The Pittsburgh Steelers have a lot of uncertainties in the wide receiver room behind George Pickens. Pickens was the clear number one in 2023 where he finished the season with 63 receptions for 1,140 yards and 5 touchdowns. Outside of Pickens, Calvin Austin III is the only other wide receiver on the roster to catch a pass with the Steelers in 2023. The Steelers traded away Diontae Johnson and released veteran Allen Robinson II, who were the second and third leading wide receivers in 2023, combining for 85 receptions, 997 yards and 5 touchdowns.
Steelers General Manager Omar Khan recently signed wide receivers Van Jefferson and Quez Watkins, but neither of their 2023 stat lines show that they can fill the void at WR2. There's no doubt that the Steelers passing attack will look completely different in 2024 with new offensive coordinator, Arthur Smith, and a completely revamped quarterback room that now consists of Russell Wilson, Justin Fields and Kyle Allen. Whether the new look offense will be better than last year's Steelers offense is a mystery, but a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders for wide receiver help is a step in the right direction.
In 2023, the Raiders dealt with inconsistent play at quarterback and fired Head Coach Josh McDaniels midseason. The Raiders went on to finish the season 8-9 and 27th in total offensive yards. This offseason, the team released quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, signed quarterback Gardner Minshew, and let running back Josh Jacobs walk in free agency. Losing a former All-Pro running back and staying the same at wide receiver isn't exactly a recipe for improvement in offensive production. The Raiders have two very good veteran wide receivers in Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers that could potentially be dealt for the right price.
Adams had 103 receptions, 1,144 yards and 8 touchdowns last season and Meyers had 71 receptions, 804 yards and 8 touchdowns. While Adams is the bigger name and better player, he'll be turning 32 next season and carries the 5th highest cap hit of any WR in 2024 at $25.35 million. Meyers is entering his age 28 season and will carry a cap hit just south of $10 million. It makes way more sense for the Steelers to make a deal for Meyers, and it would require a smaller trade package to acquire him as opposed to Adams.
The Steelers are confident in Pickens, so there isn't a huge need to go out and pay a king's ransom in a trade for another wide receiver. A trade for Meyers gives the Steelers a lot of relief. Not only would they get a very solid and much needed WR2, but they would likely be able to to hold onto picks 20 and 51 and either keep their focus on improving the offensive line, or have more freedom to go best available with their top selections in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Steelers fans have seen firsthand what Meyers is capable of. In his last two games v.s. the Steelers, Meyers had 16 receptions for 180 yards. He's under contract through 2025 and is a very savvy route runner, something the Steelers have relied on Johnson for in past years. Meyers has shown impressive consistency after dealing with inconsistent quarterback play and producing nearly identical stats in his last season with the New England Patriots v.s. his first season with the Raiders. He will be able to transition into the Steelers offense just fine if Khan can land him.
Steelers' Russell Wilson Will Benefit More Than Anyone With A Meyers Acquisition
Giving Wilson a proven veteran weapon like Meyers and allowing Khan to have more freedom in the 2024 NFL Draft, makes Meyers to the Steelers sound like a match made in heaven. If Khan can work his magic and get him at the right price, there might not be a better option for the Steelers to improve the wide receiver room this offseason.
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