Pittsburgh Steelers They were hit hard on Tuesday Baltimore Ravens Acquired Diontae Johnson Carolina Panthers in a selection swap. After trading for Johnson this offseason, the Steelers did everything but replace him on the depth chart. As a result, Pittsburgh’s WR room has been a point of weakness on a solid roster.

Johnson now remains with Steelers major league rival. Pittsburgh is 6-2 in the NFC North, one game ahead of the 5-3 Ravens. But that could quickly turn around with Baltimore getting more ammunition on offense. The Ravens’ quarterback looks extremely intimidating on paper.

Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry are MVP candidates at this point, while Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely form one of the NFL’s best tight end duos. If there was a relatively weak position before this trade, it was wide receiver. Rashod Bateman was a source of frustration in Baltimore, and Zay Flowers can’t do it all.

Johnson immediately upgrades the Ravens’ pass-catching group, offering tantalizing speed and versatility opposite Flowers.

The Steelers have an elite defensive unit, but the offense still pales in comparison to most competitors in the NFL. Russell Wilson has stepped it up since replacing Justin Fields, but Pittsburgh still hasn’t looked like a team that can outlast the likes of Kansas City, Buffalo or Baltimore in a potential postseason showdown.

Here are a few potentially valuable WR trades the Steelers should consider in response to Baltimore’s big splash.

George Pickens led the NFL in yards per catch (18.1) last season, while Kenny Pickett and Mason Rudolph threw the ball. One of the most explosive offensive players in the NFL; Equally exciting before and after the catch. But Pittsburgh’s offense relied more on small gains under Arthur Smith. Pickens is now targeted less often and is not released as often.

In 2019, Mike Williams led the NFL with 20.4 yards per catch. Injuries and age have taken their toll since then, but Williams remains as strong a downfield target as you can find — especially when it comes to wide receivers milling around the trade mill with a little more than a week left until Nov. 1. 5 deadlines.

New York Jets In free fall at 2-6. The Davante Adams trade reshuffled the Jets’ offensive hierarchy, leaving Williams off the depth chart. It needs a change of scenery and a more robust sharing of goals. The Steelers can provide that. Other than Pickens, there won’t be many obstacles in Williams’ path in Pittsburgh. He would have a chance to recapture the premium WR2 role he filled so well in Los Angeles.

Williams had 11 catches on 19 targets during his eight weeks in New York. This doesn’t seem right. It is available and available cheaply. At the very least, Pittsburgh needs to get their hands on someone like Williams. Omar Khan can’t let the trade deadline pass without improving the WR room.

Yes complex emotions For Jordan Addison in Pittsburgh and a boatload of NIL money after he left Pitt for USC a few years ago. Now, Minnesota Vikings Wideout has a chance to return to where it all began. Addison took social media Bemoaning his decreased usage next to Sam Darnold, which could come before a potential trade deadline move.

Addison was exciting as a rookie, throwing for 911 yards and 10 touchdowns, so his 2023 first-round pick is still quite valuable. The Vikings won’t trade him for free, but with Addison clearly disgruntled and Minnesota suffering a minor concussion, the winds of change may blow hard enough in Pittsburgh’s favor.

Perhaps Pitt fans would react harshly to this move, but it wouldn’t take long for Addison to win them back. The Steelers are the No. 1 priority in this town and Addison is a great talent; He is blessed with quick athleticism and the ability to cover defenses. He’s averaging 16.5 yards per catch this season and is making it count on targets coming his way.

Addison is 22 years old and has a few more years on his rookie contract, so that’s really great value. Even if the Steelers have to sacrifice premium draft capital, landing Addison opposite Pickens for the next half-decade or more could pay big dividends.

Sean McVay effectively told reporters that Cooper Kupp was unavailable after the incident. Los Angeles Rams‘Thursday Night Football victory over Minnesota. But here’s the thing. McVay is not the GM, and the Rams could still waive Kupp and his onerous contract if the right offer comes along. Pittsburgh needs to strongly consider an aggressive move for the former Super Bowl MVP.

The concerns about Kupp are pretty clear at this point. He’s 31 years old and has a long list of injuries on his ledger, not to mention a marked decline in production over the last few years. Kupp’s contract has expired quite big — he will be due roughly $15 million over the rest of this season, with $5 million of his 2025 salary already guaranteed — which is naturally off-putting for most front offices.

However, Kupp is still really good when healthy; He offers incredible speed, precision and reliability at the WR position. He can line up all over the lineup, improvise when necessary, and it won’t take long for Kupp to find his way in Arthur Smith’s offense. Kupp had a feast in Pittsburgh’s dunk and dunk scheme.

In terms of guaranteed production, the Steelers won’t have anyone better than Kupp. The contract is in bad shape, but with Russell Wilson and Justin Fields earning well below market value as quarterbacks, Pittsburgh can afford to spend money elsewhere. The Steelers won’t be paying top dollar for a QB for a while. Kupp and Pickens complement each other very well. This move would truly set off alarm bells in Baltimore and the rest of the AFC.