If the Pittsburgh Steelers don’t land Miami Dolphins tight end Jonnu Smith, they’ll likely target another playmaker to boost the offense. According to Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz, the Steelers are having trade conversations with “multiple teams” in an effort to find a complementary piece to pair with WR DK Metcalf.
“The#Steelers have had preliminary conversations with multiple teams about potentially adding another playmaker on offense to complement DK Metcalf, per multiple sources,” Schultz tweeted Thursday. “Pittsburgh is believed to be motivated to get a deal done at some point, though there’s still plenty of time before the season.
“The Steelers could have up to 12 picks in the 2026 NFL Draft.”
The #Steelers have had preliminary conversations with multiple teams about potentially adding another playmaker on offense to complement DK Metcalf, per multiple sources. Pittsburgh is believed to be motivated to get a deal done at some point, though there’s still plenty of time… pic.twitter.com/javhtHdGDe
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) May 29, 2025
While not a receiver, Smith is an athletic tight end with plenty of familiarity with offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. The two spent years together in Tennessee and Arthur Smith traded for him in Atlanta, leading to a career year. Jonnu Smith built upon that in 2024 with the Miami Dolphins, setting career highs with 88 receptions for 884 yards. He also found the end zone eight times.
If not Smith, it’s unclear what other playmaker the Steelers could target. The Green Bay Packers offer a deep bench of wide receivers, though reports indicated the team prefers to hold onto their talent. But names like Romeo Doubs could peak Pittsburgh’s interest. We’ve mentioned the Indianapolis Colts’ Alec Pierce and Jacksonville Jaguars’ Parker Washington as other options the team could consider, though they hardly reach Metcalf’s level of playmaking or what WR George Pickens brought to the team.
Shortly after trading Pickens, GM Omar Khan expressed confidence in the team’s internal options and brushed aside comparisons to last season. Calvin Austin III had his best season while Roman Wilson is healthy after missing his rookie year due to injuries. Still, it was hard to believe the team would rely solely on internal replacements to fill Pickens’ shoes and outside reporting confirms the team’s realization they must add more talent to an offense that hasn’t finished top-ten in scoring since 2018.
As Schultz notes, Pittsburgh has plenty of future capital to spend. Projected compensatory selections could give Pittsburgh up to 12 draft picks for the 2026 draft, including five in the first three rounds. The Steelers don’t officially own those comp picks to trade away but could give up other assets, like the third-rounder they acquired in the Pickens deal, believing they’ll be replenished once comp picks are announced next offseason.
Related Items: