Steelers gifted Terry McLaurin trade opportunity they can’t afford to miss

The Pittsburgh Steelers finally did the damn thing, signing Aaron Rodgers to a one-year contract. The 41-year-old took his sweet time deciding, but it has been clear for months that Rodgers would probably suit up again — and that it'd be in a Steelers uniform, playing for an established head coach in Mike Tomlin.

The Aaron Rodgers news cycle is never not annoying, but this does give us a whole new season of storylines around one of the most polarizing figures in sports. Rodgers is undeniably accomplished and he will look to put a messy tenure with the New York Jets behind him. If there's anything this Steelers team can do, it's win a few more games than expected and make the playoffs. Just don't expect anything more than a swift first round exit.

Rodgers is no doubt dying to play competitive football again, but the Steelers do need to improve the roster around him substantially. Arthur Smith isn't going to draw up explosive plays, so Pittsburgh needs to manufacture that pop on the personnel side. DK Metcalf is a great WR1, but the depth chart behind him is... lacking.

That's why this sudden opportunity to trade for Washington Commanders standout Terry McLaurin should earn Omar Khan's full and undivided attention over the next few weeks.

Steelers should jump all over chance to trade for Commanders' Terry McLaurin

Terry McLaurin "unexpectedly" left voluntary team workouts this week amid stalled contract negotiations with the Commanders, per Bleacher Report's Jordan Schultz. He is "frustrated with the lack of progress on a long-term deal," with talks "minimal" up to now.

Pittsburgh just recently traded George Pickens in the final year of his contract to avoid what would have surely been a complicated negotiation, but McLaurin is A) far more dependable than Pickens and B) much less of a headache off the field. The 29-year-old was Jayden Daniels' favorite target last season, occupying a central role in Kliff Kingsbury's revamped Commanders offense.

This is a home run opportunity for the Steelers front office. It feels like Washington would like to get a deal done, but in an inflated marketplace — and with McLaurin presumably reaching the tail end of his NFL prime — the conditions are right for an eventual trade. What a punch he could pack next to Metcalf in the Steelers WR room.

What would a Steelers trade for Terry McLaurin look like?

The Steelers gave up a second-round pick for Metcalf, which is probably around the price necessary for McLaurin. Washington's top wideout has five straight seasons of 1,000-plus yards under his belt, going for 1,096 yards and a career-high 13 touchdowns in 2024 and averaging 13.4 yards per reception.

McLaurin, not unlike a McLaren, has the burst and agility of a sports-car. He's comfortable running a variety of routes and he's difficult to bring down once he's blowing through open space. The Steelers' offense won't be able to rely on Rodgers' all-time arm talent — he's on the decline — so surrounding him with a pair of dynamic, well-matched receivers like Metcalf and McLaurin would go a long way toward keeping Pittsburgh competitive in a turbulent AFC landscape. Especially with such a tough schedule on the docket.

The Steelers would need to worry about extending McLaurin, of course, but he's worth it — even if he spends 2026 and beyond next to a new quarterback, as will likely be the case.