The Pittsburgh Steelers are gearing up for the 2025 offseason, another that will require a deep search for a potential threat at wide receiver. If the Steelers want to have any hopes of having a successful season on the offensive side of the ball in 2025, Pittsburgh will need to attack the wide out market through both free agency and the draft. George Pickens' future with the organization also remains uncertain after a 2024 season full of distractions, which could point to multiple additions to the receiving group.
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The Pittsburgh Steelers celebrate after Van Jefferson catches a touchdown pass from Russell Wilson in Acrisure Stadium in 2024.
Luckily for Omar Khan and the Steelers, the upcoming draft class will feature a plethora of stud receivers that could garner interest from Pittsburgh. Along with receiver, cornerback and defensive line are in all likelihood the franchise's top priorities heading into the draft.
The Steelers will have to decide which position to attack in the first round, where they currently hold the twenty-first overall pick. If the black and gold aim for a solid receiver to potentially become the team's number two or three option, Matthew Golden could be an interesting option.
Golden spent his first two seasons of college ball with the University of Houston, but transferred to Texas for the 2024 season. Golden had his best season by far as a Longhorn, as he caught 58 catches for nearly 1,000 yards and nine touchdowns. Golden led the team in yards and scores as the team's biggest deep threat. Daniel Jeremiah recently revealed his mock draft, and he has the Steelers selecting Golden with their first round pick.
"I don’t think the Steelers could go wrong drafting Golden or Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka here," Jeremiah wrote. "They go with Golden in this case, but they are both professional route runners with outstanding hands and toughness."
Golden doesn't bring a ton of size to the table at just 6'0" and 195 pounds, but he's also been an explosive returner on special teams. Golden entered college as a four-star recruit before committing to Houston.
Texas Athletics
The Pittsburgh Steelers will look to draft an exciting wide receiver like Matthew Bolden from Texas in the 2025 NFL Draft.
The last notable Texas receiver to be drafted is Xavier Worthy, another speedster who has become one of Patrick Mahomes' top targets. With Pittsburgh seemingly lacking speed on offense, an addition like Golden would immediately become a problem for opposing defenses as a deep threat.
As Jeremiah mentioned, another big target at receiver could be Ohio State's Emeka Egbuka, who is also projected to land in the first round. Both Golden and Egbuka are special talents and would be huge additions to a Steelers receiving group that doesn't have a bunch of splash.
Steelers Need To Attack WR In Free Agency On Top Of Drafting Receiver Early
Not only is drafting a receiver imperative, the Steelers also need to go out and sign a wide receiver that's set to become a free agent in 2025. Chris Godwin, Tee Higgins, and Stefon Diggs are some of the top play-makers that will be looking for a new contract this offseason, but it would be a costly move for Pittsburgh.
Each of those receivers will likely be looking for roughly 20 million dollars per year, based on previous contracts. Even if the Steelers don't want to spend big in free agency, cheaper options will still be available.
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Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin (left) smiles in the distance as long-time front office member Omar Khan watches a team practice.
The Steelers have another crucial offseason ahead of them, and it starts with finding talent at wide out. If guys like Golden or Egbuka remain available by the time Pittsburgh is on the clock in the 2025 NFL Draft, then the Steelers absolutely need to go all in on them.
A first or second round receiver plus a stud signing through the market would give the Steelers a nice push offensively that they've been looking for the past few seasons. What do you think about Golden? Should the Steelers be interested in him and his deep threat capabilities? Let us know in the comments below.
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