Steelers Now
Despite securing a contract with free agent quarterback Aaron Rodgers on Thursday, the Pittsburgh Steelers still have plenty of work to do when it comes to completing their roster for the 2025 season, and now that the quarterback position has been taken care of, the need for another wide receiver has immediately risen to the top.
The Steelers brought in DK Metcalf earlier this offseason to fill one outside receiver spot. They have Calvin Austin III and Roman Wilson, who are both promising options in the slot. But outside, it’s just veteran Robert Woods and practice squadder Brandon Johnson on the depth chart after Metcalf.
That hole was created when the Steelers traded George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys — a move that was not made to improve the team, but to be rid of Pickens’ toxic personality.
But Pickens didn’t suddenly become toxic in May. The Steelers new all offseason trading him was an option and they’ve left themselves with not much on the store shelves in terms of replacements.
The top players on Sharp Football’s list of best available free agents at the position are not overwhelming.
Keenan Allen had 744 receiving yards last year, but played over 50% of his snaps in the slot, where the Steelers don’t really need the help.
Amari Cooper had 547 yards between the Cleveland Browns and Buffalo Bills. Gabe Davis apparently still can’t pass a physical. Nelson Agholor (231 yards) does not seem to be a better option and Odell Beckham Jr. (55 yards) and DJ Chark (31 yards) seem downright desperate.
The news on the trade front is not much better, with the Steelers getting nowhere on their pursuit of Chris Olave from the New Orleans Saints or with calls to the Green Bay Packers and a number of other teams.
There just is not that much out there at the wide receiver position that’s available right now. Omar Khan has time to wait out the Packers and others who look like they might have too many receivers to fit onto their roster. But now that Rodgers is in the fold, there’s another player that will inevitably brought up: New York Jets wide receiver Allen Lazard.
Lazard is not a flashy name, but he had more of the right kind of production than most of the rest of the options. His 530 yards came while spending two-thirds of his time playing outside last year. And we know he’s a fit with Rodgers.
Lazard came up as an undrafted free agent on Rodgers’ Packers teams, and when Rodgers moved to New York in 2023, Lazard followed. He’s averaged 512 yards per season over the last seven years playing with Rodgers.
Those aren’t world-beating numbers, but Van Jefferson, the Steelers’ No. 2 last year, had only 276. Woods, probably the best option on the current roster, had 203 with the Houston Texans last year.
Lazard is also 6-foot-5, size the Steelers don’t have anywhere outside of Metcalf in that room, and is...
