The Pittsburgh Steelers are off to an amazing 3-0 start. They have an elite defense, and may have finally found their next franchise quarterback. Everything seems to be falling into place in 2024, except for one glaring weakness. We can’t help but wonder are the Steelers one receiver away from truly being a Super Bowl contender?
The answer to that question is an emphatic yes. This team never sufficiently replaced Diontae Johnson after trading him to Carolina way back in March. They tried some bargain basement options like Van Jefferson, Scotty Miller, and Quez Watkins. None of them has come anywhere close to establishing themselves as a true number two wide reciever on this team. In fact, you can say the Steelers additions at this position have been pretty abysmal. They have a combined totals of 46 yards and no touchdown in 3 games so far. Those numbers are horrendous for one receiver, let alone totals for three. Steelers wide receiver room: The worst in the Mike Tomlin era
Now some hope that rookie Roman Wilson will swoop in and save the team whenever he can get himself on the field. The likeliness of this actually happening is a long shot at best however. Let’s start with the fact that this is a third round pick we are talking about, not some ultra talented first round pick taken with the expectation of being a starter. Wilson is definitely talented, but he was not taken to fill the void left by the Johnson trade. Add to this the fact he was missed basically most of training camp, and the preseason due to injury. Roman Wilson will contribute some in 2024, but he is not the answer to what this team needs.
So that leaves Omar Khan in a precarious position. After failing to land Brandon Ayiuk before the season started, he is left with the hope that someone decent will become available at the trade deadline. https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/paul-zeise/2024/08/30/steelers-george-pickens-brandon-aiyuk-nfl-news-rumors-cutdown-day/stories/202408300085
There are already teams to target that will probably be sellers at the deadline. Some player who might be available include Davante Adams, Deandre Hopkins, or even a return of Diontae Johnson. One name in particular that could make a huge impact is Tyreek Hill. If the Dolphins continue to slide without Tua, they could very well be looking to shed contracts come November. One last name we will leave you with is DJ Moore. He has made no secret of his displeasure with the Bears moving on from Justin Fields, and the current quarterback situation in Chicago. He would have to shoot his way out of town for the Bears to consider moving him, but he seems to be laying the groundwork of just that.
The Steelers have managed to scrape by without any semblance of a dynamic offense so far, but we can’t except this to continue all season. If they really intend to compete with the big boys in the AFC, the offense will have to play much better. A true number two receiver would go a long way in taking this offense where it needs to be. Omar Khan has a little over a month to get a deal done. If he does, there is not telling how far this team can go.