Steelers Reunion Now Possible As Former Aaron Rodgers Favorite May Be On The Trade Block

The Pittsburgh Steelers are not known for making season-altering deals prior to the NFL's trade deadline. Instead, the front office has often focused on making less significant moves that just make sense. Currently, the offense has been decimated with injuries at the wide receiver position. With Week 6 on the horizon, the only healthy original 53-man roster members are DK Metcalf, Germie Bernard and Kaden Wetjen. Brandon Smith is expected to get some work, as could Brandon Johnson. Overall, however, General Manager Omar Khan might still be considering adding someone to the room very soon.

Michael Pittman Jr. is on Injured Reserve (IR) and Roman Wilson could miss several weeks. The Steelers may elect to roll with what they have for a Week 6 bout with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but that performance could lead to something being done. In this situation, it could make sense to go out there and acquire a veteran who can be relied on.

Tyreek Hill remains a free agent; however, he still might not be fully recovered from a gruesome knee injury that he suffered in 2025. Instead of making a splash, Khan has the option to lean on head coach Mike McCarthy and quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The two have a long history with one another, and a specific former target could be traded for in relatively inexpensive fashion.

Marquez Valdes-Scantling spent a brief amount of time with the Steelers in 2025. Now, he is with a Los Angeles Chargers team that seems to have almost no hope of being competitive. Because he is a veteran on a one-year deal, trading him away might seem like a simple way to snag an extra draft pick. This is where Pittsburgh could enter the conversation and offer a seventh-round selection.

This move would theoretically be specifically for depth. Valdes-Scantling is unlikely to come into equation and turn heads at the wide receiver position, However, he has rapport with Rodgers and knows the offensive system that is in place. At the surface, it seems as if it would make sense to at least inquire about the Chargers' willingness to part ways with the pass-catcher.

Valdes-Scantling has been active for three games of 2026 to this point. Los Angeles has injury issues of its own. It actually may be detrimental to deal the wideout if those problems persist in the training room. With that said, the organization is going nowhere fast with a record of 0-5. It makes logistical sense to send off a 31-year-old pass-catcher to receive any kind of compensation.

The former Steelers playmaker has bounced around teams throughout his NFL career. If he were able to play with Rodgers one more time, he would most likely be open to it. Additionally, it can't hurt to go from a winless group to one that is in the thick of its divisional race. Moving forward, Valdes-Scantling will be a name to watch if Khan wants to make a simple, yet important depth addition to the roster in the coming days and/or weeks.

Steelers Hoping Wilson's Injury Isn't Long-Term

Pittsburgh's former third-round pick was enjoying a solid start to the 2026 campaign. A dislocated finger is now getting in the way of him continuing to develop. If he isn't expected to land on IR, then the Steelers will likely hold off on making any kind of move. With that, though, Valdes-Scantling is a very easy target to call about because of familiarity and reliability. Fans probably wouldn't hear any arguments from Rodgers if one of his favorite targets was traded for by the front office.

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