As the Steelers have climbed to 6-2, they have seen Russell Wilson deliver two promising starts in wins over the Jets and Giants. Those conquests still do not appear to have moved the AFC North leaders out of a wide receiver market they have populated for months.
The Steelers have been tied to Davante Adams, Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk and Mike Williams at points this year. Cooper Kupp also came up in conversations. Pittsburgh’s interest in Williams remains, with the team joining the Chargers and Saints (and probably others) as clubs looking into a player the Jets continue to shop. Considering Pittsburgh’s need, it also should not surprise the team is being linked to two trade-block regulars.
Courtland Sutton and Darius Slayton are believed to join Williams on the Steelers’ radar, according to Sportskeeda’s Tony Pauline, who indicates a hierarchy exists here. The Steelers are believed to have plenty of interest in prying Sutton from Denver, though Pauline adds the Broncos — as they have for years — are setting a high asking price on one of this NFL period’s trade-rumor mainstays.
Sutton’s name, despite the Broncos’ 5-3 record, came up recently — yet again. Sutton, 29, has been mentioned at just about every NFL trade window since the 2022 deadline. The Broncos then set a second-round asking price on the 6-foot-4 wideout during the 2023 offseason, seeing him usurp Jerry Jeudy as Wilson’s top target. Wilson and Sutton formed a rapport, one that produced a few acrobatic catches from the former second-round pick, last season. As a result, it would not surprise if the Steelers were one of the teams in on Sutton this offseason.
Sean Payton confirmed several clubs called about Sutton this year, doing so after the Broncos unloaded Jeudy for fifth- and sixth-round picks. The most notable 2024 Sutton “what if?” came in August, when the 49ers offered a third-round pick to the Broncos in what would have been a three-team deal that sent Sutton to Denver and Aiyuk to Pittsburgh. The Steelers’ trade framework with the 49ers for Aiyuk did not turn out to be enough, as the now-high-priced veteran recommitted to San Francisco — weeks before sustaining a season-ending injury.
It would represent odd timing for the Broncos to finally part with Sutton, as their WR corps is thin — especially after Josh Reynolds landed on IR and then suffered injuries in a recent shooting — beyond the seventh-year vet. Second-rounder Marvin Mims has not developed as the Broncos hoped, and the team is otherwise reliant on fourth- and seventh-round rookies (Troy Franklin, Devaughn Vele). Trading Sutton now would stand to affect Bo Nix‘s development, hence the high price the Broncos are again setting.
As Sutton is tied to a four-year, $60MM deal that features no guarantees in 2025 — the contract’s final year — Slayton is winding down a two-year, $12MM accord. The Giants wide receiver has started strong this season, becoming a nice complementary piece alongside fast-emerging rookie Malik Nabers. The latter is New York’s future at the position, with Slayton — a Dave Gettleman-era draftee who has come up in trade rumors at multiple points — a player the Giants will undoubtedly consider moving before the Nov. 5 deadline.
The Giants are also setting a notable price on their WR trade chip, as both Slayton and Azeez Ojulari have drawn interest but are not locks to move. Though, the Giants’ 2-6 record — ahead of a Commanders matchup — may carry the day. Slayton appears a Sutton backup plan, per Pauline, but probably will be easier to obtain at this point.
The Steelers have sought a George Pickens complement for months, having traded Diontae Johnson during the legal tampering period in March. Slot player Calvin Austin has become Pittsburgh’s de facto WR2, with 257 yards, but given their hot start, the Steelers figure to make a final push to help Wilson before the deadline.
Sutton to Steelers or Bengals could do damage. Also Slayton to Niners or Raiders could help a ton
“…the 49ers offered a third-round pick to the Broncos in what would have been a three-team deal that sent Sutton to Denver and Aiyuk to Pittsburgh.”
Fix this.
Everybody is on the Steelers radar. But after seeing what they are doing with The Justin Fields trade who wants to deal with them? They want everybody until it comes time to pay up. When they crash and burn I’ll be laughing.
Are you implying they benched Justin Fields to lower the compensation they pay the Bears? I can guarantee that was not a factor in the decision.
That’s exactly what I’m saying. Tons of teams bench their QB’s who have a 4-2 record. Happens every day.
Steelers would have to massively overpay to pry away Sutton at this point, so Slayton or WR to be named likely remain the most likely option. They have to make a move even with the recent success of the passing game. It’s been against two pass defenses that couldn’t stop a lame duck with a phalanx ciws (google for a laugh)
Yeah, there are a ton of options. Honestly, with D.K. Metcalf possibly being on the radar, it just seems to make too much sense to give Seattle a call.
Denver would be pretty dumb to trade Sutton at this point, in my opinion. The Broncos are 5-3, but Nix still isn’t really playing well exactly. At the very least, he’s definitely still developing. Taking away his best receiver, especially in a year where the team is surprisingly contending for the division, seems ridiculous.
I’m not sure what an extra, say, third round pick is going to do to help that process in lieu of a reliable number one target with size. If Denver had another good receiver or a quarterback who was reliably humming along, it could make more sense, but even then, a reliable big target is more important to the QB than second or third day draft capitol.