After electing to trade WR George Pickens, the Pittsburgh Steelers are right back where they started with a need at the position.
To make matters worse, Pittsburgh chose to pass on wide receiver in the draft, leaving them with the same collection of pass-catchers they had last season — except swap out Pickens and Van Jefferson for DK Metcalf and Robert Woods.
Either way, it feels like the Steelers could use one more WR weapon for Aaron Rodgers, Mason Rudolph, or whoever the Pittsburgh quarterback is come Week 1.
On May 22, a fan asked veteran beat reporter Mark Kaboly for the most “realistic” options at wide receiver at this point in the offseason, either via free agency or trade.
“I would look more at free agency than trade at this point,” Kaboly replied. Adding: “I’d go with Amari Cooper as my first option and Keenan Allen as my second choice.”
“If neither one of them interests the Steelers, they will wait until final cuts in August to grab a veteran,” he concluded.
Earlier in the mailbag post, Kaboly also voiced that Steelers general manager Omar Khan “will add a veteran receiver at some point before the season,” but reiterated confidently that it won’t be a big-name trade candidate.
“Right now, they want to see what Roman Wilson can do and see if Calvin Austin III can take another step forward,” Kaboly explained. “You can’t figure that out without reps, and that’s what OTAs are for.”
Amari Cooper & Keenan Allen Profile as Similar WR Options
Cooper and Allen have both lost a step in recent years, but they are similar in that they are both serviceable route-runners who could serve as reliable safety nets and secondary options opposite Metcalf — with either Wilson or Austin operating out of the slot.
Cooper has been more of an iron man throughout his career, appearing in 14 or more games in each of his 10 NFL seasons.
He’s been voted to the Pro Bowl five times, with seven 1,000-yard campaigns and over 10,000 total receiving yards. Cooper has also found the end zone 64 times.
At age 31 in June, Cooper is coming off his worst statistical season, with just 547 yards and 4 touchdowns split between the Cleveland Browns and Buffalo Bills.
Allen, on the other hand, is a six-time Pro Bowler and six-time 1,000-yard receiver with over 11,200 career receiving yards and 66 touchdowns in 12 seasons.
Unfortunately, Allen has struggled to stay healthy throughout his career. And at age 33, that’s certainly the primary concern for any new suitor of his.
With the Chicago Bears in 2024, the veteran also struggled to find chemistry with rookie quarterback Caleb Williams early on. He did close out the year pretty strongly, however, finishing with 70 catches for 744 yards and 7 touchdowns over 15 outings.
Having said that, it never felt like the Bears got the same Allen that dominated opposing secondaries with the San Diego and Los Angeles Chargers for many seasons.
Should Steelers Sign a Veteran WR Like Amari Cooper or Keenan Allen?
So, with all that in mind, should the Steelers sign either of these veteran playmakers?
Allen looked a little better in 2024, but Cooper is the better bet to stay healthy and play out the majority of the season for Pittsburgh. Neither is truly that much of an upgrade on Woods or Austin, though.
At best, signing Allen or Cooper provides savvy depth and red zone prowess. But an addition like this will not replace Pickens, and should not be confused with that level of move.
Kaboly probably has the right idea here. If Wilson doesn’t seem ready to take the next step throughout spring and early summer, sign Cooper or Allen for insurance.
If the second-year WR looks good, perhaps the Steelers roll the dice without them. Assuming Super Bowl is still the goal, it’s more important that Khan gets another quarterback in the building ASAP.
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