It's no secret that the Pittsburgh Steelers have holes all over their roster. They do have a ton of cap space and draft capital to play with, and that has led to a bunch of trade rumors, especially at the wide receiver position. Guys like Brian Thomas Jr. and even AJ Brown have been seen as quality options for Pittsburgh's barren wideout room. Whether those deals happen or not, General Manager Omar Khan will have a very active offseason ahead of him full of big-time signings and some sort of trade being made.
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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.
While making an appearance on 93.7 The Fan however, reporter Christopher Carter shot down the idea of the Steelers going after a guy like Thomas, due to the riches of the 2026 NFL Draft.
"If I'm the Steelers and this is a really good wide receiver draft... why would I give up multiple draft picks for a veteran wide receiver that I'm going to have to eventually pay a lot sooner, when I can probably go into this draft class and find some receivers that probably grade better than Brian Thomas did when he came into the NFL as receivers, and I'd have them on four or five years on their rookie contract, and it would just be my natural first-round pick or second-round pick," Carter said. "I don't see that."
It's almost a foregone conclusion that the Steelers are going to draft a wide receiver in the first round next month. If they opt to not do that for some reason, it will most likely be their second-round pick. This is supposed to be a great wide receiver class, especially in the first round. There are so many great talents at the position, and there is no reason why Pittsburgh should pass up on them.
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Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate celebrates a touchdown vs Michigan during the 2025 college football season.
Instead of trading for a receiver like Thomas, many people anticipate that the Steelers will trade up to select one of the top receivers in the class. Carnell Tate could be an option if he falls far enough in the draft. Makai Lemon seems like the most probable option if Pittsburgh moves up, especially since some teams may or may not take him off their draft boards for silly reasons from the Scouting Combine.
Thomas is also coming off of a sophomore slump, so there are questions as to which player he truly is, and which year was the fluke. He had nearly 1,300 yards and 10 touchdowns in his rookie season, but only 707 yards and two touchdowns in 2025. The fact that the Jacksonville Jaguars are even interested in trading him away may imply the latter, but they still want premium picks in return -- which may not be worth it.
Steelers' Quarterback Decision Might Influence Receiver Decision
Aaron Rodgers has said that he has not made his decision on if he will return or not, but it would be best for the Steelers to know now. If he does come back, it may be in their best interest to go for a veteran option as opposed to loading up on rookies. The 42-year-old is very particular in how he operates within his offense, and that does not mesh well at all with rookies who are just trying to adapt to the NFL.
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Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, wide receiver Adam Thielen, and former head coach Mike Tomlin on the sideline prior to Pittsburgh's Week 14 win in Baltimore.
In 2025, the Steelers paused the development of Roman Wilson in favor of veteran wideouts Adam Thielen and Marquez Valdez-Scantling. Rodgers had better chemistry with them as opposed to Wilson, especially since he played with Valdez-Scantling for several years before. That may be the case again, as the veteran quarterback may prefer to work with an older player on the open market than a rookie introvert like Lemon.
What do you think about the Steelers passing on a trade to address receiver early in the draft? Let us know in the comments or on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.
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