Insider Implores Steelers To Bring Home AFC North Rival In 2024 Free Agency

The Pittsburgh Steelers aren't thinking about the 2024 offseason just yet. A win in Week 18 paired with a Jacksonville Jaguars loss to the Tennessee Titans snuck Mike Tomlin's team into the postseason. Nothing will be easy going forward and it's very possible the team goes one-and-done given a tough matchup on the road against the Buffalo Bills. Whenever a potential postseason run, or lack there of, comes to an end, General Manager Omar Khan and the front office will get right to work on putting a plan together for the new league year that begins in March.

The Steelers will have plenty of needs all over roster. The positions that could be focuses include the offensive and defensive lines, cornerback, wide receiver, safety and linebacker. That's without mentioning a quarterback situation that is far from resolved following the benching of Kenny Pickett and emergence of third-stringer, Mason Rudolph.

The majority of talk surrounding the offseason has died down ever since Pittsburgh secured the seventh seed in the AFC playoffs, but that isn't going to stop fans from wondering about what kinds of changes could be coming to the organization. Respected Steelers' insider Mark Kaboly held a mailbag recently to answer questions from the fan base.

A contributor asked Kaboly about five specific things that the team can do once they close the page on the 2023 season. Some of his answers were expected, but he threw out an idea that will make a lot of the city intrigued. He wants Khan and co. to go out and bring in a veteran slot receiver who already has ties to the city of Pittsburgh.

"Sign Bengals wideout Tyler Boyd in free agency," Kaboly wrote.

This would be an exciting addition to the receiving room if the Steelers followed through. Boyd has played all eight seasons of his career with the Cincinnati Bengals after being taken in the second round back in 2016.

Boyd attended the University of Pittsburgh and will be an unrestricted free agent come March. The likelihood of him being re-signed is slim given the fact that the Bengals may not even have the cap space to bring back Tee Higgins. Teams in the AFC North have often gone after players in free agency that recently played for a division rival and this would be no different.

Some fans of the Steelers may have their reservations about signing Boyd. He hasn't exactly been friendly towards the organization despite his college being around the corner. In December, he called out the team for having a lack of camaraderie ahead of their Week 16 matchup. There was plenty of drama surrounding George Pickens at the time, and it might not be the smartest thing to bring him into the same positional room as Pickens and Diontae Johnson. 

With that said, Allen Robinson II isn't expected to be back unless he takes a significant pay cut. Calvin Austin III has not been a threat in the passing game and Pittsburgh may need a proven slot receiver in 2024. Boyd would fit that description. He also would bring a veteran presence to the room that the unit would end up losing if Robinson did not return.

Steelers Expected To Have Another Busy Offseason

Khan was extremely active in his first full offseason as the team's general manager. With all the expected needs on the roster, it shouldn't surprise fans if he is aggressive once again in 2024. He had a home run of a draft, but free agency comes first. That gives fans a better idea of where the Steelers may go in the draft. Signing a veteran receiver like Boyd could calm down the talk of taking a pass catcher rather early.

Do you think Boyd would be a good fit in Pittsburgh? Let us know in the comments below!

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