Fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers may no longer want to trade for a wide receiver, but it won't stop General Manager Omar Khan from seeing what kind of deal he can make. As of now, the rumors seem to be primarily swirling around Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Jakobi Meyers. However, it sounds like Las Vegas is trying to play hardball and may not even be that interested in shipping him out of town without a third-round pick coming back.
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Steelers General Manager Omar Khan holds up a phone to his ear as he stands in the team's War Room during the 2025 NFL Draft.
If that is the case, then the Steelers need a Plan B. NFL insider Jeremy Fowler believes that they will turn to an NFC team to try and strike a deal for a wideout there if they can't get a reasonable deal with the Raiders for Meyers.
"Will [the Steelers] settle for a moderate move such as last year's acquisition of Mike Williams? Or will they locate more of a difference-maker and pay the necessary draft capital to secure the talent?" Fowler asked. "If a deal for Meyers falls through, perhaps the Steelers lean on the Saints for, say, Rashid Shaheed, a speed option who would be costly, but not outrageously so."
With how rough the New Orleans Saints have looked, as well as the fact that Rashid Shaheed will be a free agent at season's end, he is a popular name floating around the trade market. The 27-year-old speedster is on pace to have his best NFL season so far, even with the questionable quarterback play he has had down in Louisiana in 2025.
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Saints' Rashid Shaheed runs back a punt during a home game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Shaheed's name was floated around when Calvin Austin III was injured for the Steelers, as they have similar skill sets. Now that Austin is back on the field, those rumors have subsided a bit, but they have not gone completely away just yet. Bringing in another receiver that can take the top off a defense could make it harder for opposing coordinators to gameplan for this offense.
The biggest question for the Steelers here would be how often Shaheed would get utilized. Pittsburgh loves running multiple tight end sets, so it would be tough to get him on the field with Austin and DK Metcalf on a regular basis. As Fowler said, a trade to bring in the fourth-year wideout would not exactly be cheap either, so the team would have to make some adjustments to get him on the field.
It would make more sense to give the Saints a third-round pick for Shaheed than it would to give the Raiders the same compensation to bring in Meyers. The latter is about to turn 29 years old, and he is having a down year, especially compared to his 2024 campaign where he broke the 1,000-yard mark for the first time. The former is younger, faster, and is trending upwards in terms of production.
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Saints wide receiver Rashid Shaheed runs with the football as he attempts to break away during a kick return as New Orleans takes on the Steelers in Pittsburgh, PA.
The Steelers do have a couple of third-round picks to play with, and they are expected to get at least one more back via compensatory pick from the 2025 free agency period. Of course, Fowler never specified it had to be that specific pick to get Shaheed. Khan could negotiate it down to a fourth-rounder as well.
Steelers May Have Their Own Breakout Speedy Receiver
Instead of trading for Shaheed, the Steelers could continue to see how second-year receiver Roman Wilson develops. He has finally gotten some usage in the offense and even caught his first career touchdown pass in Week 8. As he grows more comfortable in Pittsburgh, the need for another wideout diminishes. He could even be a full-time starter in 2026.
What do you think about the Steelers possibly trading for Shaheed? Let us know in the comments or on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.
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