Long awaited Steelers WR trade seems delayed for obvious reason

The Pittsburgh Steelers' offseason centered on their acquisition of two new quarterbacks, Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. That storyline has dominated the first six weeks of the season, with Fields sprinting out to a 4-2 start, only to lose his job to Wilson.

Russ began the season hurt, but he took first-team reps in practice all week and he's now slated to start Week 7 against the New York Jets. It's an odd time for Pittsburgh to change quarterbacks, but Mike Tomlin has been committed to seeing this through with Wilson from the beginning. Credit where credit is due, Tomlin had a plan and he's sticking to it.

All the discourse around Pittsburgh's QB room has shielded us from how bad the WR corps is. George Pickens is still a productive No. 1, but depth at the position has been a persistent weak point for the Steelers. The expectation is that Omar Khan will address the issue at the trade deadline, but it's unclear which options are available to Pittsburgh after this week's flurry.

Both Davante Adams and Amari Cooper were traded to new AFC teams this week. That takes two high-profile options off the table for Pittsburgh. It also opens up a new window of opportunity, though. Adams went to the Jets, where he is expected to mooch targets away from Garrett Wilson. His arrival also pushes veteran Mike Williams to WR3 on the depth chart. New York has two high-leverage wideouts around Aaron Rodgers; perhaps now is the time to get something for Williams, whose contract expires after the season.

Pittsburgh has been connected to Williams in the past, but there's a rather obvious holdup — Week 7.

Steelers could trade for Jets WR Mike Williams after head-to-head matchup this Sunday

The Jets just aren't trading Williams the day before game day, especially not to their Week 7 opponent. The last thing New York wants is to watch Williams tear apart its defense in a Steelers uniform.

From ESPN's Jeremy Fowler:

"Meanwhile, the Steelers have shown interest in a potential trade for Jets receiver Mike Williams, who is on the block. Williams is open to finding a new home before the deadline, and Pittsburgh has basically scoured the Earth for receiver help in recent months. Any possible deal would have to wait until next week, due to the head-to-head matchup."

The Steelers are in on Mike Williams, but it'll have to wait a few days. That is all. Sunday's outcome could play a role in how (or if) a trade unfolds.

If New York falls to 2-5, that could dissuade the Jets from trading away talent. If the Steelers win, meanwhile, there is less urgency at 5-2 compared to 4-3. That is especially true if Russ looks good in his debut. Fields has never been a prolific passer; if the WR room perks up with Wilson at the commands, perhaps the front office focuses its energy elsewhere.

That said, the odds favor Pittsburgh still wanting a new wide receiver when the weekend is out. The Jets won't be able to give Williams the targets he deserves after the Adams trade. This almost makes too much sense. Other teams will be in the mix, surely, but the Steelers are a natural landing spot for the big-play wideout.