The Pittsburgh Steelers, after entering Week 15 with a 10-3 record and two-game lead over the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC North, have begun to unravel.

A stretch of three contests in 11 days resulted in nothing but losses for the Steelers, who are now 10-6 and in danger of dropping to as low as the No. 6 seed in the playoffs. Baltimore, conversely, won all of its games over that same period and now has a rather secure hold on the division at 11-5 ahead of Week 18.

There’s no finite answer as to why Pittsburgh has stumbled the way it has, but a hamstring injury to No. 1 wide receiver George Pickens further showcased the lack of depth and high-end talent the team has at the position outside of the 23-year-old star.

The Steelers’ offense couldn’t gain much traction during Pickens’ absence, which lasted from Weeks 14 to 16, and things didn’t improve much upon his return in a 29-10 defeat at the hands of the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 17 either.

Thus, TWSN’s Tyler Raymond believes Pittsburgh should pursue a deal for the New York Jets’ Garrett Wilson this offseason, who reportedly drew trade interest ahead of the deadline and could be looking for a way out of East Rutherford.

“Trading for Wilson would give the Steelers one of the strongest receiving duos in the NFL,” Raymond wrote. “And more importantly, add another dimension to an offense that has already shown flashes of being great. Wilson wanting out provides the team with yet another shot at a position they so desperately need help at, and it would be shocking if they didn’t go all out to land the star.”

Entering Week 17, Wilson had put up 90 receptions for 987 yards and six touchdowns. The 2022 first-round pick also finished with over 1,000 yards in the first two campaigns of his NFL career despite playing within a subpar offense, and he profiles as one of the league’s most talented receivers.

With Pickens entering a contract year in 2025, it’s unknown how the Steelers will approach handing him a new contract. Acquiring Wilson, which would require parting with significant draft capital given that he technically has two years left on his rookie deal thanks to the fifth-year option, would provide the team with another premier weapon in the passing game.

He could either form a lethal duo with Pickens for the foreseeable future, or help soften the blow of him heading elsewhere. Pittsburgh has struck out in its prior attempts to bring in a top-end receiver, but landing Wilson would change that narrative.