The Pittsburgh Steelers and Buffalo Bills both have a shaky situation at wide receiver going into the deadline.
The Steelers need a true No. 2 receiver behind DK Metcalf and the Bills have gotten lackluster play from their trio of Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman and Joshua Palmer, with none of the three stepping up to give Josh Allen a legit No. 1 option.
Both teams clearly understand they need more help, based on reports.
According to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini and ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Steelers are looking around the league for an addition at wide receiver. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer is reporting the same about the Bills.
Included in Russini’s aforementioned report is the Jacksonville Jaguars “listening” to trade proposals from other teams for wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr., although she admits it’s unlikely he’s dealt.
But that was enough to spur on Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox naming Thomas a trade candidate ahead of the deadline and he predicts both the Bills and Steelers will come calling for the talented young wideout.
Prying Thomas away from Jacksonville with three-plus years remaining on his rookie contract wouldn’t be easy, so he’ll sit on the bottom of our board. Given his proven upside and the value of good young receivers, though, we’d be remiss to leave him off entirely.
Potential Suitors: Buffalo Bills, Pittsburgh Steelers
Thomas would be perfect for both teams, and really just about any team that needs a wide receiver at the trade deadline.
Thomas has taken a step back this season, but he showed elite promise during his rookie campaign in 2024 with 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns.
He is also on an affordable rookie deal through at least 2027, and quite possibly 2028 with the fifth-year option. That’s especially attractive to a Bills team that is dealing with a tight cap space situation.
Thomas would be a high-end No. 2 target in Pittsburgh, and he would give the Bills a player who could develop into Josh Allen’s long-term No. 1.
Unfortunately, as Russini pointed out, a Thomas trade is highly unlikely, and that was only further driven home on Friday, when the team announced that Travis Hunter has a knee injury that landed him on injured reserve.
Trading Thomas would leave the cupboard extremely bare for a Jacksonville team that is trying to compete for a playoff spot and is already missing upstart tight end Brenton Strange, also.
That stinks for the Steelers and Bills but, hey, it was too good to be true, anyway.
