Steelers Expected to Be Active Buyers at Trade Deadline, Receiver Help Remains Top Priority
Pittsburgh, Pa. — With the NFL trade deadline set for Nov. 10 and the Steelers sitting at 4-2 atop the AFC North, general manager Omar Khan faces a familiar dilemma: stand pat with a flawed roster or aggressively address the team’s most glaring weakness. League insiders believe Khan will choose the latter.
According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Steelers have already been calling teams about wide receivers, and Steelers insider Mark Kaboly has received “strong indications” that Pittsburgh will be active in the trade market . The need is undeniable. Injuries to Roman Wilson and Michael Pittman Jr. have left Aaron Rodgers with DK Metcalf and Germie Bernard as his only reliable targets, a thin margin for error in a conference featuring Buffalo, Kansas City, and Baltimore .
The Receiver Market
Pelissero and ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler have identified seven receivers expected to be available before the deadline: Calvin Ridley (Tennessee), Kayshon Boutte (Houston), Jerry Jeudy (Cleveland), Rashod Bateman (Baltimore), Brian Thomas Jr. (Jacksonville), Quentin Johnston (Los Angeles Chargers), and Jauan Jennings (Minnesota) .
Of that group, Jennings has emerged as the most logical fit for Pittsburgh’s needs. The 6-foot-3 veteran signed with Minnesota this offseason but has been virtually invisible in a 5-0 Vikings offense, logging just two catches for nine yards on 201 offensive snaps . Jennings posted 975 yards and nine touchdowns with San Francisco in 2025, profile that aligns with what the Steelers lack: a physical possession receiver who excels on third downs and in the red zone . Pelissero, however, predicted Jennings would remain in Minnesota because “the team still believes Jennings can help it” .
Johnston represents a different gamble. The former first-round pick has been a disappointment, but the Chargers’ 0-5 start could make them sellers . Fowler reported that Johnston “has come up in a few of my recent conversations,” though his $18 million fifth-year option complicates any deal .
Jeudy, meanwhile, is buried in Cleveland’s youth movement and has drawn trade interest. The Browns are seeking an early third- or fourth-round pick, a price that may be too steep for a player with 81 receiving yards through six games . A trade within the AFC North also remains unlikely .
Beyond Receiver
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell proposed that Pittsburgh send a 2028 sixth-round pick to Las Vegas for safety Isaiah Pola-Mao and a 2028 seventh-round selection . Pola-Mao, the nephew of Steelers legend Troy Polamalu, has made 32 starts in five seasons and would provide depth behind Jaquan Brisker and DeShon Elliott .
USA Today’s Adam Bittner identified outside linebacker as another area to monitor, with Alex Highsmith the most likely of Pittsburgh’s edge trio to be moved. The Steelers have $88 million in combined 2027 cap hits tied up in Highsmith, T.J. Watt, and Nick Herbig, an unsustainable allocation for a team with other needs . Linebacker Patrick Queen, in the final year of his contract, could also be shopped .
The Rudolph Question
Backup quarterback Mason Rudolph drew trade speculation throughout the offseason, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Pittsburgh never received an offer worth accepting . With Rodgers, Will Howard, and Drew Allar on the roster, Rudolph remains expendable, but the market has yet to materialize .
Outlook
The Steelers have the cap space and the motivation to make a move. Rodgers’ final season demands urgency, and Khan has shown a willingness to be aggressive—his October trade of Joey Porter Jr. to Dallas signaled that no player is untouchable for the right price .
Expect Pittsburgh to add a receiver before Nov. 10. The most realistic outcome is a mid-to-late round pick for a veteran like Jennings or Johnston, a modest upgrade that gives Rodgers another trusted option without mortgaging the future. Whether that proves enough to push the Steelers past the AFC’s elite is another question entirely.
Leave a Reply