Retour
PITTSBURGH -- Even after the addition of Marquez Valdes-Scantling, the Pittsburgh Steelers haven't solved their issues at wide receiver.
Some senior voices on the Steelers' beat are convinced that another move is coming. Others feel assured that MVS was this team's big swing to improve the offense.
If the Steelers sit pat, they risk this offense not having what it takes to finally end their playoff win drought. Simultaneously, this team is trying to maintain as many assets as possible so they can target another top player in the 2027 NFL Draft. That leaves them with their Day 3 picks in the draft to gamble.
Luckily for the Steelers, these three wide receivers can easily be acquired for a late-round draft picks and would help solve this team's depth problems before the NFL Trade Deadline.
If the Steelers believe the top of their depth chart is secured, then finding that true wide receiver three or four is paramount. Enter Kendrick Bourne, the 31-year-old Arizona Cardinals pass-catcher with 133 games played and 351 receptions under his belt.
So far in 2026, he's performed very well. He has 22 receptions on 31 targets for 225 yards. His numbers are eerily close to what rookie Germie Bernard has posted so far, and that's exactly what this team needs production-wise.
Bourne also doesn't command a top receiver's share of the passing attempts like some other players out there. He could fill in for a few weeks, and then fall down the depth chart as the receiver room becomes healthier down the stretch.
Bourne brings experience and a history of productivity, but he isn't quite the speedster that the Steelers might be looking for. Right now, they have two strong, yards-after-the-catch pass-catchers in Bernard and DK Metcalf. A speedy, deep-ball threat would complement their current corps, and Bourne isn't quite that type of receiver.
The Philadelphia Eagles are in firesale mode, and that means many of their offensive names are on the table for trade. Two options could intrigue the Steelers, but provided his recent injury scare is nothing serious, Dontayvion Wicks is a perfect solution for the problems in Pittsburgh.
Wicks is a former draft pick of the Green Bay Packers, and he's been seen as a deep-ball threat on the outside for his entire four-year career.
So far with the Eagles, he's found success as the team flounders. He's hauled in 19 receptions in six games for 284 yards and a touchdown. Before the 2026 season began, the Eagles gave up a fifth and a seventh for Wicks, but they will likely part with him for any asset in return.
I honestly have no reason to suggest the Steelers avoid this trade. Wicks is speedy. He lines up out wide a majority of the time, but can play in the slot if needed. He's under contract through 2027 and comes with a $4 million cap hit for next year.
If I'm Omar Khan, I'm making a deal with the cross-state rivals immediately.
Speed is the name of the game with Los Angeles Chargers weapon Quentin Johnston. The former first-round pick in 2023 has posted multiple 700-yard campaigns, and he also brings that size to match Metcalf, coming in at 6'3" and nearly 220 pounds.
Johnston is an outside receiver who can go in motion or try to beat coverage over the top. He's battled injuries, something the Steelers have to be very careful in navigating more of, but if he's healthy he's the best fit for the offense on the market.
The Steelers have two receivers on Injured Reserve, another who is missing time, and they are running out of time and options.
Is it in their best interest to go after another player with an injury history and concern? That's the gamble for the Steelers, and it's possible this one wouldn't pay off.