The Pittsburgh Steelers are back in the market for help at wide receiver, and this time the issue isn’t a lack of production so much as a wave of injuries.
Pittsburgh still walked away with a Week 5 win over the Indianapolis Colts, a 34-point effort that continued a stretch of offensive progress. The Steelers have topped 30 points in two of their last three games. But that bump has come with a cost: Michael Pittman Jr. is on Injured Reserve with a foot injury, Roman Wilson has already been ruled out for Week 6 because of a dislocated finger, and special teams contributor Ben Skowronek exited the Week 5 game with a calf injury.
That leaves the Steelers searching again, even after making practice squad moves to patch things up. They could try to work out a trade before facing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 6, but the more realistic path appears to be signing a receiver from another practice squad or the open market.
Two veteran names stand out as the cleanest short-term fits.
K.J. Osborn is one of them.
Not long ago, he was the kind of receiver teams were calling about in trade talks. He put together three straight seasons with at least 500 receiving yards and looked like a real asset around the league after the Vikings made him a fifth-round pick in 2020.
Now, he’s on the Tennessee Titans practice squad, which makes him the kind of readily available depth piece Pittsburgh needs right now.
Osborn has been around long enough to step in quickly. He’s played in 66 NFL games, and the Steelers could bring him in and have him available as soon as Week 6. He isn’t the splashiest answer, but as a temporary fix, he makes sense.
There’s also a built-in connection that could help his case. Osborn had his best stretch with the Minnesota Vikings while working with current Steelers offensive coordinator Brian Angelichio. That familiarity might give Pittsburgh even more reason to give him a look.
The other name to watch is Mecole Hardman Jr., who is currently a free agent after stints with the Kansas City Chiefs, New York Jets and Buffalo Bills. Hardman’s appeal is straightforward: he can do more than one job. He brings the kind of speed Pittsburgh is missing without Wilson, and he can line up at any receiver spot.
He also adds value beyond offense. Hardman has return experience on both kicks and punts, which makes him more than just a player for the back end of the roster. He could help in multiple roles over the next few weeks, and that versatility is exactly the kind of trait the Steelers’ coaching staff tends to like.
There’s even a little history there. Hardman spent a short time with Aaron Rodgers on the Jets before Rodgers was injured in the season opener and Hardman was later traded. The overlap was brief, but it happened, and that’s enough to make a possible reunion worth noting.
Beyond Osborn and Hardman, the list of possibilities gets thinner and less exciting. JuJu Smith-Schuster, a former second-round pick, is an option.
Odell Beckham Jr. is on the Vikings’ practice squad. Other free-agent names mentioned include Tyreek Hill, KJ Hamler and Josh Reynolds.
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