Insider predicts Steelers will trade for No. 2 WR like Brandon Aiyuk or Deebo Samuel

It has been a chaotic offseason for the Pittsburgh Steelers, who reshaped their quarterback room, hired a new offensive coordinator, and made several impact additions through the NFL Draft. One of the most consequential moves from Omar Khan and the front office, however, was trading Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers.

In one fell swoop, Pittsburgh eliminated a locker room chaos agent and sabotaged the WR corps. George Pickens remains installed as a perfectly competent WR1, but the Steelers' depth at the position is seriously lacking. Right now, the offense is slated to lean heavily on Van Jefferson and third-round pick Roman Wilson — a risky proposition. Arthur Smith excels at incorporating bit players into the offense and spreading the wealth, so to speak, but the Steelers need another dynamic playmaker to take the offense to the next level.

That is made even more true by the state of the quarterback room. Russell Wilson is a totally respectable vet, but age has sapped his arm strength and athleticism. He's not going to be uncorking long-range darts into traffic. Nor is Justin Fields, who has long relied on finesse more than power. The Steelers need wideouts who can execute their routes and create out in space, ideally transforming short pitch-and-catch actions into a chunk gains.

Pickens is the only real difference-maker in the Pittsburgh WR room right now. If defenses are allowed to key in on him without consequence, it could get dicey for the Steelers' offense. The obvious solution is to trade for another impact receiver, which is exactly what Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette expects to happen.

Steelers insider points to Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel as potential trade targets

In a recent appearance on 'The Joe Starkey Show,' Fittipaldo relayed his expectation that the Steelers will trade for a No. 2 receiver. He cited Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel, both rumored to be available from the San Francisco 49ers, as possible targets.

The Steelers were heavily involved in Aiyuk rumors leading up to April's NFL Draft, but ultimately decided to stand pat and select a wideout in the third round. Still, both Aiyuk and Samuel are entering contract years and neither has inked an extension with the Niners — nor has meaningful progress been made. It sure sounds like San Francisco will only pay one of its star wideouts, so the circumstances are ripe for Pittsburgh to swoop in with a juicy trade offer.

There are other options floating in the rumor mill, of course. Denver's Courtland Sutton and Cincinnati's Tee Higgins are both waiting for paydays that may never come. Even Justin Jefferson is still without a new deal. The Steelers have the cap flexibility to acquire an impact receiver and dish out a lucrative extension, which is a necessity when considering all these hypothetical targets. It's a two-part equation, one that impacts draft capital and the bank account moving forward.

Aiyuk and Samuel are definitely the buzziest names at the moment, and both would improve the Steelers in different ways. Aiyuk is an explosive, big-play receiver who can take the lid off the defense with his speed. Samuel is more of a superstar utilityman, lining up all over the field and executing a vast route tree. The latter feels more like your idealized Arthur Smith weapon, but Aiyuk is younger with a longer window to contribute.

Expect to keep hearing the Steelers in trade rumors until Omar Khan is able to meaningfully address the pass-catching shortage.