Wild Trade Proposal Ships Steelers WR Justin Jefferson for Mega Package – Reports

This offseason, undits has linked the Pittsburgh Steelers to a number of wide receiver trade candidates. On May 29, Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report proposed Justin Jefferson, an All-Pro wide receiver for the Minnesota Vikings, as a potential target.

Ballentine suggested that in exchange for Jefferson, the Steelers give wide receiver George Pickens, their first-round pick in 2025, and a sixth-round pick to the Vikings.

“The receiver room for the Steelers still needs improvement as of right now. Ballentine stated, “George Pickens shows promise as a No. 1 receiver, but according to Player Profiler, he was 126th in win rate against man coverage and 74th in true catch rate.

“Pickens is not a divisionist. He excels at working vertical routes and is a contested-catch expert.

“Jefferson is one of the league’s most productive receivers; he is a much more versatile pass-catcher who excels on in-breaking routes and wins against man coverage.”

Last season, Jefferson scored five touchdowns and 1,074 receiving yards on 68 catches. But he participated in just ten tournaments.

Jefferson dominated the league with an NFL-high 128 catches and 1,809 receiving yards during his final full season in 2022. As he won the Offensive Player of the Year title and made the first team All-Pro, he also scored eight touchdowns.

In every season that he has participated in more than 11 games, Jefferson has accumulated at least 88 receptions, 1,400 receiving yards, and 7 touchdowns.

An offensive weapon like that would be a huge asset to the Steelers. But at what price?

Is it Worth It for the Steelers to Consider Getting WR Justin Jefferson?

There’s no doubting that the Steelers would prefer Jefferson to Pickens at wide receiver. However, Pickens isn’t the main issue.

Pickens is the only receiver on Pittsburgh’s current roster who finished 2023 with more than 209 receiving yards. Jefferson would become the lone Steelers receiver with at least 210 yards in 2017 if Pickens were traded away to get him.

Stated differently, the #1 receiver on Pittsburgh’s depth chart gets better. However, the team’s evident WR2 deficiency would still exist.

The extremely talented and still-affordable Pickens would be lost by the Steelers in the trade. With an average of 18.1 yards per reception last season, Pickens led the NFL. His rookie deal is good for another two years.

Conversely, things are going to get quite pricey for Jefferson. The last year of his rookie contract, 2024, will see a $19.7 million cap hit for him. The Steelers would then need to consent to an extension with Jefferson if he was acquired through a trade.

His performance should make him the NFL’s highest-paid receiver.

Should those considerations not be sufficient to deter the Steelers from pursuing a possible Jefferson trade, it is also not ideal for them to give up their 2025 first-round pick. It’s probable that the Steelers’ reluctance to forfeit a first-round pick is the reason they haven’t traded for another receiver this summer, such as Brandon Aiyuk or Courtland Sutton.

In that scenario, the Steelers might not give up on shipping away a first-round pick for Jefferson.

Regarding the NFL Trade Market, is Jefferson available?

The Steelers aren’t Jefferson’s most likely landing spot for a number of reasons. Furthermore, it’s uncertain if he is even available.

Since Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio suggested on May 28 that the Vikings would be interested in moving up into the top 5 for receiver Malik Nabers, Jefferson has been the focus of trade speculations.

Kevin Seifert of ESPN, however, refuted Florio’s recommendation.

Seifert posted on X (formerly Twitter): “This rumor has made the rounds, and it’s admittedly juicy, but the Vikings did not try to trade up and draft WR Malik Nabers last month.” Fantastic player, but Justin Jefferson of the Vikings is superior.

“No interest in trading Jefferson and still trying to extend him.”

If this is the case, it makes no difference if the Steelers are prepared to deal with Pickens and a first-round pick in exchange for Jefferson’s salary. No matter what, the Vikings cannot leave with Jefferson.