The Pittsburgh Steelers have a two-win lead at the top of the AFC North, despite having played one game fewer than their rivals. Mike Tomlin’s men defeated the Cleveland Browns in their first divisional game of the season in Week 6, taking their record to 4-1 with a convincing 23-9 victory.
However, despite their strong start, the team lacks depth at wide receiver, with only two receivers having been targeted more than three times in their first five games. Two of Pittsburgh’s running backs and three of its tight ends have more targets than that, so it’s no surprise that the team is looking for reinforcements at wideout.
Through six weeks, the Steelers rank 12th in PFSN’s Offense Impact metric, with a score of 77.9, earning them a C+ grade.
Could the Steelers Add Another Star Wide Receiver to Pair With DK Metcalf?
Speaking on “The Pat McAfee Show,” NFL insider Adam Schefter recently revealed that the Steelers were looking to make a trade for a new wide receiver. The team made a big splash in the offseason, sending a second-round draft pick to the Seattle Seahawks for star receiver DK Metcalf.
That move has paid dividends, with Metcalf tallying 356 receiving yards and four touchdowns in five games, and developing an immediate connection with Aaron Rodgers. But with the team looking for other options, who could make the move to Acrisure Stadium?
5 Receivers Steelers Could Target Before NFL Trade Deadline
While the likes of A.J. Brown and D.J. Moore would be the most exciting additions for fans, the Steelers’ cap situation makes those moves unlikely. Also, with Metcalf, the team’s undisputed alpha receiver, any new addition would be brought in to complement the star player, rather than compete with him.
Here are five receivers who could realistically be on their way to Pittsburgh in the coming weeks.
Jakobi Meyers, Las Vegas Raiders
Jakobi Meyers, like every player on this list, is a free agent at the end of the season. The former New England Patriots receiver has shone in recent seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders, with over 2,000 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns since signing in 2023.
Meyers, a reliable receiver who managed just 1.7 fewer receiving yards per game than Brock Bowers last season, would be a great addition for Pittsburgh. The veteran has publicly voiced his desire to leave the Raiders and has already asked the team for a trade.
With Pete Carroll’s men sitting at the bottom of the AFC West, with a 2-4 record, there is little reason not to trade their wantaway receiver. With younger players like Tre Tucker, Jack Bech, and D’onte Thornton ready to prove themselves, a trade may suit all involved.
Tyquan Thornton, Kansas City Chiefs
Elsewhere, Kansas City Chiefs speedster Tyquan Thornton could be of interest. Thornton, who also began his career with the Patriots, has enjoyed an impressive start to the 2025 season, with Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy missing time.
However, with Rice now available after suspension, Thornton will be relegated to fourth, or even fifth, among the team’s receivers. Factor in that Travis Kelce will also likely out-target Thornton moving forward, and the receiver’s chances of earning a good contract in March are slim.
Heading into Week 6, Thornton led the Chiefs in receiving yards (272) and receiving touchdowns (three). In Week 6, though, he saw his lowest snap share of the season (26.6%) and wasn’t targeted once. A move to the Steelers would likely land him in a WR3 role and allow him to build on a stellar five weeks in Kansas City.
Allen Lazard, New York Jets
Allen Lazard has been linked with Pittsburgh, both seriously and comically, since Rodgers became the team’s starting quarterback in June. The 6’5″ receiver has followed Rodgers throughout his career, so far, with 2025 the first time the two have been on separate teams since 2018.
The Green Bay Packers signed a then-rookie Lazard from the Jacksonville Jaguars’ practice squad in December 2018. The receiver stayed in Green Bay until 2023, when he followed Rodgers to the New York Jets, and turned 109 targets into 841 yards and seven touchdowns in his first two years.
This season, though, Lazard has been targeted just six times in four games, returning 24 yards and a touchdown. He missed New York’s Week 6 trip to London for personal reasons, and a move away is a very real possibility. The Jets receiver has a connection with Rodgers and could handle deep sideline duty every week, with Metcalf and others working underneath.
Rashid Shaheed, New Orleans Saints
Like Thornton and Lazard, New Orleans Saints playmaker Rashid Shaheed would complement the Steelers’ offense perfectly. Since 2023, only Ja’Marr Chase (11) and Tyreek Hill (seven) have more receiving touchdowns of over 40 yards than Shaheed (six).
Since moving to Pittsburgh, Metcalf has been used far more as a catch-and-run specialist, with 62.64% of his 356 receiving yards coming after the catch. In Seattle, his highest percentage of yards after the catch was 33.92% in 2021.
Adding a field-stretcher like Shaheed would open up more opportunities for Metcalf underneath and give the Steelers’ passing game another dimension.
Adam Thielen, Minnesota Vikings
One player who doesn’t offer that field-stretching explosiveness is Adam Thielen. The veteran receiver finds himself in a limited role on the Minnesota Vikings after being traded back to his former team from the Carolina Panthers before the season.
The Vikings needed cover for the then-suspended Jordan Addison, who missed the first three games of the year. With Addison back on the field, though, Thielen’s snap share has dropped from as high as 80.9% in Week 2 to as low as 15.8% in Week 4.
Despite his advanced years, Thielen proved he could still be a reliable volume receiver in Carolina. In 2024, he averaged 4.8 receptions a game, tied for 26th among qualifying receivers with Terry McLaurin, Courtland Sutton, and the aforementioned Hill.
Thielen ranked 28th among those same receivers in receiving yards per game, with 61.5. The 35-year-old may not be the most inspiring addition, but he still has what it takes, and age shouldn’t be an issue for a Steelers team in win-now mode.
