The Pittsburgh Steelers could still acquire wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk from the San Francisco 49ers. But with the regular season less than two weeks away, the Steelers can’t afford to wait out the Aiyuk-49ers contract standstill if they wish to acquire another starting wideout before Week 1.
With that in mind, Steelers Depot’s Ross McCorkle suggested on August 26 that the Steelers could be in on the John Metchie III sweepstakes with the Houston Texans.
“There is nothing specifically linking the Steelers as of yet, but it seems very possible they would be interested [in Metchie],” McCorkle wrote. “The Aiyuk situation has been at a standstill for weeks now, and it continues to look more likely that he returns to the 49ers on a long-term deal.
“Metchie was a second-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft. The Texans have a loaded receiver room after trading for Stefon Diggs this offseason. They already had 2023 rookie standout Tank Dell on the roster as well as Nico Collins, who had 1,297 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns last year.
“Similar to the 49ers, they have a lot of talent at wide receiver, which could make a trade more likely to happen.”
Metchie missed his rookie season in 2022 because of acute promyelocytic leukemia. Last season, he posted 16 catches for 158 yards in 16 games.
Could the Steelers Be Interested in WR John Metchie III?
McCorkle mentioned the Steelers as a trade destination for Metchie after NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported “multiple teams” have reached out to the Texans about whether Metchie could be available.
It’s possible the answer is Metchie is not available in a trade. McCorkle also argued it’s not clear whether the Steelers were one of the “multiple teams” interested.
But the Steelers have an obvious need at receiver. George Pickens is the only wideout Pittsburgh has on its roster who recorded at least 210 receiving yards last season.
Metchie didn’t reach that total last year either. The league, though, appears to view him as having a lot of potential if given an opportunity.
At Alabama in 2020, Metchie averaged 16.7 yards per catch. He then posted 96 receptions with 1,142 receiving yards and 8 touchdowns with the Crimson Tide during 2021.
In the 2024 NFL preseason, Metchie posted 10 catches for 100 yards with a touchdown.
Could Broncos WR Tim Patrick Be Another Trade Target for Steelers?
Metchie wasn’t the only receiver McCorkle argued could be a Steelers target in the week prior to the regular season. On August 26, McCorkle also suggested Denver Broncos wideout Tim Patrick may be of interest to the Steelers.
“The receiver-needy Steelers could be viewed as a logical landing spot,” McCorkle wrote. “Not only to upgrade one of the league’s weaker wide receiver rooms but for Patrick’s connection to the team.
“He was coached by current Steelers’ WRs coach Zach Azzanni from 2018 to 2022.”
McCorkle noted Patrick as a potential Steelers acquisition after Schultz and 9News Denver’s Mike Klis both reported the Broncos are pursuing trades involving the veteran receiver.
Patrick would give the Steelers more NFL receiving experience than Metchie. Patrick has played four seasons and started 37 contests in the league.
However, Patrick didn’t play in 2022 because of a torn ACL or in 2023 due to a torn Achilles tendon. So, even with Patrick, Pickens would remain the only Steelers wideout with 210 receiving yards last year.
Whether the Steelers pursue either Metchie or Patrick could depend on the health of rookie wideout Roman Wilson. PennLive.com’s Nick Farabaugh reported Wilson “did some light work” at practice on August 26, but he’s been mostly sidelined with an ankle injury since July 30.
On August 21, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Ray Fittipaldo called Wilson a “candidate to start” the season on injured reserve.
Besides Wilson, the Steelers have Van Jefferson, Calvin Austin III and Dez Fitzpatrick behind Pickens on their wideout depth chart.
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Steelers Floated as Potential Trade Destination for Ex-2nd Round WR