Steelers could offer homecoming in Pittsburgh with new name floating around trade rumors

The 2024 NFL trade deadline will soon pass, and fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers will breathe a sigh of relief. No one is quite sure if general manager Omar Khan has plans to reinforce the wide receiving corps, but the rumors and speculation have gone on for far too long. After trading Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers early in the offseason, the team has been linked to almost every potential available wideout possible. This will continue on until the clock strikes 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday. Now, a new, but familiar player has come to the surface, and it will be interesting to see if Khan pursues him.

If the Steelers do make a move, it has become more likely with each passing day that it's not too much of a splash. Guys like Davante Adams and DeAndre Hopkins are no longer available, so the fan base could be stuck with a new wide receiver to root for, but he might not be the type to light up the stat sheet. This is why a former University of Pittsburgh product could make sense.

In a recent article for The Athletic, Steelers contributor Mike DeFabo brought up a name that many in the Steel City are familiar with. It's possible that a struggling team like the Tennessee Titans could trade another pass-catcher.

"Titans’ Tyler Boyd (a University of Pittsburgh product)," DeFabo wrote. "The Steelers must decide how badly they need an upgrade and what they’re willing to pay."

In terms of being inexpensive, Tyler Boyd would fit that description. He is 29 and playing on a one-year deal that could be worth up to $4.5 million. Pittsburgh was rumored as a potential landing spot for him in free agency, and now it may only take a sixth- or seventh-round pick to land the veteran. DeFabo threw out some other names like Mike Williams and Jakobi Meyers, but the Steelers have some familiarity with Boyd that may be seen as attractive by the front office.

The Titans are 1-6 and have virtually no chance of making any kind of run. The Steelers could be far from impressed with Boyd's season to this point, as he only has hauled in 21 catches for 184 yards without scoring a touchdown. With that said, he would currently rank third in Pittsburgh's wideout room in terms of receiving yards.

His best game of the year came in Week 7 when he caught five passes for 43 yards with Mason Rudolph playing quarterback. Tennessee's offense has been abysmal in 2024 and that is a very big reason why Boyd's production hasn't been what fans may have expected. He could have a chance to thrive in a situation like the one in Pittsburgh. A veteran quarterback is leading the way, the team is sitting at 6-2, and the rushing attack has opened up the play-action passing game.

While Boyd isn't the sexiest name and fans will likely acknowledge that a borderline WR3 won't help, he is a veteran who recently played in the Super Bowl with the Cincinnati Bengals. He would come at an extremely cheap price and provide the offense with another experienced weapon. Another benefit of potentially trading for Boyd is the fact that he is all too familiar with the type of football that goes on in the AFC North. This could surely make Khan inquire.

Steelers' trading for Boyd could help with tough backend to 2024 schedule

Having played for the Bengals and in the AFC North for eight seasons, Boyd might be the perfect complement to what Pittsburgh already has going on. The team will play all six divisional games in the final eight weeks of the year, which could lead Khan to desire bringing in a player with experience. The franchise could have gone after Boyd in the offseason, but held off; now, it could be time to make a call to the Titans to bolster the wide receiving corps.