ESPN Insider: Steelers Won't "Jeopardize" What They Have To Make Trade

The Pittsburgh Steelers have appeared to be in the market for another capable wide receiver for a while now. They seem to have one of the least talented groups at that position in the NFL, and the injury to starting wideout Calvin Austin III has not helped. Even though he is coming back soon, there is always the idea that there may be a better option out there, just waiting to get a call from his agent saying that he's been shipped off to Pittsburgh in exchange for some type of draft compensation. 

Despite that, there seems to be some hesitation from the Steelers on that front. NFL insider Jeremy Fowler explained the holdup for why the front office may not want to bring in a new piece into this equation.

"Pittsburgh doesn't want to jeopardize what it has going at the cost of making a splashy receiver trade," Fowler said. "The combination of DK Metcalf, a great trio at tight end (Pat Freiermuth, Jonnu Smith, Darnell Washington) and a steady running game is working right now."

What's surprising is the fact that multiple tight end sets have been working for Pittsburgh. Having one high-end wideout and another solid role-player has been perfectly fine, especially with the emergence of Darnell Washington. Pittsburgh is playing a very Pittsburgh brand of football offensively, and it's been consistently working. 

Fowler continued on to talk about another problem with trading for a wide receiver at this point.

"Las Vegas' Jakobi Meyers is an ideal fit because he's adaptable. He can be a reliable No. 2 or a high-volume target if needed. But the Raiders are one of the teams giving mixed signals on whether they would actually execute a deal, which complicates the market. They aren't the only ones," Fowler explained.

What's the point in spending days, weeks, and maybe more negotiating with a team that may or may not be willing to trade players away. Sure, Jakobi Meyers is an intriguing piece that fits what the Steelers are trying to do, but if he's not truly available, then it would take an overpayment for the Las Vegas Raiders to even consider letting him go. It's just not worth it. 

Besides, as Fowler mentioned before, the Steelers don't really need Meyers. They have an offensive gameplan that is working well with the options that they have. The veteran would just be battling with Austin for starter snaps while taking reps away from Roman Wilson, who seems to finally be getting in a groove. Don't rock the boat at this point. The offense is fine where it is. 

That doesn't just go for Meyers. That logic can be applied with any other receiver on the trade market that's not an outright gamechanger. There's no need to bring in someone like Calvin Ridley when he may or may not be the second-best receiver on the Steelers. Maybe Jaylen Waddle is enough of an X-factor to warrant a trade, but that's up for the front office to decide. 

Steelers Have Big Decision To Make For Future

Obviously, the multi-tight end strategy that limits the wide receiver core has been working well. The question here is if they want to continue with that mindset for 2026. If not, maybe it would make more sense to acquire someone like Waddle. The Steelers could be frustratingly quiet on this front in the offseason as well.

Pittsburgh could re-sign Austin or let him walk and give Wilson a chance to shine as a starter. Meanwhile, they could keep rotating with 12 and 13 personnel to keep bullying opponents at the line of scrimmage. It's a risky strategy in a passing league, but if no one can stop it, giving it another try can't hurt.

What do you think about the Steelers not trading for a receiver like Meyers? Let us know in the comments or on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.

#SteelerNation