Giants' Decision Now Gives Steelers Polarizing Option At Wide Receiver

The Pittsburgh Steelers no longer have to worry about John Harbaugh twice a year, just as the Baltimore Ravens won't be game-planning for any Mike Tomlin-led teams. Both coaches are onto different ventures as one landed with the New York Giants and the other will be on Football Night in America. The AFC North will certainly look a lot different, as well as the NFC East, where Harbaugh is set to lead a different franchise for the first time in his career. He may have indirectly done the Steelers a favor recently as well after some news broke on Monday morning.

The Giants aren't off to a great start in the Harbaugh era when it comes to injuries. This includes a season-ending Achilles tear that former Steelers wide receiver Gunner Olszewski suffered during Organized Team Activities (OTAs). On top of being an option for the offense, the veteran has also been known for his returning abilities throughout his professional career.

Because of this, general manager Joe Schoen and Harbaugh decided to host several experienced pass-catchers for visits on Monday, which led to the team making an unexpected move initially.

Despite having two options that are more dynamic when it comes to offense, the Giants elected to put pen to paper with Braxton Berrios rather than Odell Beckham Jr. or JuJu Smith-Schuster.

Then, not too long after, it was reported that Beckham would also be joining the Giants' roster. That left Smith-Schuster as the odd man out in this scenario, which means he will still be searching for a new team.

While many believe that the Steelers are in decent shape at the wide receiver spot, one injury or suspension could lead to some serious issues for the organization. This is why the Giants going with the special teams threat over one of the two capable wideouts might lead to something happening in Pittsburgh. Smith-Schuster has experience with the franchise.

Beckham played for the Ravens for a season, so if he didn't sign with New York on Monday after already being familiar with Harbaugh, it would have been unlikely that he would end up playing for the Giants moving forward; but, that wasn't the case. The Steelers could use one more boost on offense, and Smith-Schuster could fit right in if Aaron Rodgers is content with the front office signing one.

If the quarterback is continuing to favor someone like Ben Skowronek, then there might not be any movement for the Steelers with any free-agent wide receivers. Regardless, it might make sense to at least see what Smith-Schuster still has in the tank. Pittsburgh won't be able to afford one of its top three pass-catchers going down for multiple weeks if the current depth chart stays as is.

It has been relatively quiet in the Steel City ever since Rodgers put pen to paper. That is typically when general manager Omar Khan tends to come out of nowhere and make some kind of move. While agreeing to a one-year deal with the veteran wouldn't be flashy, it would solidify a room that has been an issue for the team in recent years.

Steelers Are Hoping That The Offense Steps Up In 2026

It doesn't matter if another dynamic receiving threat is brought in or not, Pittsburgh cannot fall short on the offensive end once the regular season kicks off. However the organization can make the unit it formidable as possible will be welcomed by the fan base. Depth is a key piece to that puzzle and it just so happens the Giants could have just handed the Steelers another option.

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