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The Pittsburgh Steelers have exceeded expectations in the early going of the 2024 NFL season, but with the NFL trade deadline approaching, the Steelers have one key area to address. Although the Black and Gold’s 3-2 record leads the AFC North, the Steelers’ pass-catching corps is in dire straights. As the trade deadline approaches, the Steelers must have their eyes trained on Davante Adams.
Justin Fields has been serviceable as the team's starting quarterback, but the Steelers must upgrade their downfield threats if they want to compete in shootouts against teams such as the Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens, San Francisco 49ers, and Dallas Cowboys down the stretch. It has been a bumpy road for George Pickens as the team's top-flight receiver, and bringing in Adams or another surefire star would certainly help.
The Steelers need to add a wide receiver
The Pittsburgh Steelers desperately need to improve their staple of pass catchers. They currently have George Pickens who is an elite physical talent but concerns have risen about his character and work ethic. Beyond Pickens, the team doesn't have much. Pat Freiermuth is a decent safety valve at tight end, but he hasn't really grown into the big play threat down the seams or in the red zone that the team envisioned when they drafted him.
Whether this is because of his talent level or the team's offensive philosophy and play calling holding him back, we don't quite know. What we do know, though, is they need another big-time player. As far as wide receivers go, there's very little beyond Pickens. Calvin Austin III is a nice deep threat but hasn't proven himself to be much more beyond that.
Roman Wilson could have upside but he's a rookie and we haven't even seen him play at the NFL level yet. Beyond those players, the team has a bunch of guys who are being incorrectly cast as second and third options rather than fourth or fifth options. This is setting them up to fail, and it isn't fair to the players, their teammates, or the fans. This is why the Steelers must prioritize adding a difference-maker at the wide receiver or tight end positions as this year's trade deadline approaches.
Davante Adams should be the Steelers’ primary trade target
Davante Adams should be the Steelers’ top target leading up to the deadline this year. The Steelers desperately need to add to their wide receiver room, and Adams offers the best combination of talent and cost-effectiveness. He certainly won't come cheap, but the Las Vegas Raiders have seemingly lost some leverage in trade negotiations due to Adams publicly asking out, and there might not be a ton of competition for a wide receiver on the wrong side of 30 anyway.
The Steelers are built to win this year while TJ Watt and Cam Hayward are still elite players, and Adams would fit that current timeline. The Raiders’ rumored asking price of a second-round pick is reasonable, and Steelers’ general manager Omar Khan should be willing to meet that request if necessary. He might ultimately be able to close this deal at a slightly lower price point, though, if the market for Adams is colder than expected and nobody else meets the Raiders’ demands.
Adams would cleanly fit in the Steelers’ locker room as their go-to receiver, and as a player with respect across the league, he could also serve as a mentor for the talented but mercurial Pickens.
Adams is a detailed and precise route runner who exploits any slight advantage he can find to get open with consistency. He also has strong hands to win at the catch point along with a lethal combination of body control and spatial awareness to routinely snag passes along the sidelines or at the back of the end zone.
Adams might not be as much of a burner as he was in his younger days, but he's still a shifty and physical player who can put a move on a defender or lower his shoulder and fall forward for a few extra yards. Either way, the former Packers star is capable of doing damage after the catch.
The main reason to be concerned about Pittsburgh's prospects of landing Adams is because he has been rumored to be interested in rejoining his former quarterback, who is now in New York.
The perfect Davante Adams trade:
Steelers acquire: Davante Adams
Raiders acquire: 2025 third and fourth-round draft picks, 2026 fourth-round pick
Garrett Wilson could be a surprise option, especially if Jets acquire Adams
If Adams goes to the New York Jets to team up with Rodgers once again, that could lead to the Jets trading one of their other receivers to make room for Rodgers’ favorite target and prevent discontent and frustration from spreading in the locker room. This leads us to our next deal, which would have been completely unrealistic a few months ago but could have a chance to happen if Adams joins the Jets.
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The Jets have a deep and talented receiving room that is currently led by former Ohio State star Garrett Wilson, a talented young receiver with plenty of room to grow who resembles a younger Adams in many ways. If Adams is traded to New York, it could lead Wilson to request a trade.
The former Buckeyes standout is a crisp route runner and an elite separator who uses sudden movements and acceleration to create just enough space where he can present an open target for his quarterback. Wilson is one of those receivers who seems to always be open and Rodgers knows to look for Wilson when a play breaks down.
The young star is adept at finding the first down marker or the end zone and making sure that he secures enough yardage to move the chains or punch the ball in for a touchdown. He’s a great hybrid between a big play threat such as DeSean Jackson or Tyreek Hill and a reliable possession receiver such as Anquan Boldin.
In many ways, Wilson is a bigger and more physical version of Diontae Johnson with slightly more reliable hands. This makes him an elite weapon for any team. Johnson is one of the best separators in the league, and Wilson isn't far behind in that aspect of the game. That being said, Wilson clearly exceeds the former Steelers star in several other critical categories.
As the primary target for the Jets over the past few seasons, Wilson has proven he can win with separation and he can also go up and high-point the ball on 50/50 plays. He's an excellent jump ball threat with elite speed and defenses must account for that.
It isn't enough to put a cornerback on an island against Wilson if you want to truly slow him down. The young star is able to consistently draw double teams, which will do wonders for the Steelers’ offense by opening up more space for their other pass catchers to thrive. Just like with Adams, Wilson's presence will take some of the pressure off of George Pickens and give the former Georgia Bulldogs star more room to work.
The perfect Garrett Wilson trade:
Steelers acquire: Garrett Wilson
Jets acquire: 2025 second, third and fifth-round picks, 2026 third and fourth-round picks, NYJ choice of Scotty Miller or Van Jefferson
One caveat to consider
The Steelers should be willing to include rookie Roman Wilson in trade talks if necessary, but if Wilson is dealt, the Steelers should fight harder to reduce the draft compensation they surrender in any deal. The Steelers should even offer additional draft picks in an attempt to keep Wilson out of trade discussions.
That's because he's the only young receiver on the team other than Pickens with a high ceiling, and the Steelers’ pass-catching room is already barren of talent. Pittsburgh's front office needs to be focused on bringing talent in rather than shipping out the few players with significant upside that they have.
In fact, if it comes down to it, the Steelers would be better off adding another third-rounder to their Jets offer or upgrading one of their picks in the Raiders package to a second-rounder if it means keeping Roman Wilson in the Black and Gold. The Jets will likely begin any negotiations around Garrett Wilson by asking for a first-round pick.
The Steelers should have a counteroffer ready, but if premium draft capital is what it takes to pry Wilson away from New York, the Steelers should at least consider that deal. The team's time to win is right now and a 2025 first-round pick won't help the Steelers this year, but Garrett Wilson certainly will.
