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REPORT: Steelers Were Close To Acquiring Jaylen Waddle

Originally posted on Dolphins Talk | By Mike Oliva | Last updated Nov 8, 2025 9:34 AM ET

REPORT: Steelers Were Close To Acquiring Jaylen Waddle

Steelers insider Mark Kaboly is reporting that Pittsburgh was close to acquiring Dolphins superstar wide receiver Jaylen Waddle on Tuesday at the trade deadline.

He reports Pittsburgh offered multiple draft picks, but the belief is that the Dolphins’ interim general manager, Champ Kelly, got cold feet.

Trading away arguably the team’s best players or one of the team’s best players is a bold move for any general manager, let alone an interim GM who had only been on the job for a few days.

The backlash he would have received may have hurt his chances to get the job full-time moving forward, which is why he probably didn’t go through with potentially making this trade.

You have to wonder if Miami had not made a change at general manager, would Chris Grier have made a big move like this?

Reports leading up to the trade deadline from various NFL insiders stated Miami wanted at least a first-round pick in return for Waddle and something else. Pittsburgh this past offseason was able to acquire WR D.K. Metcalf for just a second-round pick, so would they have given up more compensation for Waddle?

We may never know.

Rumor: @MarkKaboly says the Steelers believed they were close to acquiring Dolphins WR Jaylen Waddle on deadline day. They offered multiple draft picks. And the interim GM might have gotten cold feet. @937thefan pic.twitter.com/GVuWAyE9jn

— Andrew Fillipponi (@ThePoniExpress) November 7, 2025

This season, Waddle has 41 receptions for 586 yards and four touchdowns.

He has stepped up into a larger role since Tyreek Hill went down to a season-ending injury.

Waddle’s production has also been hindered by lackluster quarterback play over the past two seasons, which highlights his value. If he were ever able to be on a roster with an above-average to top quarterback, his production would certainly improve.

The Steelers’ acquisition of Waddle would have given them a nice one-two punch with Metcalf and Waddle for the stretch run of this season and for many years to come.

For Miami, a team that is entering another rebuild, the draft capital would have been very helpful as they look to reshape this team in the vision of a new general manager and, most likely, a new head coach.

It will be fascinating to see when Miami hires a new general manager in January or February, if that person revisits trading Waddle, then before the 2026 NFL Draft to acquire more draft capital at that time.

This article first appeared on Dolphins Talk and was syndicated with permission.

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