The Tampa Bay Buccaneers look deeper and deeper at wide receiver every day, and that could allow for them to trade one of their pass-catchers to a WR-needy team like the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Speaking of Pittsburgh, there was an interesting trade rumor that emerged on May 29, via Steelers Now reporter Zachary Smith.
“The Steelers have checked in with the Buccaneers regarding WR Trey Palmer,” Smith relayed on X. Adding: “Palmer, a 6th round pick in 2023, has 51 [receptions for] 557 [yards and] 4 [touchdowns] in his career.”
The Steelers just traded for superstar WR DK Metcalf earlier this offseason, but they also traded away George Pickens at the position, creating a potential opening.
Earlier in the afternoon on May 29, FOX Sports NFL insider Jordan Schultz also reported that “the Steelers have had preliminary conversations with multiple teams about potentially adding another playmaker on offense to complement DK Metcalf, per multiple sources.”
So, this would line up with Smith’s note about Palmer.
“Pittsburgh is believed to be motivated to get a deal done at some point, though there’s still plenty of time before the season,” Schultz continued. “The Steelers could have up to 12 picks in the 2026 NFL Draft.”
Buccaneers Flipping Trey Palmer to Steelers for Draft Capital — or Defensive Help — Would Make Plenty of Sense
If there’s one position Tampa Bay has a lot of after the 2025 NFL Draft, it’s wide receiver.
Assuming veterans Mike Evans and Chris Godwin stay healthy, the Bucs will be rolling out Jalen McMillan and first-rounder Emeka Egbuka as their third and fourth options this year. And that’s before you even mention seventh-round pick Tez Johnson, capable veteran Sterling Shepard and slot option Rakim Jarrett.
On top of all their receivers, the Buccaneers also have two running backs who catch the ball well out of the backfield in Bucky Irving and Rachaad White, along with an above-average tight end in Cade Otton.
Needless to say, this Tampa Bay passing attack is loaded with or without Palmer.
If the Steelers want him, it would make a whole lot of sense for the Buccaneers to trade the 2023 rookie success story for either more draft capital in 2026 or some sort of secondary or pass rush help, since Pittsburgh is much deeper than Tampa in those two areas.
Buccaneers Should Be Open to Trading WR This Summer
Whether it’s Palmer or someone else, the Buccaneers should be open to a WR trade this summer, once they get a sense of which players are winning roster spots.
Unless the Bucs decide to do something big and unexpected, like flipping McMillan, Palmer is certainly the most likely trade candidate of the bunch. But there’s a world where Tampa Bay gets somewhere minor for Shepard or Jarrett.
It would also be interesting to see what Palmer might fetch.
The former LSU and Nebraska playmaker just turned 24 years old in April, so he still has a lot of upside despite getting overshadowed by McMillan in 2024.
During his rookie campaign, Palmer caught 39 of 68 targets for 3 touchdowns and 22.6 receiving yards per game. By comparison, he was only targeted by Baker Mayfield 22 times last year, so there’s a chance a trade suitor sees some upside potential in that lessened usage.
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