One of the most obvious team needs at the NFL trade deadline is the Pittsburgh Steelers’ need for a wide receiver. With the Steelers sitting atop the AFC North at 6-2 and Russell Wilson opening up the passing game, Pittsburgh has a realistic chance to win its first playoff game since the 2016 season.
That could motivate GM Omar Khan to bolster the offense at the trade deadline. Below we consider one potential option that would reunite Wilson with one of his former Seattle Seahawks teammates.
Steelers Should Add Proven Starting-Caliber Wide Receiver
Trade Proposal:
- Steelers receive: WR Tyler Lockett
- Seahawks receive: 2025 conditional fifth-round pick
This trade would assume the Steelers are eating most if not all of Lockett’s remaining salary for the 2024 season. Even with that being the case, Seattle would have to take on $12.7 million in dead money, forcing the Steelers to sweeten the pot a little.
The price would be well worth it to Pittsburgh, which leans heavily on Pickens to carry the passing game. For the season, he has accounted for nearly 33% of the team’s receiving yards. That’s the third-highest share of any team’s receiving yards for a single player this season
Wilson’s deep-ball accuracy has been a beautiful fit with Pickens, but the Steelers need more than that to survive. It’s a small sample, but while Wilson has been extraordinary when targeting Pickens, he’s been about average when throwing to any other player on the Steelers.
Wilson’s passing stats by target, 2024:
- Pickens: 0.84 EPA per target and 13.2 yards per attempt
- All others: 0.00 EPA per target and 8.3 yards per attempt
While midseason receiver trades can be tough from a chemistry standpoint, Wilson’s history with Lockett could ease the transition. The two were teammates in Seattle from 2015-21, connecting for 5,855 yards and 45 touchdowns. Both of those are the most for any receiver in Wilson’s career.
Beautiful toss from @DangeRussWilson for @TDLockett12's second TD of the game! #TBvsSEA
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Watch free on mobile: https://t.co/GjhTr4sGG6 pic.twitter.com/FsURE3L8yb— NFL (@NFL) November 3, 2019
Lockett hasn’t had the best 2024, recording 31 catches on 393 yards and one touchdown. His 49.1 receiving yards per game are his fewest since 2017.
However, he’s still managed to increase his yards per reception from 11.3 last year to 12.7 so far in 2024. With more opportunities — Lockett’s target rate of 17.6% is his lowest since 2018 — it’s conceivable the veteran receiver could post a more familiar level of production.
Moreover, while Lockett has not been the Seahawks’ primary slot receiver since Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s arrival, he played more than half his snaps from the slot as recently as 2021. That would make him a nice fit in Pittsburgh, as the Steelers rank 28th in receptions from the slot (40).
The biggest hurdle could be whether the Seahawks view themselves as buyers or sellers. Seattle has already upgraded at linebacker with its Jerome Baker-for-Ernest Jones IV swap but has also lost four of five since a 3-0 start. With every NFC West team being 4-4 or 3-4, the Seahawks could certainly talk themselves into standing pat.
Still, this is an idea worth exploring for the Steelers. Lockett would assimilate faster than any other realistic receiver target given his history with Wilson. With the division title up for grabs, that could make a real difference to the Steelers’ hopes of holding off the Baltimore Ravens.