If you’re going to replace Justin Fields at quarterback with Russell Wilson, as the Steelers are poised to do in Week 7, even with the 4-2 record the team posted with Justin Fields at the helm, you’d better make sure there are ample deep threats on the roster. Wilson has a penchant for the deep ball, with an average of 7.8 yards per attempt before he left Seattle for Denver two years ago. The hope for the Steelers in making the switch is to stretch out the field more effectively–Fields prefers shorter passes, and has averaged only 6.9 yards per attempt this season. There has been plenty of drama around the Steelers’ impending quarterback change away from Fields. But in a nutshell, it comes down to Wilson being the better thrower.
With that in mind, it might come as no surprise that the Steelers are investigating trade options for wide receivers–and they’re doing so “aggressively” according to a report from CBS Sports. In an article headlined, “Chiefs, Steelers expected to aggressively pursue a wide receiver as NFL trade deadline draws closer,” CBS insider Jonathan Jones writes that the Steelers will be active ahead of Nov. 5.
“Sources believe the Kansas City Chiefs and Pittsburgh Steelers will be most aggressive in adding another receiver before the deadline gets here,” Jones wrote. He continued: “Pittsburgh believes Russell Wilson has returned to form from a few years ago, and the hope is he can operate Arthur Smith’s offense more efficiently while opening up the vertical passing game. Coupling an improved offense with a stingy defense, Pittsburgh believes it is a contender in the AFC this year.” Jones does not list any concrete options for the Steelers, who traded away Diontae Johnson in the offseason and have been linked to a return trade that would send Johnson back to Pittsburgh. The Jets’ Mike Williams and Christian Kirk of the Jaguars are sensible potential options for the Steelers, too.
For now, though, Wilson will need to engage with the Steelers’ lackluster receiver group, which is headed by the flighty George Pickens and lacks depth behind him. Pickens has 26 receptions on the year, and No. 2 among the team’s receivers is Calvin Austin, who has speed but is 5-foot-9. Austin ahs 10 catches on the year.
