Steelers Trade Price for Brian Thomas Jr. Just Skyrocketed

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers may be interested in Brian Thomas Jr. According to one report, they've called and asked about the third-year wideout and acquiring him in a trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

If they are interested in a trade for Thomas Jr., their price tag just went up - a lot. They didn't even wait long before having it spike, but after the Buffalo Bills' latest move with the Chicago Bears, all wide receiver prices just soared.

The Bills and Bears made a trade that sent D.J. Moore and a fifth-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft to Buffalo in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

An unideal trade for any other team looking for wide receiver help.

Full trade:

Bills get:
- DJ Moore
- 5th round pick in 2026

Bears get:
- 2nd round pick in 2026 https://t.co/omaKEUu7Ga
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) March 5, 2026

What this trade says to the Steelers is that Thomas Jr. is now a first-round commodity. If they want to land the 23-year-old in a deal, they're going to have to pay more than the Bills did for Moore, and with Thomas' short but impressive resume, they better hope a deal ends with just a first-round pick.

Outside of a six-year age gap, with Moore turning 29 this season, Thomas Jr. has statistically had betters seasons than Moore the last two years. Thomas Jr. recorded 1,282 yards and 707 yards with 12 touchdowns over the last two seasons. Moore recorded 966 yards and 682 yards with 12 touchdowns in that same time span.

Add in that Thomas Jr. is only on the third year of his four-year rookie contract, and is eligible for a fifth-year option because he was a first-round pick, he'd easily surpass any compensation Moore went for. Which means the starting price is pick No. 21 for the Steelers.

Would Steelers Still Trade for Thomas Jr.?

Don't rule out the Steelers still be in consideration for Thomas Jr. They need a wide receiver, and truthfully more than one. And if Thomas Jr. is their best option at pick 21 in the draft, why wouldn't they hand the selection to Jacksonville?

The Steelers could end up sitting there in the first round with names like Carnell Tate, Jordyn Tyson, Makai Lemon and Denzel Boston off the board. They could chose to go with a different position, or they can say that Thomas Jr. has a long career ahead of him and is their best option with the pick.

So, never say never. They won't rush to the phones to call now, but could keep the option on the table when the NFL Draft starts.

And while a rising price tag usually turns teams away, the Steelers may be so determined to fix their wide receiver problem that nothing is going to stop them from getting "their guy."

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