The Pittsburgh Steelers, currently leading the AFC North with a 6-2 record, are not resting on their laurels. Ahead of the trade deadline, the team strengthened its roster by acquiring wide receiver Mike Williams and outside linebacker Preston Smith to add depth at positions of need for the second half of the season.
In exchange for the two veterans, the Steelers sent a fifth-round pick to the New York Jets for Williams and a seventh-round pick to the Green Bay Packers for Smith. These additions come as the team prepares for a challenging stretch, beginning this Sunday against the NFC East-leading Washington Commanders (7-2).
Williams, a tall, 6-foot-4 receiver, has had limited success in his short stint with the Jets, catching only 12 passes for 166 yards in nine games. However, his impressive career with the Chargers — where he caught 309 passes for 4,806 yards and 31 touchdowns — provides promise. After a torn ACL last season, Williams struggled to find rhythm with quarterback Aaron Rodgers. His acquisition gives Pittsburgh a valuable big target, joining George Pickens, 6-3 tight end Pat Freiermuth, and others in the red zone.
The Steelers have been searching for a strong complement to Pickens since trading Diontae Johnson to Carolina last spring. Though they pursued other high-profile receivers like Brandon Aiyuk and Davante Adams, Williams represents a solid addition to their offensive plans.
Coach Mike Tomlin has praised his receivers’ efforts this season, but the Steelers still see room for improvement, especially as they aim to end a playoff victory drought dating back to the 2016 AFC Championship game. Their offense, ranked 13th in scoring, has shown improvement but still faces challenges. Pittsburgh will take on all three AFC North rivals twice in the final nine weeks of the season, along with tough matchups against Washington, Philadelphia, and Kansas City.
On defense, the Steelers remain one of the league’s top units, ranking second in points allowed and ninth in yards allowed. However, their pass rush has not been as dominant, with T.J. Watt leading the team with 6.5 sacks, and injuries to Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig have compounded the issue. Preston Smith, who’s in his 10th season, has been less involved in Green Bay’s new 4-3 defense but still brings 68.5 career sacks to Pittsburgh’s linebacker corps.
As Coach Tomlin emphasized, these moves reflect the team’s determination to remain competitive and build a championship-caliber roster for the second half of the season.
