The Pittsburgh Steelers tried to bring in a wide receiver upgrade before and during the 2024 campaign but ultimately failed in their pursuit. They did acquire Mike Williams, but Williams didn’t prove to be the upgrade the Steelers needed.

Going into the 2025 offseason, the Steelers will be in the market for a wide receiver once again, and quite possibly multiple. The future of George Pickens is up in the air following a tumultuous 2024 campaign, and the Steelers need depth beyond whoever their top-two receivers are.

One possible solution to the Steelers’ need at wide receiver is Los Angeles Rams star Cooper Kupp, who recently expressed doubt about his future with the team.

“Who knows what’s going to happen,” Kupp said, per ESPN’s Sara Barshop. “That’s out of my control. And we will see what it’s going to be… I don’t have any clarity on what that’s going to look like or anything like that. So yeah, obviously would love to be in L.A., but I don’t know what that’s going to look like.”

Kupp once led the NFL in receiving yards and touchdowns in what was a monster 2021 campaign for him. However, injuries have been a major issue for him the past three seasons, with Kupp missing a combined total of 18 games in that span.

He’s also turning 32 in June and is set to account for a $29.7 million cap hit in 2025, so it’s easy to see why the Rams may want to cut him loose.

If the Rams and Kupp do part ways, Sportsnaut’s Matt Johnson sees the Steelers as a possible landing spot for the 31-year-old wide receiver.

“The Pittsburgh Steelers both need a No. 2 receiver and an adult in the room. George Pickens, for as talented as he is, loses control of his emotions when the football isn’t coming his way and can check out mentally,” Johnson wrote. “Whoever the Steelers quarterback is in 2025, he needs someone he can consistently depend on.

“Mike Tomlin would love the mentality Cooper Kupp brings to the Steelers locker room and his on-field impact would be even more significant,” Johnson added. “If Pickens learns anything from Kupp about how to act maturely on the field, that’s an even bigger win for Pittsburgh.”

Whether the Rams cut him outright or trade him remains to be seen. The move that would make the most financial sense for Los Angeles is to trade him with a post-June 1 designation. The next best course of action would be a post-June 1 cut, according to Over the Cap.

The Steelers’ interest will likely depend upon the means in which they can acquire Kupp. Pittsburgh won’t be keen on giving up draft capital and absorbing Kupp’s contract in the process considering his age and injury history.

The Rams would likely have to pick up money or Kupp would have to agree to a restructured contract in order to make it work — and even then the Steelers may not pull the trigger.

If Kupp is available in free agency, he becomes a much more realistic target for the Steelers. He’d likely come at a reasonable price with the concerns surrounding him and would be an instant upgrade for Pittsburgh’s lackluster receivers room.

On top of that, maybe he can help mentor Pickens and get him on the right track, although we wouldn’t hold our breath for Kupp being able to get through to the disgruntled wide receiver.