Could Ja'Marr Chase Be Option for Steelers?

The Pittsburgh Steelers might have a window of opportunity for a blockbuster trade.

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (1) runs with a catch in the first quarter of the NFL Week 11 game between the Los Angeles Chargers and the Cincinnati Bengals at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. The Chargers led 24-6 at halftime. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers will be looking for a wide receiver to accompany George Pickens this offseason, and one NFL analyst is tossing out a suggestion the black and gold might be interested in.

Sports Illustrated's Matt Verdermane suggested the Cincinnati Bengals should trade Ja'Marr Chase this offseason, pursuing a Tyreek Hill-like deal in return. Why? Because it'll allow them to add the missing pieces they need elsewhere with plenty of draft capital in return.

"Of the half-dozen front-office personnel and general managers I’ve spoken with around the league, almost all believe Cincinnati would either get a deal equivalent to or likely exceeding what the Kansas City Chiefs got when they traded Tyreek Hill in March 2022," Verdermane writes.

That deal included a first-, second-, and fourth-round picks in 2022, and fourth- and sixth-rounders in 2023.

So, the question now becomes, can the Steelers make a phone call? After the season, they will be faced with the task of formulating a plan on how to fill their wide receiver need. The NFL Draft could certainly be their option, but a proven veteran seems to be the approach they've been after all year. And with nothing holding them back from pursuing a blockbuster trade this past summer, maybe they'd be interested in pursuing another this coming spring.

Now, the Steelers price would be higher. That's a given. But how much higher? And what are you paying Chase once you get him? Maybe an even bigger question, can you add a superstar player in return to sweeten the deal?

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