One of the first big moves the Pittsburgh Steelers made last offseason was to trade a second-round pick for DK Metcalf. It surprised many, but it made sense. Wide receiver was a major weakness for them the season before. Pairing Metcalf with George Pickens looked like an easy solution. However, the Steelers proceeded to send Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys. That left them with the same problem, and they still haven’t fixed it. Former NFL scout Daniel Jeremiah believes that the Steelers could execute another trade for a big-name receiver, though.
“If A.J. Brown were to become available, if there’s other wide receivers that ended up on the trade market, they’ve already done this once with DK [Metcalf],” Jeremiah said recently on his Move the Sticks podcast. “They could very easily parlay one of those third-round picks and to try to free another wide receiver from somewhere else, whether that’s DJ Moore, whoever else might pop on the trade market.
“They have that luxury as well to be able to pull off a trade.”
The Steelers should have ample draft capital this year. They’re expected to have 12 total draft picks, including three third-round picks. If the opportunity presents itself, they have the ammo to get a deal done.
However, that’s easier said than done. It takes two to tango. A team has to be willing to part with one of their top pass-catchers in order for the Steelers to get a trade done.
Brown looked like an obvious option for the Steelers before the season ended. His relationship with the Philadelphia Eagles looked like it deteriorated during the 2025 season. There were dots to connect between Brown and Pittsburgh, too. Not only were he and Metcalf college teammates, but Arthur Smith also coached Brown for multiple years with the Tennessee Titans.
However, Smith was one of many Steelers coaches that were let go when Mike Tomlin left. That makes a trade for Brown look slightly less likely for the Steelers, although it’s still a possibility.
Moore is another interesting option. Originally, he was a 2018 first-round pick by the Carolina Panthers, where he had a lot of success, including three-straight 1,000-yard seasons. He’s spent the last three seasons with the Chicago Bears, and his production has dipped each year.
Moore finished 2025 with 50 catches for 682 yards and six touchdowns. He turns 29 in a few months, and he’s under contract for the next four years. That’s the problem, though. Moore signed a massive extension in 2024. His cap number is set to be just under $29 million for the next three seasons. He’s getting paid number one receiver money, but his production hasn’t matched that.
Would the Steelers be willing to take on that deal? They’re already paying Metcalf a lot, and he didn’t meet expectations last year. The Steelers could find themselves paying a lot of money for two players to give them the same problem.
Brown’s contract is a little less expensive, and he’s only a few months older than Moore, so maybe he’d be a better option. No matter what, the Steelers need to upgrade at receiver this offseason, whether that comes from a trade or the draft. That position is one of their biggest weaknesses.
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