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The Steelers are now in trouble as their top target appears to be off the trade block

The Steelers are now in trouble as their top target appears to be off the trade block

The Pittsburgh Steelers still looking for help at wide receiver with the trade deadline less than two weeks away. General manager Omar Khan was aggressive in trying to get help at receiver but was unsuccessful. He pursued Brandon Ayuk throughout the 2024 offseason and tried to land Davante Adams before he was traded to the New York Jets. The trade deadline is fast approaching and Hahn needs to find Pittsburgh some help George Pickens.

Pittsburgh has been linked in some way to nearly every wide receiver whose name has been mentioned in trade talks. The Steelers are clearly desperate.

One target that seemed possible after Adams was drafted was Mike Williams. He signed with New York during the 2024 offseason, but he also had a scheduled visit to Pittsburgh during free agency. Unfortunately for the Steelers, the Jets may not be interested in trading Williams as he could be valuable to their offense.

NFL Insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero collaborated on an article for the NFLand they gave some insight into Williams and how the Jets feel about the veteran wide receiver.

“A lot of people thought (Mike) Williams was done, but with the big catch last week, Williams might as well stay on the roster and help. The team plans to use him in a way that maximizes his abilities. Neither are the Jets. I’m not going to just give him away after already paying most of his $10 million salary.”

Williams was available for all seven of New York’s games, but the receiver played sparingly. He caught just 11 passes on the year for 160 yards. He was targeted 19 times, including a miscommunication between receiver Aaron Rodgers that cost the Jets a Week 6 game against the Buffalo Bills.

It seemed like a done deal that Williams would be dealt before the trade deadline, but that wasn’t the case, according to Rapoport and Pelissero. The Jets feel they can use the skills of Williams, who caught one pass for 15 yards in the Jets’ loss at Pittsburgh. In Adams’ first game with the Jets, Williams’ rebounding suffered badly. He was on the field for just 19 snaps on offense, a significant decrease since he was on the field for 30-plus snaps in the five games before that.

With Adams, Garrett Wilson and Allen Lazard, the Jets don’t really have any use for Williams, especially with a running back like Brice Hall. The veteran wide receiver could still be dealt, but the odds of Williams finishing the 2024 season in Pittsburgh aren’t very good. Pittsburgh also likely wouldn’t want to give up a sixth-round pick, but based on comments from NFL insiders, New York may be looking for more.

The Steelers have plenty of options at the trade deadline

The chances of Khan getting a breakout name at the deadline are slim. Even Williams isn’t the player he once was, and all of the league’s star players seem to be staying put. Despite this, there is several more wide receivers available who could improve the situation in Pittsburgh.

Names that could be available include Darius Slayton, Christian Kirk, DeMarcus Robinson, Tyquan Thornton, KJ Osborne and Kendrick Bourne. The most intriguing name would be Kirk, but it is also the most expensive option. Either Osborne or the New England Patriots’ Bourne have a chance to give Pittsburgh the most bang for their buck, and as long as Hahn brings in a receiver at the deadline, that should give fans some optimism moving forward.

Which receiver do you want Khan to acquire before the November 5 trade deadline?