The Pittsburgh Steelers are in dire need of more dynamic wide receivers on the offensive side of the ball. A lot has been talked about when contemplating who will end up being number two, but that job comes with more than just potentially getting the second-most targets. That individual also has to step up if George Pickens were to end up getting injured. After an alleged altercation with his new wide receivers coach on day one of training camp, it seems apparent that Pickens is already causing drama and it's happening way too early to begin the 2024 campaign.
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Steelers wide receiver George Pickens lines up during a 2022 regular season game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA.
Rumors have flown around throughout the offseason regarding the potential big-name wideout that General Manager Omar Khan might target in a trade. The overwhelmingly popular name has been Brandon Aiyuk. Others such as DK Metcalf have been brought up, but a relatively new name was heavily thrown into the mix on Friday morning in a shocking report.
Chris Halicke of DK Pittsburgh Sports is reporting via a team source that Pittsburgh is convinced that a trade for a top pass-catcher is going to happen, and Aiyuk and Metcalf are on the wishlist, but there's a third possibly in the mix as well.
"Khan has long been in discussions with other teams about receivers that could be traded. And, according to a team source, the Steelers are ‘convinced’ they are going to land Aiyuk, DK Metcalf or Tyreek Hill in a trade at some point," Halicke wrote.
Halicke continued to touch on the subject and there is a main reason why nothing has occurred yet, and it's what any fan of the Steelers could guess based on Khan's tendency to wait and see.
"The only thing that's getting in the way of any of these trades actually happening is, unsurprisingly, the asking price. Khan is very patient. He's more than willing to wait out another team to get the deal that best fits the Steelers, not acquiesce to the demands laid out by anyone fielding calls about trades."
Regardless, this is a new report coming from what Halicke is recognizing as a team source. Pittsburgh desperately needs another weapon on offense and Khan simply could always have been waiting for the right time to strike. Tyreek Hill recently said that he told his agent not to get him traded, so it seems a bit farfetched that he would be in the mix, but you never know.
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Steelers General Manager Omar Khan (left) and Head Coach Mike Tomlin (right) sit in the franchise's draft room as they anxiously watch the board in 2023.
No one really knows what's going on in Khan's head when it comes to these potential talks. He has always said that the team is always looking to get better and he frequently talks to all other 31 general managers throughout the league. He has typically been very broad in his wordage, which hasn't given the Steelers' fan base any kind of idea about what is going in behind the scenes.
Odds would say that one of the three teams associated with the aforementioned players could panic and cave to agree to what Khan is willing to give up, but time will tell on that side of things. Aiyuk remains as the most likely candidate based on how the San Francisco 49ers are set up for the future, but the Miami Dolphins still haven't agreed to terms on a deal with Tua Tagovailoa just as the 49ers haven't with Brock Purdy.
The NFL is a business and if any team wants a long-term answer at quarterback, it is going to have to pay the price. Both the 49ers and Dolphins are feeling the effects now, but Aiyuk's situation seems more like an issue based on his request for a trade. On the other side, Hill has come out in public and said that he wants to remain in Miami.
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Former Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Patrick Peterson allows a touchdown to Brandon Aiyuk of the San Francisco 49ers in Week 1 of 2023 during a contest at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA.
Steelers Could Be A Wide Receiver Away From Legitimate Offensive Explosion
No one is sure what Pittsburgh will get from the quarterbacks in 2024, but the new offense under Arthur Smith has two powerful running backs, a talented tight end, and it might just be missing one more weapon in the passing game to become incredibly efficient. It shouldn't shock anyone if Khan ends up making a big deal for a wide receiver.
Do you think the Steelers are targeting Aiyuk, Metcalf or Hill? Let us know in the comments below!
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