Steelers Could Soon Trade For Explosive Wide Receiver

The Pittsburgh Steelers are now focusing on their roster ahead of the 2026 season with the new coaching staff rounded out under Mike McCarthy. The Steelers have been through a busy offseason already, and that is only going to continue when NFL free agency opens up in March with the NFL Draft in Pittsburgh right after that in April. General Manager Omar Khan and company have their work cut out for them, as they look to lift the Steelers out of high-end mediocrity. The Steelers' fan base is loyal and that has not changed, but they are also starving for a playoff win.

One position of need that can help the Steelers re-discover playoff success is wide receiver. The second and third wide receiver spots on the 2025 roster were a glaring issue, as DK Metcalf struggled to be his explosive self in his first year in Pittsburgh. The Steelers are already believed to be looking to address this, especially considering how their offense struggled at times in 2025. Conor Orr of Sports Illustrated recently wrote that one wide receiver may soon be available via trade.

"While it would not seem likely given that Travis Hunter is, indeed, not changing football forever and will be relegated mostly to defense in 2026, Liam Coen needs wide receivers suited specifically for his system," Orr wrote. "Trevor Lawrence preferred Parker Washington in gotta-have-it situations a year ago and his specificity may lead him to exploring options that make up for the draft capital Jacksonville lost on the Hunter deal."

Brian Thomas Jr. would be a great running mate with Metcalf for the Steelers in 2026. Thomas is planning to enter his third NFL season in 2026 and is coming off of a sophomore slump. However, Thomas still had 48 receptions for 707 yards and two touchdowns in 2025. Those 707 yards would have been second-best amongst all Steelers wide receivers in 2025. 

While the lack of serious production in 2025 was underwhelming from Thomas, his rookie season in 2024 put his name on the map in the NFL. He had 87 receptions for 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns in his rookie year with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Thomas would be an excellent partner-in-crime with Metcalf, as he has the ability to play at wide receiver one level in the NFL. This would open up the opportunity for a much more productive offense in Pittsburgh in 2026.

Steelers Have To Modernize Offense In 2026

The Pittsburgh Steelers offense looked stale and outdated at many different times during the 2025 season. In their Week 13 contest against the Buffalo Bills, they only managed to muster up seven points on the scoreboard. 

The Steelers did take a lead to halftime of that game, but with offense struggling to move the ball in the second half, the Steelers defense wore out quickly and they ultimately ended up losing 26-7. This was not the only poor showing offensively, as the Steelers also failed to reach the endzone in their first-round playoff loss against the Houston Texans, falling by a score of 30-6.

This is an alarming trend and something fans have become accustomed to out of the Steelers in recent years. With the Steelers not looking to commit to a long-term rebuild, they must look to modernize their offense for McCarthy's inaugural season in Pittsburgh. It is an offense that is outdated and needs more explosiveness if the Steelers want to truly make this relationship with McCarthy successful.

While Metcalf's first year with the Steelers was underwhelming, he is still a very talented NFL wide receiver. Metcalf has surpassed 1,000 yards receiving in three of his seven NFL seasons, while also coming up just short of that mark with 992 in the 2024 season. 

Thomas would be a great addition to the Steelers wide receiver room with his explosive ability on the field. Pairing Thomas up with Metcalf in Pittsburgh would help them both out, as defenses would not be able to just hone in on Metcalf when lining up against the Steelers offense.