There have been two primary topics of discussion when it comes to the Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason. When will the team win a playoff game, and who will be behind center in 2025? The former has been a sticking point for some time. You have to go back to 2016, a divisional-round win at Kansas City, to find Mike Tomlin’s last postseason victory. The Steelers have dropped six straight playoff games since, all of them in embarrassing fashion.
As for the quarterback situation, the team started both Justin Fields and Russell Wilson in 2024. The latter got off to a good start when he finally took the field (Fields started the first 6 games), but he struggled with indecisiveness and turnovers late.
Omar Khan could go bargain shopping in Los Angeles
In recent seasons, the Steelers have parted ways with talented yet troubled wideouts such as Antonio Brown and Diontae Johnson. In 2022, they used a second-round pick on George Pickens. The outspoken and emotional performer has been sensational at times, and a distraction at others. However, he isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Still, the team could really use another proven commodity opposite Pickens to aid whoever is throwing the ball this year.
There was lots of talk about the team possibly swinging a deal last offseason for 49ers’ wideout Brandon Aiyuk, but it obviously never transpired. This year, it was another Niners’ pass-catcher in Deebo Samuel, who requested a trade from the team. He got it, but the 2021 All-Pro performer is set to become a member of the Washington Commanders. It cost that club a fifth-round draft choice.
SI.com’s Albert Breer made this observation regarding the deal, and how it may correspond to another NFC West wide receiver in the Rams’ Cooper Kupp. “Samuel just turned 29, so he’s younger than the 31-year-old Kupp. But both have had injury issues, and both have amassed a ton of mileage. Each had a monster year in ’21…And this is the key—both are expensive. Samuel is making a tick over $17.5 million in ‘25. Kupp is at an even $20 million.
“So, if Samuel wound up fetching a fifth-rounder, it’d stand that the return for Kupp would be somewhere in that vicinity, as well.”
Would general manager Omar Khan be willing to swing a deal to add a proven but aging wideout that has struggled to stay healthy the past three seasons? Kupp hasn’t been the same since his brilliant 2021 campaign. Could the Steelers get him with a sixth- or seventh-rounder? It bears watching.