The Pittsburgh Steelers appear to be scouring the market for a considerable upgrade at wide receiver ahead of the November 10 trade deadline.

NFL insider Jason La Canfora anticipates that the Steelers, "will make a move or two by the trade deadline," and that the team's brass, "understands that adding another playmaker to this offense—even after making a bold trade for DK Metcalf from Seattle—is likely in order."

In terms of Pittsburgh's potential targets, La Canfora noted that one scout believes Ladd McConkey and Brian Thomas Jr. are both names worth noting over the next few weeks.

"After decades of operating as a conservative front office, the Steelers are wheeler-dealers now," La Canfora wrote. "One scout suggested to me that someone like Chargers wideout Ladd McConkey might be the kind of target Rodgers would enjoy throwing to to help sustain drives. Brian Thomas Jr. of the Jaguars is another name to keep an eye on."

Another WR is Necessary for Steelers to Reach Their Ceiling

Pittsburgh's run game is among the best in the NFL, courtesy of Jaylen Warren. He is seventh in rushing yards with 561 and fourth in scrimmage yards with 855 while Rico Dowdle is about as strong of a second option as there is in the league, evidenced by his 86 yards on 15 touches in the team's Week 7 win over the New Orleans Saints.

The passing game looks better than it has in several years under first-year head coach Mike McCarthy. Aaron Rodgers has turned back the clock a bit and has performed at a relatively high level, Germie Bernard has shown flashes of being a star in his rookie season, and DK Metcalf has recorded a combined 276 yards over his last four games after a slow start to the year.

The Steelers have dealt with a slew of injuries at the wide receiver position, however, with both Michael Pittman Jr. (foot) and Roman Wilson (finger) landing on the reserve/injured list over the last several weeks while Ben Skowronek (calf) has missed two games in a row as well.

Pittman Jr. in particular seems likely to remain out for a prolonged period of time beyond his required absence of four games while on IR, and Wilson isn't eligible to be activated until Week 11 at the earliest.

As a result, there's a clear need for another playmaker at receiver in Pittsburgh. For as good as Rodgers has looked relative to expectations too, he has completed just seven of his 36 attempts on passes of 20-plus yards (per SumerSports).

Bringing in a receiver who can consistently separate and help generate explosive plays is a near necessity for the Steelers if they want to get into the playoffs and make some noise should they get there instead of losing an eighth-straight postseason contest.

Pittsburgh's defense is firmly a top-10 unit in the league. If the offense can follow suit and take some real steps forward in-season by adding another proven receiver, there's no telling the heights this team could potentially reach.

Is McConkey or Thomas Jr. a Better Fit for Pittsburgh?

In five games this season for what's proven to be an anemic Chargers offense, McConkey has logged 200 yards on 13 catches.

Thomas Jr., meanwhile, continues to keep slipping down the depth chart in Jacksonville and has recorded 105 yards on nine receptions over six contests.

Of the two, McConkey is the higher-floor option for Pittsburgh. He's primarily a slot receiver, though he can certainly split out wide, and he's at his best in the short and intermediate areas of the field.

He's also proven to be a bit of a threat with the ball in his hands (340 yards after the catch since 2025, per SumerSports), and he doesn't have many drops on his ledger.

McConkey isn't overly explosive, though, and would be more of a safety blanket for Rodgers rather than a big play waiting to happen.

The opposite is true with Thomas Jr. His stock has dropped a ton since his standout rookie campaign in 2024, during which he finished with 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Since Liam Coen was hired as the Jaguars' head coach ahead of the 2025 season, Thomas Jr. has put up 812 yards and three touchdowns in 20 games.

Thomas Jr. is still a star-level talent, he just has not been nearly as productive as expected following his rookie year. He's 20th in yards after the catch with 728 since entering the league (per SumerSports) despite his relative struggles over the past two years, and his average depth of target of 12.66 yards across his career shows that he could be a real asset for the Steelers in terms of putting an emphasis on pushing the ball downfield.

If Pittsburgh is looking for a reliable receiver to pair with its current corps, McConkey is a better solution than Thomas Jr.

At the same time, Thomas Jr. comes with a super high ceiling and could benefit from a change of scenery with the Steelers, which may help unlock his potential.