The Pittsburgh Steelers had a busier-than-normal offseason. Usually quiet in free agency, Pittsburgh spent some money on veterans to address a few needs along their roster. A lot of that focus was on the defensive side of the ball.
Patrick Peterson was signed to bolster the secondary while Cole Holcomb and Elandon Roberts were brought on to revamp the second level of their defense. They are going to help replace Ryan Spillane, Devin Bush and Myles Jack, who had expiring contracts or were waived.
The backbone of the Steelers’ team is their defense, as it can be among the best units in the NFL when healthy. But, if they are going to make any noise in 2023, the offense will need to play at a higher level.
Entering Year 2, there will be an expectation for Kenny Pickett to take a step in his development. Pickett played much better in the second half of the season, drastically cutting down his turnovers.
The offensive line was improved with the signing of guard Isaac Seumalo, which will help. Solid weapons also surround Pickett with running back Najee Harris, tight end Pat Freiermuth and wide receivers Diontae Johnson and George Pickens. After missing his entire rookie campaign, there is still some optimism Calvin Austin III can provide a positive impact.
Given the Steelers’ tendency to add pass catchers, they could target one in the 2023 NFL Draft to upgrade the group around Pickett. However, some veterans are seemingly available on the trade market that the Steelers could target as well.
One of those players would be Hunter Renfrow of the Las Vegas Raiders. Renfrow looks to have fallen out of favor in Las Vegas as the team signed Jakobi Meyers in free agency, who plays most out of the slot, just like Renfrow.
Injuries derailed Renfrow in 2022 as he appeared in only 10 games. With the Raiders revamping their offense, he was identified as one of the players that could be on the move this offseason along with tight end Darren Waller. Waller has already been moved, as he was traded to the New York Giants, leaving Renfrow as a possible Draft Day target.
What could a trade between the Steelers and Raiders look like? Lacking a fifth or sixth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Pittsburgh could offer a 2024 pick in one of those rounds. In that scenario, the Raiders could wait until June 1st to make the deal, as trading Renfrow post-June 1st would save Las Vegas $11.29 million.
If Las Vegas wants a pick in this year’s draft, moving up a round could be appealing. The Steelers could acquire Renfrow and one of the Raiders’ fifth-round picks in exchange for Pittsburgh’s fourth-round pick. Las Vegas wouldn’t save nearly as much in this scenario but would make a big jump up the board.
For the Steelers, they add a sure-handed slot receiver that is only one year removed from a Pro Bowl season. If he can remain healthy, Renfrow would be a nice safety valve for Pickett working short and intermediate routes, taking advantage of the space created by Pickens and Johnson working downfield on the perimeter.
