Somewhat under the radar, wide receiver seems to be a need once again for the Pittsburgh Steelers. There's no such thing as having too many good wideouts. Between now and the start of the 2023 season, Pittsburgh will seemingly add at least one (if not two) WR's to the roster. The market is wearing thin of capable veterans, as the likes of Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry remain out there.
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Veteran wideout Odell Beckham Jr. remains a free agent ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft.
In a few weeks, the 2023 NFL Draft will provide another opportunity at adding another playmaker. With more prevalent needs at other positions, it's likely that the front office waits until the middle rounds. They have essentially shown zero interest in the top wideouts, while scanning the field a little bit for the guys in that next tier. Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report has an interesting suggestion, as he thinks the black and gold should trade for Miami Dolphins wideout Cedrick Wilson Jr.
In the proposed trade, the Steelers would give up a seventh-rounder (No. 234 overall) this year, as well as a 2024 sixth-rounder.
"Pittsburgh could use a reliable third option in the lineup. Bringing in a slot specialist like Cedrick Wilson Jr. could be a tremendous move for the Steelers and the development of quarterback Kenny Pickett. According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, the Dolphins are open to moving Wilson this offseason. If the Dolphins are eager to find cap relief, the asking price could be incredibly low. The Steelers have $10.9 million in cap space available, and in this scenario, they surrender just a pair of late Day 3 selections to take on Wilson's contract."
If the name sounds familiar, it's because it is. Cedrick's father won Super Bowl XL with the Steelers back in 2005, as he spent the last three years of his career in Pittsburgh. In his tenure there, he racked up 81 catches for 1,162 yards and two touchdowns. Now getting back to his son, Wilson signed with the Dolphins last offseason on a three-year, $22 million deal after spending the first three years of his career with the Dallas Cowboys.
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Steelers wide receivers Diontae Johnson and George Pickens will be tasked to produce as the big dogs in the offense next year.
He enjoyed a career year in 2021, when he caught 45 passes for 602 yards and six touchdowns. Unfortunately, his first season in Miami didn't exactly go well. Across 16 games, Wilson saw just 18 total targets and played just 237 offensive snaps overall. That leaves him as a possible cap casualty or trade candidate as Knox suggests in this scenario.
Would Wilson start in the slot for Steelers?
The Steelers need some more pure talent at the wideout spot, but they also need a veteran presence. Over the years, guys like Jerricho Cotchery and Darrius Heyward-Bey filled those roles admirably. It's been a few seasons since they've had presence like that, as Diontae Johnson stands as the "veteran" of the room at this point. He's played just four seasons in the NFL and isn't much of an outspoken leader.
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Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver, Diontae Johnson works on catching during 2022 training camp.
This wasn't the only trade that involved the black and gold in Knox's article. He had the Steelers trading down in the 2023 NFL Draft with the Jacksonville Jaguars, who possess the 24th overall pick. In the proposed trade, the Steelers get back the 24th pick, an additional third-rounder (No. 88 overall) this year, and a 2024 second-rounder. While they have a plethora of early-round picks, Pittsburgh could stock up on even more picks and load up for the future.
What are your thoughts on these trade ideas? Could Wilson be a realistic, temporary option at WR for the Steelers? Who do you want them to target to add to the playmakers? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!
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