The Pittsburgh Steelers should have an offensive-minded approach to the 2026 offseason. The franchise needs to upgrade its weapons on that side of the ball while simultaneously looking for the future answer at quarterback. It is a tough spot to be in in today's NFL, as it is nearly impossible to be a legitimate competitor without a franchise quarterback and a few high-end weapons. It has been thought for weeks that the Steelers will go after the wide receiver position fairly aggressively in free agency and through the 2026 NFL Draft, which the organization's first-round pick likely being a receiver. The Steelers will still likely add at wide receiver, but expect the franchise to be active in the trade market.
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Steelers' wide receiver DK Metcalf catches the football during a joint practice against Tampa Bay.
General Manager Omar Khan traded for wide receiver DK Metcalf during the 2025 offseason, and a name to watch in 2026 is Jaylen Waddle of the Miami Dolphins. Pittsburgh had interest in Waddle at the trade deadline in the middle of the 2025 season, and the organization is expected to pursue him as a potential addition once again. A trade like this could shake up Pittsburgh's draft strategy because it would lessen the need at wide receiver, and the franchise could decide until later in the event to address the position group.
Beat writer Mark Kaboly spoke about this during an appearance on 93.7 The Fan on Monday morning when he was asked if Pittsburgh would still draft a wide receiver in the first round after a potential trade for Waddle.
"Yeah, I don't know about first round," Kaboly said. "Don't you look at guard at that point, the Penn State guy. You can look at a tackle, I really like defensive line. Get one of those defensive end guys, the 300 pounders. The kid out of Florida, something like that I would be interested in. I wouldn't totally wipe off offensive and defensive line."
Waddle being added to the roster in Pittsburgh before the 2026 NFL Draft would be huge, and it would also free up the franchise to pick a different position on Day 1 of the event. Kaboly seems to lean in the direction of the organization continuing to build within the trenches, which would not be a bad idea, especially if that pick comes on the defensive side of the ball.
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Miami's star wide receiver Jaylen Waddle celebrates with his teammates after a big time touchdown during a road game.
Pittsburgh has needed some upgrades and youth on the defensive line for years, while the organization will also have a hole at left guard, assuming the franchise lets Isaac Seumalo walk in free agency. Olaivavega Ioane out of Penn State is a name to watch for that spot, especially if the Steelers do not have to grab a receiver in the first round. He is Daniel Jeremiah's 11th ranked prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft, and being able to snag him would be huge for the offensive line.
The Steelers can also choose to add to the defensive line. Peter Woods and Caleb Banks would both be intriguing names at the 21st overall pick, and the Steelers could potentially even trade back and still land one of those names. This would continue to upgrade the defensive line while injecting youth into the unit, which is what the organization did in 2025 by selecting Derrick Harmon and Yahya Black. Pittsburgh has addressed the trenches in the first round of the last three drafts, and that trend could continue in 2026.
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Steelers General Manager Omar Khan meets with fans during the team's 2025 training camp in Latrobe, PA.
Steelers Would Need To Rip Up Jaylen Waddle's Current Deal
A trade for Waddle would be welcomed in Pittsburgh. Miami is clearly entering some sort of weird, rebuilding phase, and the franchise has already cut some big names during the 2026 offseason. Waddle could certainly be dealt for the right price, which might be a package of Day 2 picks. The bigger issue would be his contract. His cap hit is over $30 million in both 2027 and 2028, and that would need to be fixed before any sort of trade is finalized. This would come in the form of a longer deal with more total money on it before the trade is completed, but the money would be more spread out.
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