It's the farthest thing from breaking news that the Pittsburgh Steelers have been sniffing around to find another wide receiver to be the true No. 2 (or even No. 1) alongside George Pickens in Arthur Smith's offense. Third-round rookie Roman Wilson could help but, in terms of veterans with NFL experience, Van Jefferson is currently slotted in as the second option. That needs to change before Week 1.
One of the most popular trade targets mentioned regarding the Steelers has been San Francisco 49ers wideout Brandon Aiyuk. But while the latest negotiations reportedly have not gone anywhere between the former first-round pick and the Niners, it seems that the club is motivated to get an extension done with him, which would obviously push out the chances of him coming to Pittsburgh.
However, it could open up another door.
Amid the Aiyuk trade speculation, reports have suggested that the 49ers' other star receiver, Deebo Samuel, could be the one who goes on the move. In fact, the Steelers reportedly reached out regarding a trade for Samuel around the NFL Draft. That didn't happen then but, if Aiyuk signs, San Francisco could be particularly motivated to move Samuel and his the remaining two years of his contract off the books, even if they have to eat some of that money in the process.
As such, the Steelers should absolutely be ready to call and make a deal for Deebo Samuel. But it begs the question: What would it take to get such a trade done?
It's going to cost a pretty penny for the Steelers to get the 49ers to move off of Samuel, even if San Francisco is financially motivated to make the deal. But what would the trade look like? Something like this would make a lot of sense.
As mentioned, we already know that the Steelers showed interest in trading for Samuel during the 2024 NFL Draft. However, the reports emanating from that were that Pittsburgh was unwilling to meet the 49ers' asking price. Then, further connecting the dots, SI NFL insider Albert Breer mentioned on The Rich Eisen Show the possibility of the Jets trading a first-round pick for Samuel.
So when we come down to it, the read should be that the Niners are seeking a first-round pick to potentially move the star receiver. However, if the Steelers are unwilling to make such a trade, they can get creative and try to entice San Francisco further.
The 49ers have one of the league's best tight ends when healthy in George Kittle. The "when healthy" qualifier, however, is unfortunately relevant as staying on the field has been an issue. Subsequently, sending 2023 second-round pick Darnell Washington could alleviate a lot of worries for Kyle Shanahan and the San Francisco offense moving forward while still clearing a boatload of money.
With that inclusion -- one which Pittsburgh should be fine with given their reliance on Pat Freiermuth -- the Steelers can send a second-round pick and a swap of fifth-round picks in 2025 and 2026 to the Niners and get this trade done.
Would it be simpler to just send a first-round pick? Of course! But Steelers general manager Omar Khan being previously unwilling to meet the Niners' asking price, assuming that's a first-round pick, tells us that Pittsburgh's front office is fully aware they could be invested in the QB market and need a first-rounder in 2025 depending on what happens with the Russell Wilson-Justin Fields combo this season.
Of course, either quarterback would have a much better shot of staking their claim as a long-term starter with the Steelers if Samuel were paired with Pickens in the passing game. And maybe, just maybe, this trade package would be enough to get that deal done.
