The Pittsburgh Steelers entered the 2026 offseason in desperate need of reinforcements at wide receiver, with DK Metcalf the only viable starter still under contract. The 2026 NFL draft is flush with receiver talent, leading many to believe that they could look to use their first-round pick to address the position. That was before making a big splash on the trade market, however.
Following their decision to give Alec Pierce a massive new contract to return to Indianapolis, the Colts offloaded Michael Pittman Jr. to the Steelers in exchange for a late-round pick swap. Pittsburgh immediately handed Pittman a new three-year, $59 million extension, tying him to the Steelers through the 2029 season.
The move solves their biggest roster hole (if you don't count the vacant quarterback spot), but is the former Colt enough to prevent general manager Omar Khan from still adding a receiver with pick 21?
Michael Pittman Jr.'s arrival opens up more options for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2026 NFL draft
Pittman's addition to the roster is a much-needed one, but it doesn't guarantee that the Steelers pivot away from targeting a young receiver early in the draft. Pittman turns 29 years old in 2026, and he is coming off a down season by his standards, with his lowest yardage total since his rookie season back in 2020.
Still, he has a skillset that complements Metcalf's well, excelling as a route runner and intermediate target. Unlike Metcalf, he lacks an explosive element to his game that limits his ability as a big-play threat, evidenced by a career 10.8 yards per reception. Metcalf, meanwhile, boasts a robust 14.4 yards per reception for his career.
There is one glaring hole in both players' skillset, however, and it may be what leads Pittsburgh to still take a receiver at pick 21 or at pick 53: a lack of slot experience. The duo has just 1,530 career snaps in the slot in 207 combined games. Head coach Mike McCarthy loves to use 11 personnel (three receivers), making the slot receiver a vital part of his offense.
There are plenty of Day Two prospects who could fill that role well enough, but what if someone like USC's Makai Lemon were to make it all the way to their pick? It would be hard for Khan to pass him up, that's for sure.
What the Pittman move ultimately does, however, is free up the Steelers to focus on taking a BPA (best player available) approach with their top pick, something many teams struggle to position themselves to do. If the top player on their board when they are up to pick happens to be an offensive/defensive lineman, corner, or maybe even safety, they no longer should feel the same amount of pressure to take a receiver out of necessity.
That alone could end up making the trade worth it.