Tag: Omar Khan

Should Steelers claim former second-round WR off waivers?

Should the Steelers claim Tyquan Thornton off waivers to bolster their wide receiver room and add more speed to their offensive attack?

What a difference a few weeks make! Heading into the trade deadline, the New England Patriots’ lightning-fast WR Tyquan Thornton was one of many receivers linked to the Pittsburgh Steelers as a potential trade target.

However, Pittsburgh ultimately pulled the trigger on a trade that brought New York Jets WR Mike Williams to the Steel City. Now, it appears the Patriots have moved on from Thornton as well.

On Saturday, insider Adam Schefter reported that the New England Patriots would be releasing their former 2022 second-round receiver. Thornton ran an impressive 4.28-second 40-yard dash at the 2022 NFL Combine but struggled to make an impact during his three seasons with the Patriots, recording 39 receptions for 385 yards and two touchdowns in 28 games.

Steelers GM Omar Khan could once again showcase his decision-making prowess by adding Thornton’s speed to an already dangerous Pittsburgh offense.

Steelers’ wide receivers George Pickens, Mike Williams, Calvin Austin III, and the potential addition of Thornton would give QB Russell Wilson the tools to cook any opposing secondary.

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Could Preston Smith be the lifeline for Steelers defense?

With Alex Highsmith set to miss time with an ankle injury, the Preston Smith acquisition may have saved the Steelers’ defense.

When Pittsburgh Steelers General Manager Omar Khan and the Steelers front office acquired OLB Preston Smith from the Green Bay Packers for a 2025 seventh-round draft pick, many began to speculate if this was the biggest steal of the trade deadline. Alex Highsmith’s apparent ankle injury in Week 10 against the Washington Commanders further solidifies Smith’s acquisition as one of the greatest trades of 2024.

While backup Nick Herbig performed admirably, the Steelers went 2-2 in games that Highsmith missed, highlighting the need for a veteran edge rusher opposite T.J. Watt.

Smith, having played 156 games with 138 starts in his 10-year career, is exactly what could save the Steelers’ defense with Highsmith set to miss time.

Used sparingly in Week 10, Smith still managed to record a sack on rookie QB Jayden Daniels.

The ‘Khan Artist’ truly struck gold in acquiring Smith’s talents, and this move could reshape the entire landscape of the Pittsburgh defense. The 31-year old Smith will look to fill the void left by Highsmith, and aims to start with sacking Ravens’ QB Lamar Jackson in Week 11.

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What should fans expect from Mike Williams’ Week 10 Steelers debut?

With Mike Williams set to debut in Week 10, the Pittsburgh Steelers face questions about his role and impact amid recent WR trade trends.

What a difference a week makes! Heading into the Pittsburgh Steelers’ bye in Week 9, uncertainty surrounded the wide receiver position as a whole. However, GM Omar Khan alleviated these concerns at the November 5 deadline by acquiring WR Mike Williams from the New York Jets.

Fans are now left with a new pair of questions: Will Williams contribute immediately, and if so, what will his impact look like?

If you asked QB Russell Wilson, he might say Williams’ presence will be felt all over the field, as his athletic prowess allows him to do virtually anything. However, OC Arthur Smith is particularly excited about Williams’ potential impact in the run game.

Looking at other similar situations for reference, WR Diontae Johnson, WR Amari Cooper, and former All-Pro WR DeAndre Hopkins all played limited snap counts in their debuts with new teams—averaging around just 30% of snaps played.

Could Williams follow a similar precedent and be used sparingly while he acclimates to the new offense? Or will his physical traits allow the team to utilize him more extensively in Week 10 against the Washington Commanders?

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Insider believes Steelers pursued D.K. Metcalf at trade deadline

After an eventful trade deadline, insider Jeremy Fowler believes Pittsburgh was one of several teams in inquire about a D.K. Metcalf trade.

It appears Pittsburgh’s trade to acquire WR Mike Williams, which Steelers fans have excitedly embraced, may not have happened if the Seattle Seahawks hadn’t treated trade talks as a “nonstarter,” per insider Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.

In an ESPN article co-written with fellow insider Dan Graziano, Fowler revealed several interesting and previously unheard details from the trade deadline. One notable scoop was Fowler’s claim that not only did Pittsburgh “scour the earth for receiver help,” but the ESPN insider also believes the Steelers were one of several teams to inquire about a possible trade for Seahawks WR D.K. Metcalf.

While a Russell Wilson-Metcalf reunion would have been an amazing sight for fans of the Black and Gold to behold, the trade would likely have been far too expensive for Steelers’ GM Omar Khan‘s tastes.

There is no refuge in looking back at what could have been, as the team now has a bona fide WR2, and the Wilson-Williams combo could be ‘DangeRuss.’

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Pittsburgh radio host describes rumored trade package for Jaguars’ WR

Pittsburgh radio host Andrew Filliponi of 93.7 The Fan discussed the rumored trade package for WR Christian Kirk, prior to his injury.

It is rumored that the ‘Khan Artist’ was nearly conned at his own game. The Pittsburgh Steelers’ General Manager Omar Khan is beloved in the Steel City for his stellar draft selections, trade negotiations, and free agency signings.

However, a rumor coined by Pittsburgh radio host Andrew Filliponi of 93.7 The Fan, described on social media, suggests that the Steelers were extremely close to overpaying in a trade for Jacksonville Jaguars WR Christian Kirk, prior to his season-ending collarbone injury.

According to Filliponi, the rumor claimed Pittsburgh would have sent a 2025 third-round draft selection to Jacksonville in exchange for Kirk..

While fans should take the rumor with a grain of salt, if true, the Steelers’ trade for New York Jets WR Mike Williams looks even more outstanding, as the 2025 fifth-round compensation given up is nowhere near as valuable as a third-round draft pick.

Williams should fit nicely into the offensive scheme in Pittsburgh, and fans could catch a glimpse of the Russell Wilson-Williams connection as early as Week 10, when the Steelers take on the Commanders on November 10th at 1:00 PM EST.

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Cordarrelle Patterson has hilarious reaction to WR Mike Williams trade

RB Cordarrelle Patterson, the Steelers’ number one recruiter, had an amazing reaction to the Mike Williams trade news.

While the Steelers’ General Manager Omar Khan pulled off an unbelievable heist at the trade deadline, acquiring wide receiver and outside linebacker help for the team, he doesn’t deserve all the credit. One man has spent time and energy, week in and week out, recruiting receivers to play for the Steel City.

This would be none other than the Steelers’ RB Cordarrelle Patterson, who had recently attempted to recruit WR Davante Adams from the Las Vegas Raiders, who ended up with the New York Jets, and D.K. Metcalf, who ultimately remained with his Seattle Seahawks, and last but surely not least, the former New York Jet and newly acquired Steelers’ WR Mike Williams.

Patterson, realizing he had hit a homerun for the Steel City, jokingly had this to say on social media.

While Steelers fans understand how little impact Patterson truly had on this trade unfolding, as most of the credit belongs to the team’s front office, his witty humor and constant barrage of recruitment tactics brought laughter to Pittsburgh fans throughout the 2024 season.

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Steelers fans react to OLB Preston Smith trade

Former Packers’ OLB Preston Smith’s unexpected trade to the Steelers adds valuable depth to the defense, and was surprising to fans alike.

One of the most underrated acquisitions at the 2024 NFL trade deadline was OLB Preston Smith being traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers. It had been reported in recent days that while wide receiver was a major area of concern for the Steel City, the team could prioritize trading for edge rusher depth.

Much to the surprise of absolutely no one, the team did, in fact, acquire a wide receiver at the deadline, Mike Williams from the New York Jets, but also acquired defensive depth from the Green Bay Packers in the 31-year-old Smith, who should plug in nicely behind outside linebackers T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith.

While fans of the Black and Gold have been clamoring for their team to make a WR trade for months, Smith was a welcomed surprise. Here are some of the best reactions to Pittsburgh trading a 2025 seventh-round draft pick for the Green Bay Packers’ OLB Preston Smith.

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Trade Deadline: Grading the Steelers acquisition of OLB Preston Smith

Steelers trade a 2025 7th-round pick for Preston Smith, adding veteran power to their defense. How does this move grade out?

Teams throughout the NFL better watch out; there’s a new terrifying trio of edge rushers coming to sack their quarterback. Steelers’ outside linebackers T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, and the newly acquired Preston Smith form arguably the greatest edge-rushing unit in the NFL today.

Smith was recently acquired at the 2024 NFL trade deadline when the Pittsburgh Steelers traded a 2025 seventh-round draft pick to the Green Bay Packers in exchange for his talents in the Steel City.

Pittsburgh General Manager Omar Khan had recently helped facilitate a trade to acquire WR Mike Williams from the New York Jets, which received a solid B grade here at Steelers Wire. But what about the acquisition of Smith?

The 31-year-old former Packers OLB provides quality starting experience behind Watt and Highsmith, as Smith has started 138 games since entering the league in 2015. Smith has accumulated 68.5 sacks over this period and comes to Pittsburgh in what can only be described as a bargain sale in Green Bay.

For only a 2025 seventh-round draft pick given up for Smith, Khan and the Steelers’ front office receive an A+ grade for the trade.

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Trade Deadline: Grading the Steelers acquisition of WR Mike Williams

The Steelers acquired WR Mike Williams before the trade deadline; was the fifth-round pick worth it, or did Pittsburgh overpay for talent?

Pittsburgh fans rejoice!  General Manager Omar Khan has finally pulled the trigger on acquiring a fantastic WR opposite George Pickens when the Steelers traded for New York Jets’ WR Mike Williams.

The Khan artist, as fans often refer to him, had high expectations placed on him as Pittsburgh was hours away from the 4:00 PM EST trade deadline. While Williams is an incredible talent and a welcome addition to the team, did Khan overpay the Jets in this trade?

It was no secret that Pittsburgh needed a WR at the deadline, but it was always public knowledge that Williams was the odd man out in a stacked WR room in New York. With this being said, givHopkins? 2025 fifth-round draft selection, the same price that Kansas City paid for former All-Pro WR DeAndre Hopkins, seems a bit steep for a player who was being used so sparingly in the Aaron Rodgers-led New York offense.

While the Steelers’ front office did potentially create an unstoppable WR unit by acquiring Williams, the compensation package could have been cheaper, resulting in a B grade.

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Steelers fans react to D.K. Metcalf trade rumors

Fans of the Black and Gold are in a trade rumor frenzy after Steelers RB Cordarrelle Patterson teased the recruitment of WR D.K Metcalf.

Speculation and trade rumors are beginning to reach an all-time high as the November 5th trade deadline, at 4:00 PM EST, is less than one day away. While the Pittsburgh Steelers have been rumored to pursue any and all available wide receivers, such as Carolina Panthers’ Adam Thielen and New York Jets’ Mike Williams, the most recent and perhaps most exciting rumor involves none other than Seattle Seahawks’ former All-Pro WR D.K. Metcalf.

Fans of the Steel City erupted on social media when Steelers RB Cordarrelle Patterson, who has been actively recruiting several receivers for the team in recent weeks, seemingly began to recruit Metcalf following Seattle’s Week 9 loss.

It was rumored that Seattle could consider moving on from their star WR with a Week 9 defeat, but could Steelers General Manager Omar Khan be the hero of Pittsburgh, and bring this elite talent to the Steel City? Only time will tell, but here are some of the best fan reactions to the speculation and rumors.

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