After trading Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers earlier this offseason, the Pittsburgh Steelers haven't found an adequate replacement as of yet.
The team did add wide receiver Roman Wilson in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft, but he's going to be the primary slot receiver, assuming he's ready for that significant role in his first season.
But the boundary remains a major concern. As we wrote in our article predicting who will win the team's most important training camp battles, the job will likely be won by either Van Jefferson or Quez Watkins, both of whom are major question marks.
That is, unless the Steelers make a move ahead of the season. Two receivers who may be available are the San Francisco 49ers' Brandon Aiyuk and the New York Giants' Darius Slayton.
Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox pegged the Steelers as potential landing spots for both, whether that be ahead of the 2024 campaign or at the trade deadline. He thinks Aiyuk will cost three draft picks (2025 first-rounder, 2025 second-rounder and 2026 fourth-rounder), and that Slayton will cost a 2025 fifth-round pick.
Aiyuk, who is seeking a long-term deal, is far and away the more impactful option, and while he has requested a trade, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that the 49ers "have no intention" of dealing him.
However, as we know, things can change on a dime, so the Steelers should be (and will be) monitoring the situation and pounce if the 49ers decide to part ways with the two-time 1,000-yard receiver. The trade package Knox suggests it will take to land Aiyuk is probably well beyond what it will actually take.
As for Slayton, he doesn't move the needle like Aiyuk, but he would be a far better and more reliable boundary option than the Steelers have now. Slayton is seeking a long-term deal, also after topping 700 yards in four of five seasons, but the Giants have yet to oblige, giving him a raise for 2024 instead.
