The Pittsburgh Steelers are looking at every receiver option available. They went all in on Brandon Aiyuk in 2024, and it backfired on them, as they missed out on all the consolation prizes at wideout after him. With free agency around the corner, the Steelers have a little bit of time left to figure out who would be the best scheme fit. However, trades can still be agreed to at this point, and that means the Steelers could lose certain other options like they did on Thursday.
One of their options was Christian Kirk, who was expected to be a cap casualty by the Jacksonville Jaguars. He has one year left on his deal, and letting him go would have been a cheap, efficient option for any team that picks him up. Another team had other plans, however.
The Houston Texans will take on all of his 2024 salary in exchange for a draft pick that may be considered meaningless. They will take on $16.5 million between salary and the bonuses for the season, as opposed to waiting for him to be cut and trying to sign him for much less. They take on the extra money for the assurance that they secure him.
Kirk's value dropped from all the injuries that he had to deal with. In 2024, he missed nine games due to a broken collarbone right at the trade deadline. He also only played in 12 games in 2023. He has been productive when he's healthy, but at this point, the doctor's logs have been piling up against him.
In fact, the Steelers were finalizing a deal with the Jaguars at the 2024 trade deadline to acquire Kirk, but the collarbone injury occurred then and the deal was called off completely. Instead, they traded for Mike Williams from the New York Jets, and they barely ever used him.
Even if the Steelers managed to sign Kirk, that doesn't mean that their hunt for a quality wideout would end, especially with the aforementioned injury history. They would still most likely draft one early on, especially since the veteran only has one year left on his deal. Maybe they would bring in another veteran just to be safe. Of course, none of that matters now.
Steelers' Options At Wide Receiver
With Kirk off the market, the Steelers will be looking at plenty of other options. If they want one before free agency begins, there are still a couple of options on the trade market. Cooper Kupp would likely come for cheap, but he has his own problem with getting hurt. DK Metcalf is also available, but the Seattle Seahawks reportedly want a massive haul in exchange for their freak athlete, and he would want a high-dollar extension as well.
If the Steelers don't want to pay up for any of the wideouts on the trade block, they have a top-heavy free agency class to pick from. They could sign a big name like Davante Adams or Chris Godwin. There is not a lot of depth after the big names, with Keenan Allen and Darius Slayton being the better lowkey options.
No matter what the Steelers do in March, it's all but confirmed that they will draft a wideout in either the first or second round. With so much uncertainty at the position, it's best for them to get a young playmaker on a four-year contract, even if he doesn't start immediately. There are plenty of options out there, even though Kirk just got taken.
