Omar Khan is in a tough spot following the Pittsburgh Steelers' George Pickens trade with the Dallas Cowboys. There is little hope on the horizon as fans are concerned about a rerun of last season when the club didn't have a second receiver on offense. With Aaron Rodgers likely coming to town at some point, he will want an upgrade at the receiver position before he signs the dotted line.
The Steelers' general manager has been willing to swing trades in the past. He landed DK Metcalf earlier this offseason, which came out of nowhere. While a potential trade to replace Pickens might not be a blockbuster like Metcalf's deal, they could still find an adequate player. Khan must find an upgrade at the receiver position if he wants Pittsburgh to compete this year.
Don't expect a huge name to join The Black and Gold, but they better sign or trade for a veteran.
Pittsburgh Steelers could shop trade block bargain bin to locate George Pickens replacement
Ja'Lynn Polk, WR, New England Patriots
The New England Patriots might be willing to make some players expendable with a new regime in place. Ja'Lynn Polk was their second-round draft pick last year, but he is coming off a rocky season as a rookie. The Steelers didn't express too much pre-draft interest in Polk, but he could make sense if his price tag is cheap. Betting on a young receiver with upside is good business.
Pittsburgh should be sifting through different teams with plenty of wide receivers on their depth chart.
New England might not have many stars at the position, but they have some players who could help the Steelers replace Pickens. Polk would be a gamble, but he shouldn't cost much; his upside could develop in a new environment.
Allen Lazard, WR, New York Jets
It's impossible to gauge the Rodgers effect on this roster. The veteran quarterback had a lot of pull with the New York Jets, but that's unlikely to persist in Pittsburgh.
Khan could be willing to make a minor move or two to accommodate the future Hall of Fame signal caller. Allen Lazard is a veteran receiver whom Rodgers wanted the Jets to acquire, and that could happen again.
Truthfully, Lazard isn't an every-down starter in the NFL anymore. He would fit as a depth piece for the Steelers rather than someone who slides into Pickens' spot. Rodgers might like him, but Lazard hasn't recorded over 800 receiving yards in any of his seasons. Lazard would also need most of his contract paid by New York, which doesn't seem like a deal breaker for the Jets.
Romeo Doubs, WR, Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers have a couple of receivers heading into contract years. Both Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs could be trade targets for the Steelers. It could make sense to attack Doubs over Watson because of his familiarity with Rodgers. Doubs and the veteran quarterback played in Green Bay in 2022, where they started to form quality chemistry that season.
He might be their best trade option to acquire an impactful player without breaking the bank.
Doubs is a talented player who could take over the second-receiver responsibilities left behind after the Pickens deal. The Packers shouldn't expect much trade compensation in a potential move. Doubs would be a rental for Pittsburgh, but he would help patch their receiver problems until next year.
