After a promising preseason opener against the Houston Texans that ended in defeat, the Pittsburgh Steelers fell flat in their second preseason contest against the Buffalo Bills. The offense had better ball security but could consistently gain yardage, and the final scoreline read 9-3 in favor of the Bills.
Pittsburgh still has one more preseason matchup remaining against the Detroit Lions. Then comes the final cut and naming of the official 53-man roster. The team still has several concerns, including the lack of a clear number-two wide receiver behind George Pickens. With that need in mind, here is one last-minute trade the Steelers must make before Week 1 of the 2024 NFL season.
Acquire New York Giants WR Darius Slayton in exchange for a 2025 fifth-round pick
The offense displayed promise in the preseason opener against the Texans but fell flat in game two against Buffalo. Arthur Smith's unit managed just three points on 219 yards in an ugly defensive struggle. The passing game, in particular, was disappointing.
QB1 Russell Wilson, making his first official appearance in the Black and Yellow, finished 8/10 on the evening with only 47 yards in the air. Backup Justin Fields was not any better, going 11/17 with 92 passing yards. Fields also missed a wide-open T.J. Luther in the end zone late in the fourth quarter for what would have been a go-ahead score.
Are these preseason results concerning? With new quarterbacks and a fresh offensive coordinator, the offense will take some time to gel. But this team also needs more weapons. George Pickens is a capable number-one wideout; after him, the receiving corps has far more questions than answers.
Pittsburgh's current number-two wideout is Van Jefferson, who had a combined 209 receiving yards for the Los Angeles Rams and Atlanta Falcons last year. WR3 is Calvin Austin III, who totaled 188 yards for the Steelers in 2023. The team is also still waiting for rookie third-round pick Roman Wilson to make his preseason debut after he injured his ankle earlier in camp.
The Steelers have pursued San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk during the offseason, as the 2023 All-Pro is unhappy with his current contract and looking for a new long-term deal elsewhere. But with Russell Wilson on a one-year contract and no heir apparent for Pittsburgh at the quarterback position, it does not make sense for the franchise to invest so heavily in a pass-catcher when the team has another major offensive unknown.
Still, that should not preclude the Steelers from adding a more affordable wide receiver. Darius Slayton of the New York Giants has surpassed 700 receiving yards every year he has played at least 14 games. He skipped practices over the summer to leverage a new deal with New York — which he did not receive. With top-ten pick Malik Nabers in the squad plus 2023 third-round Jalin Hyatt poised for a breakout year, Slayton could find himself further down the Giants depth chart.
The Steelers have a glaring need for a consistent pass-catcher but are unlikely to invest in a pricey star like Brandon Aiyuk. Darius Slayton offers a solid, more affordable option who can immediately slot in as a number-two wideout and should be available in exchange for a late-round draft pick.
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