SerpApi.Org
The Pittsburgh Steelers have significantly upgraded the roster during the 2026 offseason, and the front office has done a good job of bringing in talent to fix some of the areas of weakness. This is especially true at the wide receiver position as the organization made a great trade for Michael Pittman Jr. just before free agency began. He is a veteran wideout that is expected to become one of Aaron Rodgers' go-to targets over the middle of the field, which is an area that Pittman has excelled in throughout his career. Pittsburgh also went out and drafted Germie Bernard, who is an exciting prospect at the position.
Bernard was a player that the Steelers traded up to select in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft. He was considered to be the most pro-ready wide receiver going into the draft, yet he was always projected to be a second-round pick. He is going to be competing for the third wide receiver spot, and a big part of his game is the run after the coach aspect, which means he could be making a difference down around the line of scrimmage. He is also known for getting dirty in the run game and is a willing blocker.
Adding another veteran wide receiver for depth is a topic that has been talked about for the Steelers, but that probably wouldn't happen until near the end of training camp. One name that has been brought up is former All-Pro wide receiver Deebo Samuel. Beat writer Ray Fittipaldo was asked about this on 93.7 The Fan on Wednesday morning, and he doesn't think bringing a guy like Samuel in would be a good idea.
"You might be right. To me, Deebo is probably too much like Germie Bernard," Fittipaldo said. "He's going to operate close to the line of scrimmage, going to want to get the ball in his hands, that's going to be their plan for Bernard."
Fittipaldo believes that Bernard is too similar to Samuel, which would prevent the organization from bringing in the veteran. The veteran has also clearly lost a step over the last few seasons, and he has struggled to stay healthy.
There could be some benefits to bringing in a veteran who is a similar player to Bernard. The veteran could serve as a mentor, so as long as that is something that Samuel is open to. Samuel has had a lot of success at the professional level, both individually and on the teams he has played for. He played in two Super Bowls with the San Francisco 49ers, while the 2025 season with the Washington Commanders was a bit of a disappointment.
Some people may be shocked that Samuel is still a free agent, but he is probably taking his sweet time with making any sort of decision. As a veteran he should be in no rush to get to a training camp, and he could wait for some injuries to occur during practice to get a better read on where some wide receiver jobs might open up.
Steelers Have Several Veterans To Consider At Wide Receiver
Samuel is not the only intriguing veteran wide receiver that is still available. Tyreek Hill is also a free agent, although he is coming off of a gruesome knee injury and he has not been cleared for football activities yet. Stefon Diggs is the other name that is available, and just played in the Super Bowl at the end of the 2025 season with the New England Patriots. He can still be productive as a second or third wide receiver on a depth chart.
Keenan Allen is another name to watch, although it seems like he will probably end up back with the Los Angeles Chargers.
Want more articles like this? Follow Steeler Nation on MSN to see more of our exclusive NFL content.
More must-reads:
