There is no denying that the Pittsburgh Steelers need a true WR2. Though the team is relying heavily on DK Metcalf, there is no other wideout who has made a mark.
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Matcalf leads the way with 356 yards and four touchdowns through six games, but no other receiver on the team has gone over 200 yards. Jalen Warren is next closest with 153 yards and one touchdown.
Simply put, the Steelers need more firepower for Aaron Rodgers, and they should be looking to upgrade the wide receiver unit ahead of the trade deadline. ESPN’s Bill Barnwell put together a list of trades that “make sense,” and Pittsburgh has made that list.
Barnwell indicates that the Steelers could send a fourth-round pick to the New Orleans Saints in exchange for All-Pro New Orleans Saints receiver Rashid Shaheed and a fifth-round pick.
“Enter Shaheed, who is a free agent after the season. Since entering the league in 2022, the undrafted Weber State product has averaged 15.6 yards per reception, fourth best in the NFL over that span. He has also been a return man in the past, something the Steelers wouldn’t mind adding after taking rookie Kaleb Johnson off kick returns in September. Shaheed will make $2.8 million over the remainder of 2025, a very reasonable price for what he brings to the table as a secondary option in the passing game,” Barnwell wrote.
The Steelers need speed, and they need a reliable receiver who can open up the passing game far more. With Austin dealing with an injury, and the rest not stepping up in a bigger way, Shaheed could fit that role.
Shaheed has 316 yards and two touchdowns this season, and would be a huge complement to Metcalf. Once Austin comes back from injury, the three could form one of the better wide receiver trios in the league.
Rodgers and the Steelers are having a good start to the season, but the team needs a true second wide receiver alongside Metcalf. If they want to go on a dominant run past the deadline, Shaheed would be the right kind of player to take a swing at acquiring.
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