Mike Florio Skeptical that Steelers Will Trade for WR

The Pittsburgh Steelers might not have an easy time trying to make a move for a wide receiver on the trade market, Mike Florio says.

Pittsburgh Steelers Omar Khan
Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Omar Khan during the 2024 NFL Draft on April 27, 2024. -- Alan Saunders / Steelers Now

Is a big move coming? The Pittsburgh Steelers were reportedly close to adding a significant playmaker, CBS Sports analyst and former Steelers cornerback https://twitter.com/BMac_SportsTalk/status/1785032261412290635″>Bryant

McFadden said on X, the app formerly known as Twitter, on Monday. But Omar Khan downplayed the idea of a trade on Tuesday.

Khan appeared on the Pat McAfee Show and said that there is ‘nothing to report’ on the wide receiver trade front currently.

“There’s nothing going on right now. I’m not exactly sure what the verbiage was or what was reported, but nothing to report,” Khan said.

Khan addressed it all once again when he joined the WDVE Morning Show on Wednesday, stating that conversations are ongoing, but nothing imminent.

“There’s nothing in the works right now. Nothing close to happening,” Khan said. “I can tell you conversations continue, but there’s nothing close to happening.”

Mike Florio believes the trade will unlikely happen after the draft since the NFL Draft would be the natural striking point to make that move. That could mean the Steelers would have to turn to the free agency market to fill in the lines and find their wide receiver answer.

“Look, if it was going to be the 49ers, really, if it was going to be anybody, you’d do it last week if you’re the team that’s moving the guy,” Florio said on 93.7 the Fan. “Why would you be trading him now? Because unless you’re getting a player in return, you’re not getting anything to help you now. You would think, common sense, the window closes, not opens, with the end of the NFL Draft.”

The Steelers have been in the market for a wide receiver since trading Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers in March. They’ve struck out on free agent Mike Williams and have hit an impasse with Tyler Boyd, missing Williams, who signed with the Jets. The Steelers have also kicked the tires on San Francisco star Brandon Aiyuk, who the 49ers insist they are not trading. But Courtland Sutton might be the most intriguing of the options for who this could be.

According to https://twitter.com/AllbrightNFL/status/1785341434121359376″>Benjamin

Allbright, a Broncos insider, the Steelers have called about Aiyuk, Courtland Sutton, and DK Metcalf, but they have been rebuffed by the 49ers and Broncos, and a Metcalf deal will not be done until at least after June 1.

Sutton would make sense thanks to his consistent production and built-in connection with Wilson, who figures to start for the Steelers, at least to start the 2024 season. If there is one that could be a bigger splash but feels more likely, this one does. The Broncos are not in this thing to win it this year; in fact, they might be looking to try to bounce to the top of the draft board for the 2025 season. But Courtland Sutton has the Russell Wilson connection and profiles as the contested catch, big-bodied guy that the team was looking to add when Mike Williams was targeted.

The other name it could be is Deebo Samuel, who the Steelers reportedly inquired about but thought the price was too high. Regardless, the Steelers seem close to making a move of some sort, and they have needs at both slot cornerback and wide receiver, so the move is likely coming from one of those two positions.

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