Former First Round Receiver Is Possibly the Steelers’ Trade Target
The Pittsburgh Steelers appear to be in dire need of a wide receiver right now, given the options they currently have on their roster.
They have a single star at the moment and a number of options that weren’t very good in 2023.
This puts them in a great position to search for a receiver early in the draft this year.
Before the draft, they might still try to sign a receiver with some NFL experience. The Tennessee Titans wide receiver Treylon Burks is one they might be considering.
Brandon Andrews of Behind the Steel Curtain listed Burks as a receiver the Steelers could consider trading for in a list of players who are still available.
When he first entered the NFL, Burks was a fascinating prospect.
He had performed well statistically while attending Arkansas. As a sophomore, he played in just eight games and had 51 receptions for 820 yards and seven touchdowns.
He had a fantastic junior season after that. In 2021, Burks caught 66 passes for 1,104 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Sadly, his results on the athletic test weren’t quite as good. At the NFL Combine, he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.55 seconds.
After trading A.J. Brown to acquire the 18th pick in 2022, the Titans chose to select him despite that concern.
They made a poor choice because Burks has had a difficult time in his first two NFL seasons.
He only made 33 receptions for 444 yards and one touchdown in 2022.
During his second season in the league, things went worse. He was only able to play in 10 games and only managed to haul in 16 passes for 221 yards and no touchdowns.
The team now appears to have moved past Burks. They signed DeAndre Hopkins as their WR1 during the previous offseason.
They added another outstanding receiver this offseason. Calvin Ridley signed a $92 million, four-year contract with them.
It’s difficult to envision how Burks will be able to recoup his draft capital with the Titans given the abundance of other talent in Tennessee at the position.
They might then consider offers for the third-year receiver as a result. The Steelers might be a viable option for him if they do.
Wide Receiver Situation for the Steelers
The Steelers are struggling at wide receiver right now, save for George Pickens.
Van Jefferson, Cordarrelle Patterson, Calvin Austin, and Quez Watkins are the other players on their roster that play at that position. The only player to reach 200 yards last season was Jefferson. In the previous two years, not one of them has gotten as far as 400 yards.
It looks like they are prepared to select a receiver in the first few rounds of the current draft. Burks might still be a good fit for them even if that is the plan.
Who the team’s slot receiver will be in 2024 is still up in the air. Burks could fill that position in their place.
He achieved great success there while attending college. He was rated as the top slot receiver in college football by PFF in his final year at Arkansas.
Though he hasn’t played in the slot nearly as much as a pro, that’s where the majority of his production during his time in college came from.
He might be able to play from the slot once more if the Steelers brought him in.
If he was successful there, a rookie would not be under as much pressure to start producing right away as the WR2.
He wouldn’t break the bank either, with a cap hit of slightly over $4.5 million in 2025 and less than $4 million in 2024.
Burks could provide the Steelers’ quarterbacks with another tool to work with as the team attempts to get its offense back on track if the Titans trade for him before his third season
