The NFL’s new league year opened on Wednesday after two days of legal tampering, meaning all 32 teams can officially sign players and make trades to improve their 2025 rosters and their chances of making a run in the future.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have had many of their former players find new homes, including quarterback Justin Fields (New York Jets) and running back Najee Harris (Los Angeles Chargers). However, they haven’t added much.
Their only signings have been former Philadelphia Eagles running back Kenneth Gainwell and former Baltimore Ravens linebacker Malik Harrison. They also made a huge splash in a trade, acquiring wide receiver DK Metcalf from the Seattle Seahawks for a second-round pick and two pick swaps.
While Pittsburgh is still looking for their next quarterback, they should still be trying to add talented offensive weapons to make life easier for whoever’s under center in 2025.
With that, Last Word on Sports’ Anthony Palacios recently suggested that the Steelers should call the San Francisco 49ers and try to trade for running back Christian McCaffrey.
McCaffrey, 28, has been one of the best running backs in the league since the Carolina Panthers selected him with the eighth overall pick in the 2017 NFL draft out of Stanford, where he was All-Pac-12 twice and All-American once.
In his eight professional seasons, McCaffrey’s earned All-Pro honors four times, Pro Bowl honors twice and won Offensive Player of the Year once.
Injuries have certainly impacted McCaffrey’s career, as he’s played in more than seven games just twice since 2020. Last season, he appeared in just four games, rushing for 202 yards on four yards per attempt and catching 15 passes for another 146 yards.
The 49ers have been moving on from some key pieces this offseason, and McCaffrey is still on the books for four more seasons. They may look to trade him to save money now or in the future, as they’d be left with $17.86 million in dead cap if they traded him before June 1 or just $5 million in dead cap after that.
Pittsburgh watched Harris leave in free agency, leaving Gainwell and Jaylen Warren as their top backs at this point in the offseason. There are still starting-caliber running backs on the market and there will be plenty to consider in the draft, but not many have the ceiling that McCaffrey does when he’s healthy. It would be a huge risk, but it might be worth it to buy low.
MORE STEELERS NEWS
Cameron Heyward admits to losing his cool during Steelers’ late-season struggles
Proposed Steelers signing adds former $29M wide receiver to complete impressive trio
Did Pat McAfee’s retweet reveal Aaron Rodgers’ decision in free agency?
Steelers’ potentially toxic duo of DK Metcalf, George Pickens is creating the best memes