The Pittsburgh Steelers are off to a 4-1 start, led by veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers. With the rest of the AFC North falling apart, Pittsburgh is in prime position to win its first division title since 2020.
Knowing this is likely Rodgers’ swan song, the Steelers have been unusually aggressive in the trade market dating back to the offseason. They’ve made some bold moves on offense to maximize the 41-year-old’s final run — trading with the Seahawks for DK Metcalf while sending George Pickens to the Cowboys.
Even so, there’s still one glaring need on this roster: wide receiver depth.
In his latest trade proposal, ESPN’s Bill Barnwell suggested that the Steelers acquire Rashid Shaheed from the New Orleans Saints in exchange for a 2026 fourth-round pick.
“Enter Shaheed, who is a free agent after the season,” Barnwell wrote. “Since entering the league in 2022, the undrafted Weber State product has averaged 15.6 yards per reception, fourth best in the NFL over that span. He has also been a return man in the past, something the Steelers wouldn’t mind adding after taking rookie Kaleb Johnson off kick returns in September. Shaheed will make $2.8 million over the remainder of 2025, a very reasonable price for what he brings to the table as a secondary option in the passing game.”
Why Rashid Shaheed Makes Sense for the Steelers
As good as Metcalf has been this season, Rodgers is going to need more help if the Steelers hope to make a deep playoff run. Metcalf leads the team with 19 catches for 356 yards and four touchdowns, while running back Jaylen Warren is second with just 153 yards and one score.
Calvin Austin III was serving as Pittsburgh’s WR2 before suffering a shoulder injury, but even before that, he averaged only 1.5 yards per route run. Rookie Roman Wilson has been a nonfactor so far, posting just two receptions for 19 yards.
“The Steelers are one of just two teams that haven’t completed a single pass traveling 30 or more yards in the air this season, and Aaron Rodgers has attempted only one such throw through five games,” Barnwell noted. “(It was a duck to an open Metcalf, but Rodgers’ arm has generally looked fine this season.)”
Shaheed would instantly help in that area. One of the fastest players in the league, the Saints wideout had ran a documented 4.39 40-yard dash and brings legitimate vertical speed to any offense.
Rashid Shaheed Set to Be Free Agent in 2026
Shaheed’s contract situation also makes him an appealing target for Pittsburgh. The 27-year-old is in the final year of his rookie deal, making him affordable both in trade compensation and salary. That gives the Steelers the chance to evaluate him for the remainder of the season and potentially sign him to a new deal to stabilize their receiving corps beyond 2025 for their next quarterback.
In four seasons with the Saints, Shaheed has caught 120 passes for 1,872 yards and 12 touchdowns, averaging 15.6 yards per reception.
“The Saints have shipped out too much draft capital for a 1-5 team with no aspirations of contending,” Barnwell wrote. “Getting some of that back in a Shaheed deal would make sense, and though they could potentially land a compensatory pick if Shaheed leaves in free agency, this is an organization that will likely be spending on the open market and canceling out compensatory picks next offseason.”
For a Steelers team trying to win one last time with Rodgers, a trade for Shaheed could be the low-cost, high-upside move that pushes their offense to another level.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Steelers Proposed Trade Pairs DK Metcalf With Speedy Saints WR appeared first on Heavy Sports.