The Pittsburgh Steelers are still standing pat as another top free agent wide receiver is off the board, as the Buffalo Bills are signing former Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling, according to a report by Adam Schefter of ESPN.
Valdes-Scantling, 29, spent two seasons with the Chiefs, winning a pair of Super Bowl rings, but he was never a big boost to the Kansas City passing game. In 2022, he caught 42 of 81 targets for 687 yards and two touchdowns. This past season, he caught 21 of 42 passes for 315 yards and one touchdown. In his two Super Bowl games, he had a combined three catches for 20 yards, though one was for a go-ahead touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers in February.
WE HAVE THE LEAD.
WE REPEAT, WE HAVE THE LEAD!!! pic.twitter.com/7ZCATsbTTk
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) February 12, 2024
Despite that, Valdes-Scantling was released by the Chiefs in February after two seasons of his three-year contract, instead of paying him $12 million in scheduled salary in 2024. His new contract with the Bills is for one year and worth up to $4.5 million, according to Schefter.
Buffalo has been searching for receivers since their double-barreled losses of Gabe Davis through free agency to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Stefon Diggs by trade to the Houston Texans. Valdes-Scantling will join free agent signing Curtis Samuel, second-round pick Keon Coleman and returning slot man Khalil Shakir in the revamped Buffalo receivers room.
The Steelers have a need for another outside receiver to pair with George Pickens after trading Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers for cornerback Donte Jackson earlier this offseason.
They have been in talks with several teams about a potential trade, including the San Francisco 49ers for Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel and the Denver Broncos for Courtland Sutton, but those trade talks have seemed to cool following the 2024 NFL Draft.
Meanwhile, the Steelers have not shown any reported interest in the post-draft free agent mark, standing by as players such as Odell Beckham Jr., Tyler Boyd, D.J. Chark, Michael Gallup and Zay Jones have all signed contracts in the last two weeks.