Steelers Targeting A Replacement For Mike Wallace In This Year’s Draft?

According to Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Steelers target a replacement for WR Mike Wallace in this year’s draft.

Bouchette believes Pittsburgh will most likely part ways with Wallace in the next few weeks, which would leave them with a receiving unit that consists of Antonio Brown, Emmanuel Sanders and Jerricho Cotchery. 

The Steelers locked up Brown to a five-year deal worth $42.5 million while Wallace reportedly turned down a similar contract that totaled $50 million. Sanders is set to become a restricted free agent this offseason, so he’ll be in a similar position to test the open market next year.

Pittsburgh has some cap issues to deal with, so the idea of targeting someone in this year’s draft seems very plausible.

Bouchette lists California WR Keenan Allen and Tennessee WR Cordarrelle Patterson as two potential options, but the Steelers would likely have to use a first-round pick on one of them.

There are some decent options that could be available in middle rounds of the draft, so that might actually make more sense, should they choose to go that route.

We have Wallace listed as the No. 6 best available player in our Top 50 Free Agents list.