One Steelers offseason move would be the best of both worlds with nothing involving QB

The Pittsburgh Steelers have several holes to plug this offseason, but none stand out more than quarterback and wide receiver. It's fair to question the upside of any Arthur Smith scheme at this point, but after toiling under mediocre QB play and a lopsided WR room for years since Ben Roethlisberger's unceremonious exit, the Steelers just need to get adequate talent on the field.

It's unclear exactly how the Steelers plan to proceed at quarterback. Russell Wilson is done in Pittsburgh; that much seems clear. As for Justin Fields, there are some who view him as the logical successor. Others expect Pittsburgh to go in a whole new direction, whether that's lining up the Aaron Rodgers retirement tour or handing an ungodly amount of money to Sam Darnold.

No matter how the Steelers address their QB void, the wide receiver position needs to be addressed with equal urgency. George Pickens has crystalized as one of the NFL's best big-play wideouts, but he doesn't have much help, nor should Pittsburgh feel great about entrusting the future of such a consequential position to such a combustive personality.

One more impact receiver would go a long way toward cementing the Steelers as a genuine threat in the NFC North. Perhaps the most obvious target hails from within the very same division — (soon-to-be ex-)Cincinnati Bengals star Tee Higgins.

Steelers can boost WR room and weaken Bengals with Tee Higgins signing

Joe Burrow has made his plea to the Bengals front office to re-sign Higgins and other top free agents, but Cincinnati has a historic quantity of cash tied up in Burrow's contract. That makes it hard to pay everybody. Higgins feels like a natural casualty of the Bengals' cap crisis. He's not as essential as Ja'Marr Chase, and Burrow is talented enough to elevate whoever is tasked with replacing Higgins.

Should Higgins leave, it will be for a hefty chunk of change. Marcus Mosher of 33rd Team expects the 26-year-old to land a contract of $100 million over three years. He lists the Steelers as a logical fit.

That is a dream outcome for Pittsburgh fans. Higgins is pure electricity at the WR position. Listed at 6-foot-4 and 219 pounds, Higgins is averaging a healthy 13.9 yards per catch for his career. He reeled in 73 receptions for 911 yards and 10 touchdowns across 12 games last season. He was Burrow's favorite 'lob it up and see what happens' target in the end zone. He could fulfill a similar role in Pittsburgh, where Pickens has historically struggled to find pay dirt.

It's an ideal setup for any quarterback — two big, fast wide receivers known for their ability to break loose downfield and pull in difficult, contested catches. Higgins would elevate the Steelers' red zone offense and take defensive attention away from Pickens, who shouldn't suffer much in terms of volume. Higgins may hesitate to sign on without an established quarterback to throw him the football, but $100 million is $100 million, and the Steelers are like a thorn in the AFC North's side — never quite out of sight, out of mind.

Mike Tomlin has a lot of pull in this league. He is a well-respected coach with a history of winning. That might be enough for Higgins, who could relish the chance to remind Cincinnati of his value twice per season if the Bengals don't show the initiative to pay up.