The Pittsburgh Steelers looked hard for receiver help before the trade deadline, but came away with nothing. ESPN reported Wednesday that Pittsburgh talked with Tennessee about Calvin Ridley and also chased Josh Downs before he landed in Kansas City.
The details came in Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano’s Week 10 buzz file.
Week 10 buzz file: Trade deadline
-Why no BTJ, JT and DJ deals
-Cousins fallout for Vikings, Raiders
-Inside Chiefs' deal for Downs
-Why Steelers stood pat
-Bills plotted big swing
-Puka returning
-Players not dealtWith @DanGrazianoESPN https://t.co/izdzpa8HCI
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) November 11, 2026
The Calvin Ridley talks
Graziano reported that the Steelers wanted receiver help and were in discussions with the Titans about Ridley.
Fowler said a Ridley deal for a late-round pick would have made sense for Pittsburgh. But a recent incident involving Ridley at the Nashville airport gave some teams pause, according to Fowler.
Why the Josh Downs chase fell short
Pittsburgh also went after Downs, but the Steelers did not have a 2027 fourth-round pick, which complicated any offer, ESPN reported. Fowler said Downs “clearly wanted out” of Indianapolis, and the Chiefs ended up with him. Read our Chiefs-Josh Downs trade story.
Fowler added that the Steelers wanted to protect their draft capital within reason, partly because of their long-term uncertainty at quarterback.
Why it matters on Sunday night
Receiver depth is a real question for Aaron Rodgers. His 6.9 yards per attempt are tied for fourth-lowest in the league, and the targets are spread out: DK Metcalf leads the team with 33 catches, with rookie Germie Bernard right behind at 32, according to the Bengals’ scouting report.
Pittsburgh (6-2) visits Cincinnati (6-2) on Sunday night with first place in the AFC North on the line. Our Steelers vs. Bengals preview breaks down the matchup.
The Steelers were not alone in standing pat. See our list of the biggest names not traded and the full trade tracker. The Bills, by contrast, were the most aggressive team, as we covered in our Budda Baker story.
Sources: ESPN, Bengals.com
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