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2026 NFL Free Agency Grades: Dexter Lawrence II, Kirk Cousins
(By Seth Walder and Ben Solak)
https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/...-draft-outlook
The Steelers Trade for WR Michael Pittman
The Steelers Receive: ) WR Michael Pittman, 2026 7th-Round Draft Pick
The Colts Receive: ) 2026 6th-Round Draft Pick
The Steelers' Grade: ) C
The Colts' Grade: ) B
For the 2nd straight offseason, the Steelers added a wide receiver via trade. Last year, it was DK Metcalf. This time, it's Pittman in a late-round draft pick swap with the Colts.
The Steelers are giving Pittman a new three-year, $59 Million contract, per NFL Network. Because the trade compensation is so small, we can evaluate this as basically being a free agent deal at that price.
Pittman, 28, fits with the Steelers because he runs short routes, averaging only 8.1 air yards per target. And quarterback Aaron Rodgers ...... who is a free agent but seems likely to be back in Pittsburgh again ...... does pretty much one thing in the late stage of his career: throw short. Seventy-six percent of Rodgers' pass attempts went under 10 air yards last season, the highest rate in the league.
Pittman recorded his best season in 2023, grabbing 109 receptions for 1,152 receiving yards and 2.2 yards per route run. But he hasn't been able to match that since, with his yards per route run dropping to 1.8 in 2024 and 1.6 in 2025 (just 1.2 vs. man coverage). He totaled 784 receiving yards last season on 80 receptions.
His player-tracking based metrics in ESPN's receiver scores tell a similar story. This was most noticeable in his open score, which hit a career-high 67 in 2023 but fell to 53 in 2024 and 49 in 2025.
My biggest issue with this move is wondering why the Steelers didn't go after Wan'Dale Robinson instead. Robinson is three years younger and a better player at this point. Robinson cost $19.5 Million per-year ...... almost exactly the same amount that Pittman does after his new deal.
Why did the Colts make this trade? Pittman was slated to make $24 Million in 2026, and I imagine they didn't think he was worth that ...... especially considering they're giving Alec Pierce a bump to $29 million per year to bring him back. I don't think it would have been unreasonable for them to cut Pittman, so getting just a 6-7 flip is perfectly fine.
) (Seth Walder)
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