THE Pittsburgh Steelers are off to a 3-0 start, which almost makes you forget about their precarious situation at wide receiver behind No. 1 George Pickens.
Almost – Steelers fans certainly haven’t forgotten him, nor have ESPN’s Dan Grazianowho addressed the topic in his weekly article on buzz and predictions.
Graziano believes the Steelers will continue to monitor the receiver market moving forward, and he speculated on Tennessee Titans DeAndre Hopkins and Jacksonville Jaguars receiver Christian Kirk as two possible targets for general manager Omar Khan.
“The Steelers have been active in the wide receiver market this offseason – remember, they had a real chance to bring in Brandon Aiyuk if the 49ers hadn’t been able to extend him – and I expect to as they continue to monitor the receiver market as the deadline approaches,” Graziano wrote. “Tennessee’s DeAndre Hopkins and Jacksonville’s Christian Kirk are two veterans who could eventually become available and could come to the Steelers if their teams continue to lose and fall out of the playoff race.”
With the Jaguars and Titans sitting at 0-3 starts and looking like they’re going nowhere in 2024, it’s a safe bet that Kirk and/or Hopkins could be moved, but who would be the better bet?
Hopkins, of course, is the most decorated receiver, but he’s also 32 and in the final year of his contract. Age is a concern, but he showed he still has plenty left in the tank after a 1,000-yard season in 2023.
But it will also be I struggled to play all year and he is not guaranteed to provide a solution for Pittsburgh beyond this season.
Kirk is the much younger option of the two at 27 years old and has one year left on his contract after this one. But his record pales in comparison to Hopkins’ and Kirk has a history of injuries. Still, he would represent a significant improvement for Pittsburgh.
At this point, beggars can’t be choosers and the Steelers would be happy to call upon either. But with Hopkins not being fully healthy and possibly a rental, Kirk could be the better option of the two, both now and for the future.
