Steelers Connected To Three Veteran Receivers Ahead Of Deadline

Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda named three veteran receivers as possible trade options for the Steelers ahead of the trade deadline: Giants WR Darius Slayton, Broncos WR Courtland Sutton and Jets WR Mike Williams.

Pauline noted Pittsburgh has “a lot of interest” in Sutton but the deal will come down to whether they can meet Denver’s reportedly high asking price.

If they can’t work out a deal for Sutton, Pauline called Williams their “contingency plan” because of their desire to add another pass catcher despite potential issues with a scheme fit.

Slayton, 27, was a fifth-round pick by the Giants out of Auburn back in 2019. He signed a four-year, $2,753,988 rookie contract with the Giants that included a $233,988 signing bonus and $233,988 guaranteed.

The Giants and Slayton agreed to a restructured deal that reduced his salary from $2.54 million to the league minimum of $965,000. He was testing the open market as an unrestricted free agent in 2023 when he returned on a two-year, $12 million deal. 

In 2024, Slayton has appeared in eight games for the Giants and caught 29 passes on 47 targets for 420 yards and one touchdown.

Sutton, 29, was taken with the No. 40 overall pick out of SMU by the Broncos in 2018. He was in the final year of his four-year, $7,071,926 contract that included a $3,223,320 signing bonus when he agreed to a four-year, $60.8 million extension. 

He was due base salaries of $13 million and $13.5 million over the next two seasons when the team restructured his deal before the 2024 season. 

In 2024, Sutton appeared in 8 games for the Broncos and caught 29 passes on 58 targets for 277 yards receiving and two touchdowns.

Williams, 30, was selected with the No. 7 overall pick by the Chargers out of Clemson in the 2017 NFL draft. He was entering the final year of a four-year contract worth $19.75 million which included a signing bonus of $12.50 million when the Chargers picked up his fifth-year option. 

Williams made a base salary of $15.68 million in 2021 under the fifth-year option. He was in line to be an unrestricted free agent in 2022 when he signed a three-year, $60 million extension with the Chargers. 

He was due base salaries of $12 million and $17 million over the final two years of the deal when Los Angeles cut him loose. The Jets signed him to a one-year deal worth up to $15 million. 

In 2024, Williams has appeared in eight games for the Jets and caught 11 passes on 19 targets for 160 yards receiving and no touchdowns.