The Steelers’ options are running out. Since dealing Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers earlier this summer, they have a significant gap at wide receiver.
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Tyler Boyd, who Pittsburgh has previously shown interest in, signed with the Tennessee Titans on Tuesday.
Boyd joins the expanding list of playmakers who will find new homes immediately after the 2024 NFL Draft, leaving only a few possibilities for the Steelers.
1. Trade for Titans’ wide receiver Treylon Burks.
A trade remains Pittsburgh’s best option, and with Tennessee’s addition of Boyd to its wide receiver group, which also has Calvin Ridley and DeAndre Hopkins, Burks appears to be the odd one out.
The No. 18 overall pick in 2022 has underperformed in his first two seasons, with only 49 catches for 665 yards and one score.
Burks isn’t the flamboyant addition Steelers supporters may have hoped for, but he’d be an improvement over Van Jefferson.
Furthermore, Pittsburgh has recently shown interest in high-potential athletes who have not met expectations (see Justin Fields).
2. Trade for Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton.
This may be the Steelers’ most likely best-case scenario. General manager George Paton appeared to oppose the idea of trading Sutton before of the 2024 NFL draft.
“Sean [Payton] has talked with Courtland. “I’ve spoken with Courtland,” Paton told Gabriel Parker of the Denver Post. “He’s in a good place and we’ll just leave it at that.”
However, Denver has subsequently boosted its roster by selecting Troy Franklin of Oregon in the fourth round and Devaughn Vele of Utah in the seventh round.
The Broncos may now move on from Sutton since wide receivers Josh Reynolds, Marvin Mims Jr., and Tim Patrick are still on the roster.
There’s no questioning Sutton’s connection to quarterback Russell Wilson. The two played together in Denver for the past two years and demonstrated their bond by combining for 10 touchdowns in 2023. If Denver changes its mind, Pittsburgh should do everything it can to reunite them.
3. Nothing.
The Steelers appear to be in no hurry to add another playmaker, which could indicate that they will not do so at all. Last week, general manager Omar Khan shut down all trade rumors.
“There’s nothing going on right now,” Khan stated on “The Pat McAfee Show.” “I’m not exactly sure what the verbiage was, what was reported, but nothing to report.”
Khan may be keeping his cards close to his chest, but Pittsburgh has been the best club at drafting wide receivers outside the first round.
last is exactly what the Steelers did again last year, picking Michigan’s Roman Wilson in the third round (No. 84).
Wilson may prove to be the ideal complement to George Pickens, but the 5-foot-11, 185-pound wide receiver should spend much of his rookie season in the slot.
If Pittsburgh likes what it sees from Wilson during rookie minicamp and OTAs in the coming weeks, it may avoid signing another wide receiver entirely.
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