Chiefs, Steelers, and 49ers Are All Shopping in the Same Trade Deadline Aisle
Tom Pelissero reported it's a 'good bet multiple receivers will be traded by Tuesday’s deadline.'
The NFL trade deadline is Tuesday, and the league's heavyweights are all shopping in the exact same wide receiver aisle. According to Tom Pelissero, the Kansas City Chiefs, Pittsburgh Steelers, and San Francisco 49ers are actively working the phones for pass-catching help.
It is objectively hilarious that the rich keep trying to get richer while the bottom of the standings holds a fire sale. You have three legitimate contenders realizing their current receiver rooms are one rolled ankle away from disaster, and they are all staring at the same three names: Brian Thomas Jr., Josh Downs, and Calvin Ridley.
The desperation makes sense when you look at the standings. The Steelers are sitting pretty at 6-2 atop the AFC North after blowing out the Cleveland Browns 27-6, but they clearly know they need more firepower to survive January. Meanwhile, the Chiefs are 5-2 after dropping a tight 28-24 game to the Denver Broncos, and Patrick Mahomes is once again being asked to turn water into wine with a depleted supporting cast.
The names on the block are a perfect reflection of the league's current basement. The Tennessee Titans are a miserable 1-7, making Ridley an obvious candidate to escape. The Indianapolis Colts are 2-6, and while Downs has been productive with 330 receiving yards and a recent string of high-target games despite a lingering toe issue, Indianapolis is going nowhere fast.
The weirdest name on the list is Brian Thomas Jr. The Jacksonville Jaguars are actually rolling at 6-2, yet they are reportedly fielding calls for their young receiver. Trading away a dynamic weapon when you are fighting for the AFC's top seed sounds like a move cooked up in a conference room by guys who overthink their fantasy rosters.
For anyone tracking the futures market, where these three receivers land will absolutely tilt the playoff picture. Giving Kyle Shanahan another toy for his 6-1 49ers or letting Andy Reid scheme open Downs in the slot changes the math for the entire league.
We have until 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday to see who actually pulls the trigger. Until then, expect every fan base of a contending team to convince themselves that a two-win team's slot receiver is the missing piece to a Super Bowl parade.