unsigned and is one of the bigger surprises not to be on a roster or practice squad, and Mecole Hardman, Justin Watson and Josh Reynolds are also still out there.
For Pittsburgh, it may simply come down to preference: a bigger splash or a short-term fix while Wilson and Pittman Jr. are sidelined. How long the team expects both to be out could end up driving the decision.
One way or another, help looks necessary. The Steelers need another wide receiver before Week 6.
In Other News...
Steelers Defense Is Trying A New Fix That Has To Work Fast
The Steelers are trying a different look on the defensive sideline this week, shifting coordinator Patrick Graham from the booth to field level for the game against the Colts. Graham had preferred calling games from above, where the better angle helps him sort out offensive personnel and formations, but the change gives him a more direct line to players in real time.
Mike McCarthy pushed for the move because he wants quicker, cleaner communication and faster adjustments during the game. It is the kind of tweak teams make when they think a small operational fix can help in a hurry, though McCarthy is still sorting out whether the change actually delivers the kind of correction Pittsburgh needs. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Face A Tough Backfield Call Mike McCarthy Can't Avoid
Pittsburghs win over the Colts only sharpened a backfield question that has been building while Rico Dowdle has been sidelined. Mike McCarthy has made it clear he wants a two-back look with Dowdle and Jaylen Warren, but Warren has done plenty to complicate the plan by handling a bigger load and producing as the primary option in Dowdles absence.
The challenge now is less about whether Warren has earned more work and more about how the Steelers sort out touches once Dowdle is back in the mix. Warrens strong showing against Indianapolis gave the staff another reminder that the current rotation is working, which leaves McCarthy with a decision he cannot really dodge as Pittsburgh moves forward. [Read more 🡒]
Aaron Rodgers Gave Mike Tomlin A Postgame Tribute Steelers Fans Will Love
During the Steelers win over the Indianapolis Colts, Aaron Rodgers found a subtle way to tip his cap to Mike Tomlin. The postgame moment fit neatly with the respect Rodgers has already shown for Tomlins leadership, and it came at a time when Pittsburgh had plenty of reasons to feel good about how the day unfolded, including Jaylen Warrens significant role in the result.
Rodgers later explained that the shirt was no accident, but he stopped short of spelling out every part of the message on it. For Steelers fans, the tribute lands as another reminder that Tomlins influence reaches well beyond the sideline, and Rodgers clearly wanted to make that point in a way the Pittsburgh crowd would appreciate. [Read more 🡒]