Breaking: Steelers closing in on deal to sign $128.5 million WR before training camp
Yes, I know – we’re back to talking about Brandon Aiyuk.
If you’re wondering why, Aiyuk posted a video of him FaceTiming Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels saying “They don’t want me back” on Tik Tok.
The possibility of Aiyuk being a Steeler before training camp fueled speculation among supporters.
You all know where I feel on the matter; I would trade for Aiyuk in a heartbeat. He’s amazing at all levels. According to Tej Seth, despite ranking 52nd in routes run, he had the seventh most receiving yards in the NFL and the third-highest yards per route run average in the league.
So, while I would trade for Aiyuk, there has to be more of a grand plan in mind in doing so – here’s mine
Step 1: Trade for Aiyuk
As previously stated, Aiyuk excels in every aspect of football. If Pittsburgh has to trade first and third-round picks, as the Eagles did for A.J. Brown, so be it. And before you reply, “You can’t give up that much,” don’t overvalue draft capital. Overvaluing draft picks is the closest thing in real life to the Family Guy mystery box gag. “Brandon Aiyuk is Brandon Aiyuk but a draft pick could be anything – it could even be Brandon Aiyuk!”
Stop.
You are what you invest in. If you can get great players, you get great players. Plus look at the other receivers who were acquired via trade over the last handful of seasons:
- Stefon Diggs
- A.J. Brown
- Tyreek Hill
- D.J. Moore
All improved their offenses significantly, resulting in two conference championships and one Super Bowl appearance.
Do not become wedded to draft capital. The Steelers should follow in the footsteps of the Rams and the aforementioned clubs and go for a great player rather than relying on a draft pick to break out in 2-4 years when it is no longer relevant to this squad.
Step 2: Figure out what you have at QB
Adding Aiyuk to go along with George Pickens, Roman Wilson, Pat Freiermuth, Najee Harris, Jaylen Warren, and an improved offensive line along with a great defense will leave zero room for excuses. Both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields would have all the tools to show what they are or aren’t capable of.
This is comparable to what the Tennessee Titans are doing currently with Will Levis. They’ve given him Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd, as well as defensive maneuvers, to give him all the tools he needs to quickly determine how excellent he is. The Pittsburgh Steelers should do the same. Get as many top players as possible to assess your scenario and go from there. And if you don’t believe Wilson and/or Fields represent the future…
Step 3: Sign Dak Prescott in 2025
Spotrac predicts the Steelers will have more than $89 million in cap space by 2025. That is more than sufficient funds to get Aiyuk and sign Prescott.
Some of you will criticize Prescott, but he is better than anything the Steelers have had since Ben Roethlisberger before his elbow injury, and he just led the NFL in touchdown passes.
Sure, you can point to Prescott’s lack of playoff success, which is fair. But who had never won a playoff game before he was traded? Matt Stafford. During his first season with the Los Angeles Rams, they won the Super Bowl.
Prescott is a top 12 quarterback in the NFL, and you can tell me he’s a top 10 player, and I won’t disagree. A deal of between $55 and $60 million will suffice, and guess what? Ah well. That is what excellent quarterbacks cost. If you want to win, you must pay. And, as most teams do, there are other ways to reduce the impact on the salary cap (signing bonuses, roster bonuses, etc.).
For example, Jared Goff will make the most total cash amongst quarterbacks in 2024 with just over $80.6 million. However, his cap hit in 2024 is only $27.2 million, which is 10th in the NFL amongst quarterbacks. And as it stands, his cap hit in 2025 is 16th amongst quarterbacks at $32.6 million.
The Steelers can make a deal comparable to Goff’s in Detroit for Prescott, giving themselves a great 2-4 year window to try to win with this current team.
Again, this is just if you are not confident in your quarterbacks’ ability to lead you to a title. Because the defensive stars aren’t getting any younger. T.J. Watt will be 30 in October. Minkah Fitzpatrick will be 28 in November and is coming off an injury-plagued season. Don’t resort to the draft and risk wasting those two players’ final prime years in the hopes of landing your own C.J. Stroud. Go find a veteran who you know can play.
