The Pittsburgh Steelers are leaving Dublin, Ireland with a 3-1 record after securing a 24-21 victory over the Minnesota Vikings. The victory looked impressive for over three quarters as the Steelers were dominating the game before letting the Vikings get the game close late. However, Steeler Nation still couldn't have a completely peaceful Sunday afternoon as the team suffered a couple injuries that might result in multi-week absences to key contributors.
Karl Roster / Pittsburgh Steelers
DK Metcalf carries the football against the Minnesota Vikings.
The Steelers lost both Jalen Ramsey to a hamstring injury and Calvin Austin to an upper body injury, and both injuries are expected to sideline them past the Steelers' bye in Week 5.
It would not be shocking that if Austin's injury is expected to result in him missing an extended period of time, possibly even an IR trip, that the Steelers would explore the trade market to replace him. It was already thought that the Steelers needed to do so anyways, as many around the league didn't have a ton of confidence in the Steelers' wide receiver core.
That trade market took a hit during Monday Night Football, as star wide receiver Tyreek Hill suffered a nasty leg injury that all but certainly will end his season.
Dolphins fear WR Tyreek Hill dislocated his knee, per source. Hill is an ambulance on the way to the hospital to confirm. pic.twitter.com/rWsQKdpqGs
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 30, 2025
Hill was already the center of a bunch of trade speculation due to the Miami Dolphins struggling out of the gate in the 2025 season, and Hill voicing his displeasure with his current situation at various points during his Dolphins tenure. The Steelers were linked as one of the top two options to acquire Hill's services as well, alongside the Kansas City Chiefs.
With Hill now done for the season, the Steelers' list of potential options to add to their wide receiver room is now looking a little shorter. Adding skill players on the offensive end are always a priority for teams with the hopes of contending, so the price will only increase from here.
It is unclear if the Steelers will actually be looking to add someone to their wide receiver room regardless of the expected duration of Austin's injury, as they did have high hopes for second year wide receiver Roman Wilson coming into the 2025 season. Wilson has yet to make an impact this year, but it is very likely that during the bye week, his role within the offense will grow.
Steelers.com
Steelers wide receiver Roman Wilson lines up and prepares to run a drill as the team practices during 2024 Organized Team Activities at the UPMC Sports Complex in Pittsburgh, PA.
Should Wilson struggle to produce and Austin's injury be significant enough to miss time late into the season, the Steelers hand will likely be forced to explore making a move.
Luckily for the Steelers, they should be better equipped to handle the loss of Ramsey for a couple weeks. Joey Porter Jr. missed some time with injury, but coming out of the bye week, he is expected to return to the lineup. That addition couldn't come at a better time if Ramsey were in fact to miss game time.
Regardless of how significant the injuries to Austin and Ramsey turn out to be, it shouldn't surprise anyone if Omar Khan is active during the trade deadline. It is clear from the offseason that Khan is willing to make bold moves to compete and make a playoff run this year, so adding another piece at the deadline is very likely on the table.
Steelers Should Need To Take Advantage Of Underutilized Playmakers
Through the first four weeks, it has been clear that the Steelers are going to continue to deploy multiple tight ends and in various ways. However, just getting them on the field doesn't mean they will be contributors to the offense. Both Pat Freiermuth and Jonnu Smith were expected to have roles this season that make the Steelers' offense a versatile attack. However, they appeared to be basically benched against the Vikings in Dublin.
Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (X: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Steelers tight ends Jonnu Smith (81) and Pat Freiermuth (88) during 2025 training camp in Latrobe, PA.
If Austin misses significant time and the offense doesn't have faith in the other wide receivers to step up, utilizing both Freiermuth and Smith in ways that most would have expected them to coming into the season could go a long way in filling that void. However, Freiermuth is currently on pace to set career lows across the board in receiving and Smith's stat line will be lucky to hit half of his in 2024.
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