The Pittsburgh Steelers are going to be in the market for a wide receiver once again during the 2025 offseason. General Manager Omar Khan was in an aggressive pursuit for Brandon Aiyuk during the 2024 offseason, although the wide receiver eventually signed a contract extension with the San Francisco 49ers. The Steelers still have not shored up the position, and now it is even more important to do so with the future of George Pickens being up in the air.
There will be a lot of high-end wide receivers for the Steelers to choose from during the 2025 offseason. The Los Angeles Rams have already said that the organization intends to trade Cooper Kupp, and the Steelers should be expected to be involved in those sweepstakes. Kupp is expected to be relatively cheap via trade, mainly because of his cap hit and the organization desperately wanting to move on from the wide receiver. The veteran has struggled some with injuries, but when he is on the field, he has proven to still be effective. Many expect Kupp to go for a Day 3 selection.
Another wide receiver that is expected to be available is Davante Adams of the New York Jets. Adams was traded to the Jets in the middle of the 2024 season, with the main reason being to reunite with Aaron Rodgers. The Jets have already announced they will be parting ways with Rodgers, and NFL insider Mike Florio believes the same will happen with Adams.
"He [Adams] is gonna get cut by the Jets," Florio said. "He's got a phony compensation package that was never intended to be honored. He just drove up the average value of the contract when he signed with the Raiders. So he's gonna be available."
Florio seemed pretty confident in saying Adams would be getting cut by New York, which should make him available by the team once free agency rolls around. Adams has already said before that he would love to play for a coach like Mike Tomlin, which should give Pittsburgh an edge when it comes to signing the veteran wide receiver.
In addition to Kupp and Adams, Deebo Samuel is also expected to be available for the Steelers. Currently, it seems as though San Francisco will be looking for a trade to get rid of Samuel, but there is a chance the wide receiver gets released. Ideally, the Steelers won't have to give up any draft assets to improve the wide receiver position, and some of these wide receivers being released would be extremely beneficial for Pittsburgh. ESPN Insider Jeremy Fowler also shared that the 49ers could release Samuel with a post-June 1st designation.
The trio of Adams, Samuel, and Kupp should all be enticing to Pittsburgh, as they're all considered upgrades to what is currently on Pittsburgh's roster. Kupp and Adams would also be great mentors to a player like Pickens.
Steelers Should Prioritize Cooper Kupp Or Davante Adams
Adams and Kupp are the clear, best options for the Steelers out of the players at the position expected to be released. Samuel had a down year in 2024 while also struggling with injuries, and he has had his moments where he has been a distraction to his own team. Kupp and Adams seem to have more gas in the tank, and both players could come in and immediately be great offensive leaders at the position.
Kupp would probably take on the WR2 role in Pittsburgh, while Adams would be able to slide in ahead of Pickens and take over as the primary wide receiver. Either move would be good for Pickens, as it should open things up in the passing game for the fourth-year wide receiver. Another weapon at wide receiver is what Pittsburgh has been missing, and either Kupp or Adams can fill that hole.
