Six weeks into the season the Pittsburgh Steelers are sitting pretty. They’re 4-1 with the second-best record in the AFC. And the rest of their division is in bad shape. Injuries have seriously hurt both the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens, leaving the Steelers with a clear path to the playoffs. As a result, Chris Simms thinks the Steelers should consider upgrading their team before the trade deadline.
“The AFC is so wide open it’s incredible,” Simms said Wednesday on the Pro Football Talk podcast. “Everybody’s messed around and let the Chiefs now find their footing. The AFC, almost every team you’ve got a question about. The Chargers are third in the AFC, the offensive line, they don’t have a very good pass rush. Pittsburgh’s number two.
“The Colts, the offense is working good, but that defense, is it really any good? New England’s new. We see issues with Buffalo. To that point, yeah, I think Pittsburgh’s gotta make a big move. I kind of expect them, at this point, to make this move. Be interested to see what it is, if it’s that running back or another receiver. But either way, I do think it’s the offensive side of the ball that could use it.”
Simms is probably correct that if the Steelers were to make a significant trade it would be for an offensive player. Their defense is already full of talent. Meanwhile, their offense has holes, like at receiver. Running back seems like less of a need, especially with Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell playing better recently.
Omar Khan has shown he will be aggressive to try to upgrade the Steelers’ roster, including this offseason when he made several notable trades. He’s also been active around the trade deadline. Last year, he acquired WR Mike Williams and OLB Preston Smith near the trade deadline. While those weren’t huge moves, they show that Khan is willing to make moves during the season.
With no AFC team looking like a juggernaut, Khan and the Steelers could be buyers at the deadline. However, it takes two to make a trade. There’s no telling what receivers could be available. Jakobi Meyers of the Las Vegas Raiders could be an option. While he’s not the biggest name in the league, he’s been a consistent player for years. He hasn’t finished a season below 700 receiving yards since his rookie year in 2019.
With the Raiders 2-4 and at the bottom of their division, they could move Meyers, who requested a requested a trade in late August, before the deadline.
If the Steelers want to take a bigger swing perhaps A.J. Brown could be an option. The Philadelphia Eagles are the defending Super Bowl champions, but Brown seems frustrated with his role. He’s also got history with Arthur Smith.
With the trade deadline a few weeks away, we’ll see how aggressive Khan and the Steelers get. Based on their offseason, it wouldn’t be surprising if they make a big move.
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