There’s still a big-name wide receiver on the market who can help the Steelers

It's no secret that the Pittsburgh Steelers want to acquire a big-name wide receiver via the trade market. But what if we told you there was a way for them to add a player of that ilk without giving away premium draft capital?

Former New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas shockingly remains a free agent at this juncture in the offseason. He is not admittedly the AP Offensive Player of the Year he once was in 2019. Regardless, he is worth taking a flier on for any team looking to upgrade their receiving corps, such as the Steelers. 

Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report lists Thomas as one of the seven remaining NFL free agents on the market with the highest upside. Moreover, he lists Pittsburgh as an ideal landing spot for the wideout, along with the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Rams. 

Michael Thomas is still on the market and can help the Steelers

As Ballentine points out, five years have passed since Thomas had one of the most statistically dominant receiving seasons ever. He posted a record-setting 149 receptions for 1,725 yards and nine touchdowns in 2019. However, injuries have derailed his career, and things have taken a drastic turn for the worse.

"Most of the nosedive in production can be chalked up to injuries," Ballentine says. 

Since his historic campaign, Thomas has appeared in 20 out of 67 possible regular season games. He has dealt with various lower-body and soft-tissue injuries, which is far from ideal. Nonetheless, he still positively impacts an offense when available, evidenced by his Pro Football Focus player grades.

Thomas amassed 39 receptions for 448 yards and a touchdown before suffering a season-ending knee injury in Week 10 against the Minnesota Vikings this past season. There is a "small glimmer of hope" that he can be a serviceable second or third option in the receiving game, barring any physical setbacks, per Ballentine.

The Steelers could do much worse than kicking the tires on Thomas. Nevertheless, it will be a tough sell to the fan base after the franchise has reportedly expressed interest in several high-profile pass-catchers. Whether it be either of the San Francisco 49ers stars (Deebo Samuel/Brandon Aiyuk), Courtland Sutton or DK Metcalf, Pittsburgh is mentioned frequently as a suitor.