3 trades Steelers need to make that have nothing to do with Brandon Aiyuk

As Steelers trade talks for Brandon Aiyuk crawl along, it's about time Pittsburgh considers other options. Whether it be at wide receiver, cornerback or elsewhere, there are plenty of holes on this roster. Omar Khan has bet all of his chips on Aiyuk, but there's no indication he prefers Pittsburgh over San Francisco.

Aiyuk bought a house in the Bay Area with his girlfriend this summer. He was also seen at 49ers practice just Wednesday sporting a team-sponsored t-shirt -- do with that what you will, but the Steelers chances of landing the star wide receiver don't appear particularly hopeful right about now.

So, what should Pittsburgh do? Rather than sit on their hands and wait for Aiyuk to finally, mercifully decide and put us all out of our misery, they could plan for life without him. Let's be real, that is the most likely option here.

With that in mind, here are some trades the Steelers could make that don't involve Aiyuk whatsoever.

3. Steelers should trade for Titans WR DeAndre Hopkins

With Aiyuk off the board, the Steelers do still need wide receiver help. They view George Pickens as a WR1, but the rest of the league will blanket him as a result of the lack of depth at the position for Pittsburgh. Van Jefferson, despite his impressive training camp and Antonio Brown-like dedication, isn't going to cut it opposite of Pickens. The rest of Pittsburgh's options aren't ideal, either, though Calvin Austin III has some potential.

The next-best option for the Steelers -- and an affordable one at that -- could be Tennessee Titans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins. At one point, Hopkins was considered among the best wide receivers in the NFL. However, Hopkins is 32 years old now. He's best utilized at the WR2 spot, opposite of a player who can stretch the field like Pickens.

Last season with the Titans, Hopkins had 75 receptions for 1,057 yards and 7 touchdowns. Those are respectable numbers in an offense that lacked a true QB1 most of the season. Will Levis finally emerged, but Tennessee is one of the few teams Pittsburgh has an advantage at the quarterback position. With Russell Wilson or even Justin Fields throwing Hopkins the ball, he could thrive.

2. Steelers should add cornerback depth in Darius Slay

If the Steelers don't have to pay Aiyuk, they can spend some of that capital on a veteran cornerback like Darius Slay. These two general managers have history, as Howie Roseman and Khan pulled off a trade for quarterback Kenny Pickett earlier this offseason. Slay, a 33-year-old cornerback whose best days are behind him, could mimic the role Patrick Peterson played last season in the Steelers secondary, but better.

Slay is far from a liability in the secondary, and knows his days in the NFL are numbered at his advanced age.

"I'm not going to just keep playing. I'm going to let these young guys eat," Slay said, per NBC Sports Philadelphia.

Slay has the right mentality for a player his age, and it's why he'd fit well in the slot next to Joey Porter Jr. Cam Sutton, a corner the Steelers brought in to play that position, is suspended for the first eight games of the season. At the very least, Slay offers Pittsburgh some depth for the first half of the season, and shouldn't cost an arm and a leg.

1. Go for it all, make an offer for CeeDee Lamb

I'll be the first to admit a trade for CeeDee Lamb is incredibly unrealistic for the Steelers. Lamb is unlikely to leave Dallas, and of the three Cowboys superstars in need of extensions, CeeDee is arguably the closest to that achievement. Micah Parsons thinks he'll report to training camp sooner than expected.

However, we all know how quickly contract conversations can go off the rails. Just look at Aiyuk! The compensation for Lamb would be similar to that of Aiyuk, if not a little higher. The contract would have to exceed $30 million. Nonetheless, Khan already brought into paying that much for the 49ers star, surely adding a better overall player would entice the Steelers just as much.

Lamb would probably cost a first-round pick, and an extension worth $30 million a season. That's a tough asking price to pay, but assuming the Steelers take the developmental route with their next quarterback post-Wilson, whether it be Fields or a draft prospect, they can afford to spend more at other positions. Providing a young passer with a receiving corps of Lamb and Pickens is well worth the trouble.