Like a poker player protecting his chips, Omar Khan has been presiding over $10 million for quite some time. With the NFL's trade deadline looming, it's only a matter of time before the Steelers' general manager finally pushes his chips towards the center of the table.
Things have been quiet in Pittsburgh from a transaction standpoint since March, when Khan made a flurry of deals that included the acquisitions of quarterbacks Justin Fields and Russell Wilson, linebacker Patrick Queen and cornerback Donte Jackson. The Steelers haven't made a big move since then after previous efforts to land a productive veteran wideout failed to come to fruition.
That will surely change, though, given the Steelers' available cap space, their current positional needs and the players who may be available via a trade. At 4-2, the Steelers have put themselves in a position to be a buyer at the deadline, and they have the financial means to bring in a player who can make a significant impact during the season's second half.
Currently, the Steelers' biggest positional needs are at receiver, offensive line and defensive end after the team recently placed defensive end/outside linebacker DeMarvin Leal on injured reserve.
Here are five trades the Steelers should consider making before the Nov. 5 deadline.
- Steelers receive: WR Christian Kirk, 2025 sixth-round pick
- Jaguars receive: 2025 third-round pick
Kirk's name has started to come up in trade rumblings. While he's still an integral part of the Jaguars' offense, their depth at wideout has made Kirk somewhat expendable. Rookie Brian Thomas Jr. has supplanted Kirk as Trevor Lawrence's go-to option. Gabe Davis, whom the Jaguars acquired this offseason, has twice as many touchdown catches as Kirk has through six games.
His numbers may not currently show it, but Kirk is a talented player who is still in his prime. Less than two weeks ago, he caught all four of his targets for 88 yards in the Jaguars' first (and only) win of the season. A week earlier, Kirk caught seven passes and a touchdown in a close loss to the Texans.
It's funny how quickly things change. Two years ago, Kirk's four-year, $72 million deal with Jacksonville was considered by some as highway robbery. That deal sounds pretty team-friendly now, given how quickly salaries have risen for top-flight receivers. Yes, his $14.5 million base salary isn't cheap, but it's relatively affordable for a player of Kirk's caliber.
At 28 years old, Kirk is younger than Amari Cooper and DeAndre Hopkins, two other players who may be soon available for trade. He appears to be an ideal fit for Pittsburgh if the Steelers could find a way to pull this off.
- Steelers receive: WR DeAndre Hopkins
- Titans receive: 2025 fourth-round pick
Tennessee may want more for Hopkins, so I could also see a scenario where the Steelers send the Titans a third-rounder in exchange for Hopkins and a future late-round pick.
As everyone knows, the Steelers have been coveting a proven veteran wideout to pair with George Pickens. Hopkins, the NFL's active leader in receptions (942) and receiving yards (12,530), is slightly older but affordable.
Hopkins, 32, is in his second year of a two-year, $26 million deal he signed with the Titans last offseason. Hopkins' $8.27 million base salary for this season is a bargain compared to other receivers of his caliber. (The base salary of Davante Adams, who just got traded to the Jets, is twice as much as Hopkins'.)
His numbers this year aren't good, but no Titans wideout has put up good numbers this season. Hopkins is just a year removed from catching 75 passes for 1,057 yards and seven touchdowns. He can clearly still play and likely just needs a change of scenery to show it.
Here's the rub, though: Hopkins has been playing through what he said last month is an MCL tear. That is undoubtedly the main reason why his numbers are what they are to this point. A positive, though, is that Hopkins' snaps and productivity have increased in recent weeks. He was targeted 17 games in the Titans' last three games and caught 4 of 6 targets for 54 yards in Sunday's loss to the Colts.
If Pittsburgh can't look past Hopkins' injury, Kendrick Bourne is the next option who makes the most sense. The 29-year-old was an exceptional secondary option during his first four seasons in San Francisco. Quarterback inconsistency has hindered his production so far in New England.
- Steelers receive: OT Walker Little, 2026 seventh-round pick
- Jaguars receive: 2025 fifth-round pick
At 1-5, the Jaguars have a lot of issues, but depth at offensive tackle is not one of them. Little appears to be the odd man out in Jacksonville with Cam Robinson ahead of him in the starting lineup and rookie Javon Foster waiting in the wings.
Little would be an ideal pickup for the Steelers, who already lost rookie first-round pick Troy Fautanu for the season with an injury. Little, 25, could provide valuable depth behind starters Dan Moore Jr. and Broderick Jones for the back half of the season. A 2021 second-round pick, Little has 48 games played and 18 career starts under his belt, including two playoff starts in 2022.
There are two potential obstacles the Steelers would face here. They'd likely face competition from other teams also looking for depth at offensive tackle, which would drive up the asking price. Little is also slated to be a free agent next season, meaning he could end up being a somewhat expensive one-year rental.
- Steelers receive: OL Daniel Brunskill, 2026 sixth-round pick
- Titans receive: 2025 fifth-round pick, 2026 seventh-round pick
In addition to offensive tackle, the Steelers' interior offensive line has also taken a hit this year. Reserve Nick Herbig suffered a season-ending injury in training camp, and starting center Zach Frazier sustained an injury during Sunday's win over the Raiders, although the injury isn't considered to be serious.
The 30-year-old Brunskill is unique in that he has experience at tackle, center and guard. He also has extensive playoff experience dating back to his years with the 49ers.
While Brunskill is no longer a starter, Titans head coach Brian Callahan is still a big fan of his, so it's safe to wonder whether or not Tennessee would even consider trading him. But the Steelers should at least do their due diligence and see if there's a chance to acquire a versatile lineman who has 56 career starts under his belt.
- Steelers get: DE Deatrich Wise Jr
- Patriots get: 2025 sixth-round pick
A lifetime Patriot, Wise would provide veteran depth on Pittsburgh's defensive line. Wise, 30, would also give the Steelers another proven pass rusher; Wise has 31 career sacks that includes his career-high of 7.5 sacks that he tallied just two years ago.
A member of New England's last Super Bowl team, Wise led the NFL in postseason sacks in 2017, which was also his rookie season. He has two sacks this year despite seeing his role reduced.
Given his reduced role along with the fact that he is slated to hit free agency next offseason, it's conceivable to think the Patriots may be wiling to deal Wise. But Wise's presence as a team leader may keep him off the trading block. Still, similar to Brunskill, the Steelers should at least see if this is a possibility.
