In the build-up to the draft, the Steelers were frequently connected to a wide receiver trade. No such move took place over the weekend, though, and Pittsburgh has not been active in the post-draft wave of free agency to date.
The Steelers prioritized the offensive line, selecting tackle Troy Fautanu in the first round, center Zach Frazier in the second, and guard Mason McCormick in the fourth. In the third round, the team selected Roman Wilson, a former Michigan player, as a wide receiver. However, George Pickens can still play alongside a seasoned pass-catcher in the starting lineup. But Pittsburgh hasn’t made any additions at the position as experienced dominoes have fallen recently.
This week, Michael Gallup, DJ Chark, and Odell Beckham Jr. all signed one-year contracts, reducing the number of options available. It would be surprising if Pittsburgh pulled off a player exchange at this time, given 49ers general manager John Lynch recently stated that a blockbuster trade involving either Brandon Aiyuk or Devibo Samuel was no longer an option. Indeed, Steelers general manager Omar Khan stated that there isn’t anything on the horizon in terms of a receiver addition right now during an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show (video link).
Tyler Boyd, who was connected to his hometown team early in the free agency process, is one of the best free agents still available. However, Pittsburgh now has fierce competition for the former Bengal’s services, and the team’s salary point on a contract offer is still too low to be able to reach an agreement. Regarding that, Mark Kaboly of The Athletic observes that the Steelers are unwilling to provide an offer to Boyd for a multi-year contract, which he is requesting (subscription required). Kaboly states that a Boyd-to-Pittsburgh agreement is still “extremely unlikely” at this moment because of this.
Apart from Pickens and Wilson, other wide receivers in the Steelers’ receiver room include Denzel Mims, Van Jefferson, Calvin Austin, Quiz Watkins, and Marc Callaway.The team could afford to add another player with over $18MM in cap space, but it will be fascinating to see if Khan goes for one of the remaining veterans or lets the current bunch fight for positions on the squad come training camp.
