The Pittsburgh Steelers made a push to acquire Tennessee Titans wide receiver Calvin Ridley before Tuesday's NFL trade deadline, with a deal reportedly appearing likely before Tennessee ultimately decided to keep the veteran.
Pittsburgh explored several options at wide receiver as it looked to bolster its offense for the second half of the season. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano reported Wednesday that the Steelers pursued Ridley, Brian Thomas Jr. and Josh Downs.
“The Steelers pursued multiple receivers, including Brian Thomas Jr., Josh Downs, and Calvin Ridley, the latter of whom seemed destined to land in Pittsburgh before the Titans decided not to trade him,” Fowler and Graziano wrote.
Graziano reported that Pittsburgh and Tennessee held discussions involving Ridley. However, the Titans elected to maintain continuity around rookie quarterback Cam Ward despite moving defensive players Amani Hooker and Jeffery Simmons before the deadline.
“The Steelers were in the market for wide receiver help, and I was told they were in discussions with Tennessee about Calvin Ridley,” Graziano wrote. “But while the Titans dealt away a couple of key defensive players in Amani Hooker and Jeffery Simmons, they stayed true to their word about holding the offense together to give Cam Ward a chance to continue his development.”
Steelers explored several options before NFL trade deadline
Fowler reported that a deal involving a late-round draft pick could have made sense for Pittsburgh, but Ridley's recent incident at the Nashville airport created additional uncertainty among interested teams.
Pittsburgh also pursued Downs before the Indianapolis Colts ultimately traded him to the Kansas City Chiefs. The Steelers' lack of a fourth-round selection in the 2027 NFL Draft complicated their ability to compete for Downs, according to Fowler.
The organization also had a larger reason for remaining cautious with its future draft capital.
Pittsburgh faces long-term uncertainty at quarterback, making future selections particularly valuable if the Steelers eventually need to acquire their next starter through the draft or a trade. Fowler noted that several teams that aggressively added talent at the deadline already have established franchise quarterbacks.
The Steelers instead left the deadline without adding another receiver, although reinforcements are expected internally.
Michael Pittman Jr., Roman Wilson and Ben Skowronek are all expected to return to action in the coming weeks, potentially providing Pittsburgh's passing attack with additional options for the second half of the season.
The Steelers will now move forward with their existing roster as they prepare for a significant AFC North matchup.
Pittsburgh enters Week 10 at 6-2 and will visit the 6-2 Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday Night Football. The divisional rivals will kick off at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC.