The Pittsburgh Steelers have had an interesting offseason. General Manager Omar Khan has done an impressive job of keeping the team competitive in the present while also preparing for the future. One of the biggest moves came when the Steelers traded for star wide receiver DK Metcalf, only to move on from their own young standout George Pickens shortly after. That unexpected decision raised questions about the current state of the wide receiver room.
With options beginning to dwindle, a new possibility surfaced on Monday. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings is currently unhappy with his situation. He is seeking either a new contract or a trade, which could present an opportunity for the Steelers to make another move.
If Khan can find a way to bring Jennings to Pittsburgh, it could help stabilize the receiver group. Jennings is known for his toughness, physical play, and reliability. He's also one of the best blocking wide receivers in the entire NFL. These are qualities the Steelers could use alongside Metcalf. While nothing has materialized yet, it is a situation worth keeping an eye on, according to Schefter.
"Jennings has approached the 49ers about his request, but little progress has been made, a source told ESPN," Schefter said. "If a new deal is not reached by the time training camp starts next week, Jennings plans to request a trade to a team willing to pay him."
If Jennings were to request a trade, it could create the perfect opportunity for Khan to step in and strengthen the wide receiver room.
Adding Jennings would be an ideal move, as he likely wouldn’t be overly expensive, but would provide a reliable option coming off a productive 2024 season.
"Entering 2025, Jennings is slated to count $4.258 million against the cap in the final year of the two-year, $15.39 million extension he signed last offseason," Schefter said. "He is not expected to be a training camp holdout, but he is not expected to be happy, either, as the 49ers saw last summer with [Brandon] Aiyuk."
This situation appears to be getting serious, as the 49ers reportedly believe they treated Jennings fairly during the 2024 offseason when they extended him. Jennings then delivered the best season of his career, posting 975 receiving yards on 77 catches with six touchdowns. Now, at 28 years old, he wants to be rewarded for that performance, which has created tension between him and the team.
Steelers Just Benefited From This Exact Scenario
The Steelers are familiar with this kind of scenario. It's similar to how they acquired tight end Jonnu Smith in a trade with the Miami Dolphins. Pittsburgh sent star safety Minkah Fitzpatrick to Miami and received both Smith and cornerback Jalen Ramsey in return. Smith had a strong 2024 season and wanted to use that production to gain leverage in contract talks.
The Dolphins chose not to pay him, so they worked out a deal with the Steelers, who then signed Smith to a one-year, $12 million extension. Pittsburgh could take a similar approach to acquire Jennings. It would be a bold move, but adding Jennings to a wide receiver room that already features Metcalf, Calvin Austin III, Roman Wilson, and Robert Woods would be a major upgrade this close to the season. All eyes are now on Khan to see how he handles this new opportunity.
