3 players the Steelers plan to land at the 2023 NFL trade deadline

The Pittsburgh Steelers sit well atop the AFC North heading into Week 6.

Pittsburgh’s win over the Baltimore Ravens showed their potential in the division title race.
Mike Tomlin’s team could use a boost or two before the NFL trade deadline to maintain their lead.

The Steelers may need help at several positions where injuries and lack of production have hurt them.
If Pat Fryermuth continues to struggle and Darnell Washington can’t move to tight end no.
1, a veteran tight end could be a good trade option.

The Steelers have always had T.J. The insurance could be used Watt came to the sideline to make the defense a nightmare as the season progressed.
Mike Gesicki

The Steelers’ three tight ends combined for 105 receiving yards.

Fryermuth leads the team with 53 receiving yards on eight receptions.
He missed the Week 5 game against Baltimore with a hamstring injury.

Washington and Connor Hayward may not have the impact Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett should while Freiermuth recovers.
Washington could be the next tight end because of his massive size, but the rookie isn’t there yet.

Mike Gesicki’s time with the New England Patriots did not go according to plan. The former Miami Dolphins had eight receptions in Weeks 1 and 2 and four receptions in the past three weeks.

New England’s offensive struggles could take him out of the playoff race early, which could make Gesicki a trade target for multiple teams.
Gesicki will provide insurance as Fryermuth heals and could close the gap on Washington before the Georgia product is ready to take on a bigger load in the passing game.

Austin Hooper

Austin Hooper is another cheap veteran the Steelers can rely on for depth in the game.
Hooper’s role in the Las Vegas Raiders offense could be taken over by Michael Mayer in the coming weeks.

In Monday night’s game, Notre Dame’s rookie quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo was the center of attention and Hooper had to throw several interceptions.
Signing Hooper to a one-year deal allowed him to add a veteran presence at tight end for a relatively cheap price.

If Washington had been more productive in previous games, Pittsburgh might not need a tight end in a few weeks, but right now, even a small upgrade could be used to fill out an offense that has two tight ends tight and a pair of tight ends.
.
Impressive wide receiver.
Brian Brand

Brian Burns is every NFL prospect’s desired midseason trade target.

The Carolina Panthers are the only winless team in the NFL, and since they don’t have a first-round pick, they could use more draft picks to prepare for 2024.
Burns is one of the league’s best running backs behind T.J. watt.

Burns could replace Watt if more injuries occur later in the season.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero said Tuesday that Watt badly dislocated his finger and tore multiple ligaments on Sunday.

The Steelers need to deal with Watt missing a week or two if necessary, or have a little more depth in the pass rush to prevent Watt from being double-teamed every snap.
A mid-round pick could do the trick to land Burns, and the Steelers should explore that to gain an edge over their AFC North rivals.