If the Pittsburgh Steelers want to seriously contend in the AFC, quarterback and wide receiver are the two most important positions to upgrade this offseason. What if they could do both in one single move?
Bleacher Report offered up some hypothetical offseason trades to shake up free agency and this included a doozy for the Steelers. In their hypothetical, the Steelers make a trade with the Los Angeles Rams that sends quarterback Matthew Stafford and wide receiver Cooper Kupp to Pittsburgh in exchange for the Steelers second, fourth and fifth-round picks in the 2025 NFL draft.
However, Stafford, at this stage in his career with retirement looming, may not fetch a first-round pick. The Rams can add Kupp to the deal to get additional picks. though. They plan to move on from the wideout anyway.
If that’s the case, the Steelers may be interested in a quick fix for their first-round exits over the last five years. They have struggled to establish stability at quarterback since Ben Roethlisberger retired after the 2021 season. Pittsburgh also needs help at wide receiver.
Stafford and Kupp would be short-term fixes, but they’re worth the gamble for a playoff-caliber team. The Steelers can also add contract clauses to recoup money if Stafford retires within a year or two.
As they noted, Stafford is in no way a long-term solution. But he is a better option than any veteran on the market and wouldn’t stop the Steelers from drafting a quarterback as well. As for Cooper, he’s as close to a No. 1 receiver the Steelers could get without shelling out a massive payday to a players like Tee Higgins and Chris Godwin.