Where oh where were the Pittsburgh Steelers at the NFL trade deadline? Reports suggested that the 6-2 Steelers
were among teams interested in wide receiver talent, and even when updates pointed to a more modest approach at the deadline, the team failed to pull off even a single move. And that heavily affected our trade deadline grade for the Steelers, even if some fans were happy the team stood pat.Wide receiver wasn't the only position Pittsburgh could've addressed, as the defensive depth could've used additional talent at cornerback or safety. Oh, and it's not like the offensive line wasn't in shambles to start the season.
For what will be Aaron Rodgers' final season in the league, the Steelers had every opportunity at the deadline to give
him a vote of confidence by upgrading their roster for a deep playoff run. Well, Rodgers will have to settle for DK Metcalf, who has struggled to make routine catches, Michael Pittman Jr. and Roman Wilson, who have dealt with serious injuries in 2026, and second-round rookie Germie Bernard, a promising standout who has recorded just 57 combined receiving yards over the past two games.
We respect that the Steelers are hesitant to trade draft capital with the future of the quarterback position still up in the air, but the team failing to even pull off one modest move was extremely disappointing. Are the Steelers truly all in on Rodgers' final season? Apparently not. Is Pittsburgh closer to a rebuild than fans realize? One could argue that, but the team also failed to trade any aging veterans in the final years of their contracts. It felt like Khan dropped the ball here. Final grade: D-
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This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: NFL trade deadline grades: Steelers drop the ball
