Steelers could pinpoint potential Chiefs castoff as Brandon Aiyuk backup plan

We somehow don't talk enough about the fact that the Kansas City Chiefs just won the Super Bowl with one of the worst WR rooms in the NFL. The Travis Kelce factor helps, of course, but Patrick Mahomes was struggling all season to build a connection with his supposed top targets.

Rashee Rice was one of the few bright spots, posting 938 yards and seven touchdowns as a rookie. Now, we're all just waiting for the NFL to drop the hammer after Rice inflicted severe injuries in an offseason car crash. With their No. 1 wideout tenuously slated to begin the season on the active roster but possibly not finish on it, the Chiefs are going to look for upgrades.

The Pittsburgh Steelers aren't quite in the same position — George Pickens would be the top wideout on a number of teams — but in terms of depth, Pittsburgh's pass-catching corps is among the worst in football. The Steelers need another weapon and, up until recently, it appeared as though Brandon Aiyuk was a potential solution.

He is still in the mix for Pittsburgh, but according to Bleacher Report's Jordan Schultz, the San Francisco 49ers recently re-opened contract negotiations with Aiyuk. We all know how that ends. There is a better than even chance that Pittsburgh is forced to engage with fallback options at WR.

Perhaps there is something to be worked out between two teams in absolute shambles at the position. At the very least, we could see the Steelers circling like vultures, hoping Kansas City cuts ties with a once-promising playmaker.

Steelers could target Chiefs WR Skyy Moore if Brandon Aiyuk trade falls through

A second-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Skyy Moore arrived in Kansas City with high expectations. As does every wideout joining Patrick Mahomes. Unfortunately, following an alarmingly frequent pattern for highly touted Chiefs receivers, it never quite clicked. Through two seasons, Moore has a combined 494 yards. He has scored one touchdown in 30 regular season games.

In hindsight, there were red flags the Chiefs failed to heed. Moore is a 5-foot-10 WR hailing from an RPO-based offense at Western Michigan, a school with a fairly soft schedule. Maybe, just maybe, the Chiefs overextended on draft night. All the same, Moore still has long-term appeal at 23 years old. A number of teams would gladly buy low if the Chiefs cut him loose, with the Steelers making rather obvious sense.

Andrew Falce of Still Curtain explained the potential appeal for Pittsburgh in a recent article.

"The Steelers had a lot of interest in Moore before he was drafted but decided to take George Pickens when they were on the clock instead. Now, they could be in a position to have both on their roster if the Chiefs part ways with him. It would provide the team with another name to use in the slot if he were drafted."

We've seen this a million times before. A team takes great interest in a prospect, doesn't quite get him, then circles back years later when that prospect needs a new home. It's hard to imagine Moore thriving in Pittsburgh if he couldn't cut it next to Patrick Mahomes, but not all WR success is contingent upon QB quality. A new scheme could work wonders for Moore as he attempts to salvage his NFL career. Arthur Smith has a history with speedy utility receivers and, for better or worse, he will spread the wealth and get every member of the offense involved.

Moore obviously pales in comparison to Aiyuk, but the pickings are slim if the Steelers can't get a hold on the 49ers' top weapon. As such, a more marginal move could be in order if Pittsburgh's top target is taken off the board.