The Steelers need to completely overhaul their wide receiving corps
While quarterback is the first thing on the mind of Steelers fans, as they still don’t have a starter under contract for 2025. The second aspect of the roster many would think about, though, is the lack of talent at wide receiver. Besides George Pickens, the Steelers don’t have a capable boundary starter on the roster. And while Calvin Austin was a nice spark and proved himself to have a role in the offense, he is far more suited as a slot option.
The Steelers will have plenty of options to rebuild their receiving corps, whether it be via trade, free agency, and/or the NFL Draft. And one name that seems to continue to come up is Darius Slayton. The Giants receiver is set to hit the open market next week, and according to Noah Strackbein of All Steelers on Sports Illustrated, Pittsburgh could move quick to add him at the start of the new league year.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if they moved fast to try and get Darius Slayton,” Strackbein said on All Steelers Talk. “They view him pretty high on the list. He comes off his worst season as a professional football player, but he played with Drew Lock, Daniel Jones with no confidence, and Tommy DeVito who had one arm by the time this was all said and done. I think you could get him for under $20 million if you could sign him for a two, maybe three-year deal.”
Slayton is coming off a down year, catching 39 passes for 573 yards and two touchdowns. However, as Strackbein pointed out, the Giants were in quarterback hell in 2024. His 2023 year was the best of his career, catching 50 passes for 770 yards and four touchdowns.
While Slayton would be a fine signing, but he also can’t be the only move the Steelers make at the position. If they can also add someone like Chris Godwin, Courtland Sutton, or Davante Adams to be the other starter opposite of Pickens while having Slayton be a hybrid outside/slot guy, that would give them a far better trio than anything they had in 2024.