The Pittsburgh Steelers are once again in need of a receiver. The DK Metcalf solution lasted all of two months. He’s here for the long term, but the Steelers traded his co-star, George Pickens, to the Dallas Cowboys.
As Pittsburgh scours the league for reinforcements on the perimeter, it may quickly find itself shopping on the trade block. That possibility has led to fans and analysts making mock trades for their favorite teams.
Frankly, not all of them are created equally. And while no trade should be considered likely given the nature of trades in the NFL, they can still be considered on their merit.
One wacky trade proposal from Athlon Sports sends Denver Broncos receiver Courtland Sutton to the Steelers.
“Plus, the signings of veterans like Robert Woods and Darius Slay show that the Steelers are trying to win games and compete this year,” Coby Leibowitz wrote. “This makes them the perfect destination for a veteran receiver like Sutton to replace Pickens. The trade would look like Courtland Sutton and Jarrett Stidham in exchange for Calvin Austin, [Cory] Trice Jr, a fourth-round pick, and a sixth-round pick.”
Unfortunately for the Pittsburgh faithful, this offer reeks of “my bad players for your good players.”
Sutton’s contract currently ranks 25th in the NFL by average annual value and ninth by 2025 cap hit (per Over the Cap). That’s not ideal, but for the team’s leading receiver (and only above-average starter on the boundary), it isn’t an albatross.
The Broncos aren’t rebuilding, and with Bo Nix on a rookie contract, their competitive window is open. They’re likely not trading their best weapon, especially coming off an 135-target, 1,000-yard season. Sure, he’s a fit for the Steelers. But he’s also a fit for Denver!
There’s no reason to kneecap the offense unless it becomes a seller at the deadline, and trading away a young quarterback’s best receiver is a good way to stunt his development.
Pittsburgh isn’t exactly paying a premium, either. Austin is a nice piece, but an undersized slot receiver who has never surpassed 550 receiving yards in a season. Trice is a developmental cornerback on a team with Patrick Surtain II, a first-round nickel corner, a project in Kris Abrams-Draine, and an adequate starter in Riley Moss; not exactly a fit for Trice.
Throw in the Steelers receiving Stidham, perhaps their best option under center, and the deal becomes even more improbable.
A move remains possible for Pittsburgh, but expecting Omar Khan to swindle a team with similar playoff odds is silly at best.