Steelers Quickly Have Details Leak About Failed Pursuit Of Chiefs' Josh Downs

The Pittsburgh Steelers were talked about a ton leading up to the league's trade deadline on November 10th. They were thought to be a potential contender that should shore some positions up on the roster, but the franchise did not make a single move ahead of the deadline. The organization was connected to a few disgruntled wide receivers around the league, but nothing ever came to fruition despite the Steelers being involved in conversations with various teams about bringing in a few different wide receivers. It has been reported that the three main wideouts Pittsburgh targeted were Josh Downs, Brian Thomas Jr., and Calvin Ridley.

Pittsburgh needed an upgrade at wide receiver, or at the very least some more depth, but that didn't happen ahead of the deadline. The only receiver that was moved of the three that the team pursued was Downs as he was traded from the Indianapolis Colts to the Kansas City Chiefs. Thomas stayed put with the Jacksonville Jaguars, and Ridley had a minor issue pop up that likely played a role in him staying with the Tennessee Titans.

Downs was the wide receiver that would have fit with the Steelers perfectly. He is a great route runner who can create separation against man coverage, which is something the Steelers desperately need. He is scheduled to be a free agent after the 2026 season, so there is a chance he would just be a rental for whichever team decided to make a move for him. The Steelers were interested, but beat writer Ray Fittipaldo joined 93.7 The Fan on Thursday afternoon to explain why the two sides couldn't come to an agreement.

"I'm just presenting the Steelers' side to you. They were going to upgrade, but they were only going to do it for a Day 3 pick. It wasn't going to be multiple Day 3 picks," Fittipaldo said. "I think what they signaled this week is that they are comfortable with who they have, provided Roman Wilson and Michael Pittman Jr. are able to come back."

The Chiefs received Downs and a seventh-round pick from the Colts in the trade, while Kansas City gave up a fourth- and fifth-round pick. That was something the Steelers were not willing to do. According to Fittipaldo, Pittsburgh would have only given up one of those things, but not both.

Fittipaldo noted that the compensation in a trade for Downs was a problem for the Steelers, and the organization was not willing to meet the Chiefs' offer. Had Pittsburgh matched the offer the Steelers probably would have gotten Downs, because it is safe to assume that the Chiefs would go further than the Steelers in the postseason, meaning Pittsburgh's selections would hold some more value.

The other factor that played a role in the Steelers not acquiring a wide receiver at the deadline was the fact that both Roman Wilson and Michael Pittman Jr. could be nearing a return. Wilson is eligible to return off of Injured Reserve (IR) after Week 10, while Pittman is eligible to return now. Pittman's injury is a little bit more worrisome so a timetable for his return isn't necessarily available, while Wilson could be back on the field as early as next week.

Steelers Could Look Like Fools In The Coming Weeks

If Wilson cannot return to the field and be productive, the Steelers aren't going to look all that great when it comes to their decision not to make a trade at the deadline. The fan base is going to have a short fuse when it comes to the passing game and the wide receivers after a clear decision was made not to fork up enough draft capital to bring in more talent at the position. Pittman returning would also help, but people seem a bit skeptical about his injury.

What do you think about the Steelers' reasoning for not acquiring Downs at the deadline? Let me know on X, @brogannoey!

#SteelerNation