Steelers Wanted Three WRs and Failed

The Pittsburgh Steelers have their sights on three names and ended up with none.

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (7) signals a first down after a reception during the first quarter of an NFL football matchup at EverBank Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars defeated the Browns 34-10. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers did nothing at the NFL trade deadline. That wasn't the goal, but it's how it ended, and they didn't look good because of it.

Going into the deadline, the Steelers had two positions they were targeting: wide receiver and cornerback. Wideout was the frontrunner for an addition, while cornerback was more of a best-case-scenario outcome. If something worked out for both, great. If not, no big deal.

But they didn't walk away with anyone. That doesn't mean they didn't try, though.

General manager Omar Khan had his sights on three names as November 10 approached. Those names were Josh Downs, Brian Thomas Jr. and Calvin Ridley.

Ridley became an afterthought after an incident at the Nashville International Airport happenedIt over the weekend. Once that occurred, the Steelers pivoted, removing Ridley from their list and focusing on Downs and Thomas Jr.

Eventually, the Jacksonville Jaguars made it clear that they weren't dealing Thomas Jr., and the Kansas City Chiefs landed Josh Downs with fourth- and fifth-round picks.

And the Steelers left with nothing.

Dreadful Day for Pittsburgh

The Steelers have a decent wide receiver room when healthy, and they weren't going to make the over-the-top move to add to that room that they needed. WR1 couldn't happen with any of the options available via trade.

But depth could've been added, and it was needed for Pittsburgh. This team has already been hit with multiple injuries and have half the season left. Now, they need to hope they don't find themselves shorthanded once again.

If they do, they look like deadline losers, plain and simple.

Targeting three wide receivers and not walking away with anyone is a bad look. It shows that they were too narrow in on certain names, and truthfully, those names were so all over the place that they could have, and should have, pivoted.

Why only chase Ridley and not Jauan Jennings or Keenan Allen? Why only chase Thomas Jr. and not Quentin Johnston or Dontavion Wicks? And why not try to match the offer for Downs?

The names were too abundant to miss and yet the Steelers did. And don't get it wrong, not enough names got moved, but that doesn't mean they weren't available. Chances are, they were.

Pittsburgh watched plenty of other AFC contenders get better at the deadline while they didn't. Now, it's about hoping they're good enough to beat them.

Only time will tell, but leaving November 10 and heading into the back half of the season, the Steelers sure look like they failed.