The NFL trade deadline has passed, with many important deals made. As always, many fans were upset that their teams did not move before the deadline, including the Pittsburgh Steelers.
After winning 27-20 against the Indianapolis Colts, Mike Tomlin’s team re-established a two-game lead atop the AFC North. Although there are still nine games to go, the Steelers have a formidable advantage over the Baltimore Ravens. Fans were hoping to see one or two moves to give Pittsburgh a better shot at its first AFC North title since 2020.
Did the Steelers Miss an Opportunity To Improve the Roster Before the Deadline?
The 2025 NFL trade deadline saw a record 27 players moved; the most in 25 years, highlighted by the New York Jets’ blockbuster deals that sent All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner to the Colts and defensive tackle Quinnen Williams to the Cowboys.
Among AFC North teams, the Ravens (3-5) led the way with three trades, bolstering both their secondary and pass rush. Cincinnati moved linebacker Logan Wilson to Dallas, while Cleveland made minor roster adjustments, highlighted by a quarterback swap involving Joe Flacco earlier.
The Steelers’ lack of movement had fans disappointed. With Aaron Rodgers at the helm, they have been more competitive than in previous years. The 5-3 record and the two-win lead in the AFC North had fans clamoring for roster upgrades to make a stronger push in the conference.
One specific target asked by fans was New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson, who played with Rodgers in the past two seasons. This fan wanted to hear nothing but the receiver to join Pittsburgh on Tuesday: “That’s great and all but go get Garrett Wilson.”
That’s great and all but go get Garrett Wilson
— SteelTwins (@SteelTwins) November 4, 2025
Wide receiver was not the only position where fans wanted to see improvements. The Steelers currently allow 278.3 passing yards per game, the highest mark in the NFL. One fan asked for either a receiver or a cornerback: “bring me a wr or a cb simple.”
bring me a wr or a cb simple
— rodlo 🪬 (@roddystr) November 4, 2025
Names such as Rashid Shaheed or Alontae Taylor, both from the New Orleans Saints, were specifically mentioned by a fan as possible trade targets: “Great but you couldn’t get Rasheed Shaheed or another CB Alontea Taylor to Help Ramsey so he could stay at Safety.” Shaheed ended the day as a member of the Seattle Seahawks, while Taylor stayed with the Saints past the deadline.
Great but you couldn’t get Rasheed Shaheed or another CB Alontea Taylor to Help Ramsey so he could stay at Safety. 😥
— Eric Grueser (@EricGrueser1984) November 4, 2025
The lack of movement concerned fans in many different ways. A regular post from the Steelers’ X account highlighted the cleats worn by Jalen Ramsey in Week 9. However, fans screamed for action before the deadline, even though there was nothing to be done about the subject; “Fans losing their minds and yall posting cleats.”
Fans losing their minds and yall posting cleats https://t.co/bJwm4jUbL9
— Stubbs (@The_RS_1) November 4, 2025
Fans were only interested in hearing about a potential move for a player. And they were ultimately disappointed: “It’s the deadline and you’re online tweeting.”
It’s the deadline and you’re online tweeting
— 5-3 🖤💛 (@yourrrfavdani) November 4, 2025
Many insiders pointed out that they would have made the same move as the Jacksonville Jaguars, trading multiple late-round picks to the Las Vegas Raiders for wide receiver Jakobi Meyers.
However, was this an inactivity or a calculated move? The front office appears focused on the long game, stockpiling assets ahead of the quarterback-rich 2026 and 2027 drafts. Pittsburgh is currently projected to hold 8 to 12 picks next year, including a third-round pick from the George Pickens trade and as many as four compensatory selections.
They’re balancing their win-now ambitions, driven by the offseason arrivals of Rodgers, Jalen Ramsey and DK Metcalf, while also maintaining a desire to preserve flexibility for the future. While some fans lamented the lack of help for one of the league’s worst pass defenses or a missed opportunity to acquire a receiver like Shaheed, GM Omar Khan’s patience underscores confidence in the current roster’s ability to compete without mortgaging the future.
Nevertheless, at 5-3 and with a 4-1 record in the AFC, the Steelers are currently well-positioned to grab a playoff berth in the conference. But they’ll have to do it with the same roster they started the season with.