Wide receiver has been a weakness for the Pittsburgh Steelers for the past few seasons. They’ve tried to fix it, with the Steelers involved in receiver trade rumors for the past two years. Jakobi Meyers was a name that they tried to acquire during the 2025 season. However, Meyers was ultimately traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars for fourth- and sixth-round picks. According to Jaguars head coach Liam Coen, Meyers boosted their team instantly.
“Jakobi Meyers comes, our first practice with Jakobi, we were a better team,” Coen said Thursday on The Pat McAfee Show. “The first practice Jakobi came in, our pass game looked completely different. The whole team was like, ‘What?’ For real.
“It just changed because it allowed [Brian Thomas Jr.] to do what he does well, Parker [Washington] to do what he does well, Brenton Strange does what he does well. Trevor [Lawrence] had a lot of trust and respect in him.”
That throws a little more salt into the wound for the Steelers. Meyers played nine games for the Jaguars, catching 42 passes for 483 yards and three touchdowns. More importantly, the Jaguars only lost one regular-season game after they acquired Meyers. As Coen explains, his impact went beyond his own statistics.
The Steelers could’ve used that kind of presence at receiver. DK Metcalf was fine as their number one, but no one else stepped up. That was especially evident when Metcalf got suspended for the final two games of the year.
Also, it’s not like Meyers went for a king’s ransom. The Steelers should have 12 picks in the 2026 draft. They could’ve offered a similar or better package.
They had already made several other trades during the offseason, too. The Steelers made it clear that their goal was to compete for a Super Bowl. Their lack of receiver depth held them back, though. Meyers wouldn’t have solved all of their problems, but maybe they would’ve won a playoff game if they had traded for him.
The Jaguars gave Meyers a contract extension before the season ended, so the Steelers won’t have a chance to sign him in free agency. Improving at receiver should be one of their top priorities, though, especially with Calvin Austin III set to be a free agent. The Steelers can’t keep waiting until the last second to try to solve their wideout problem.