Steelers Trade for Colts 28-Year-Old Wide Receiver
At 12:40 pm on Monday, March 9th, 2026, the Pittsburgh Steelers made a trade with the Indianapolis Colts. The Colts are sending wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. to Pittsburgh in exchange for late-round draft picks; the details of which have not been released yet. The trade for Pittman comes less than an hour after Indianapolis extended wide receiver Alec Pierce, giving him a four-year deal with an average annual value of $29 million per year. Pittman was expected to have a cap hit of $24 million in the 2026 season, and with the Colts looking for younger options such as Pierce and Josh Downs, it created the perfect opportunity for Pittsburgh to land a big-name pass-catcher to pair alongside DK Metcalf. The trade comes exactly one year after Pittsburgh made the trade for Metcalf, showing that Steelers GM Omar Khan is not afraid to make a move whenever he sees an opening.
After the trade, the Steelers signed Pittman to a three-year, $59 million deal, keeping him in the Steel City with Metcalf for years to come. Pittman is coming off another solid season where he hauled in 80 catches for 784 yards and seven touchdowns. He has broken the 1,000 receiving-yard mark twice in his career, in 2021 and 2023, and in both years he was named an alternate for the Pro Bowl. Over his six-year career, Pittman has 485 receptions, 5,254 yards, and 25 touchdowns, with an average of 10.8 yards per reception. The big-body wide receiver will be a fantastic addition to Pittsburgh's new and improved offense under head coach Mike McCarthy. This also paves the way for an Aaron Rodgers return to Pittsburgh, as he has stated that an improved wide receiver room will greatly improve his odds of returning. One of the biggest struggles for Pittsburgh during the 2025 season was who they threw the ball to. Outside of Metcalf, the Steelers did not have any true second or third receiver, as running back Kenneth Gainwell was second on the team in receptions and yards.
Despite Pittmans 2205 campaign being one of his lower seasons, in terms of general production, being added to an improved, pass-heavy offense under McCarthy and likely led by Rodgers, he will have the chance to excel alongside Metcalf, as the majority of the defense's attention will head that direction. This trade allows Pittsburgh to relax slightly regarding the 2026 NFL Draft, as they have now found their number two receiver, even though the draft is still more than a month away. Pittman will have an immediate impact in Pittsburgh and will hopefully be a big reason that this offense can turn around. Over the past few seasons, the Steelers' offense has ranked near the bottom in practically every statistical category, but with a leadership change and positional upgrades, Steelers fans have to be excited for an offense that finally may have some potential. Pittsburgh likely will not stop this pursuit of wide receivers, as the upcoming draft is full of players with incredible potential at the position, but it allows them to relax and regroup ahead of the draft. Two six-foot-four receivers along the outside, with a six-foot-five tight end in Pat Freiermuth, and a six-foot-seven tight end in Darnell Washington commanding the middle, this is going to be a scary offense for NFL defenses to go against.
