The Steelers used to preach patience at one point in time. Build from within. Develop the young guys. Stick to the plan. That Pittsburgh? Yeah, it retired before Aaron Rodgers signed a contract. You don’t stop halfway once you’ve gone into full-on Super Bowl or bust mode. Which includes signing Jalen Ramsey, dealing for DK Metcalf, and even adding Jonnu Smith. You fill every gap. You chase every upgrade. And you absolutely do not wait for a WR2 with an A-Rod-level quarterback. George Pickens? Gone. Shipped off to Dallas in a trade that still has fans fuming and cornerbacks celebrating. That created a huge hole opposite Metcalf. This leads us to Terry McLaurin, who is currently the most talked-about name in the Steelers world.
Yes. That Terry. The precise route-runner. Since 2019, the unassumingly talented wideout has been in quarterback purgatory. And the internet did what it does best when Mark Kaboly threw a grenade on X with a straightforward post that asked, “Did the Steelers trade for McLaurin?” The rumors became less absurd all of a sudden. Romell Williams of FanSided put Pittsburgh in the running for McLaurin, implying that he would be the ideal match for Rodgers. “McLaurin would immediately fill. His precision and toughness would pair perfectly with Rodgers’ timing style.”
And if you look at the tape, he’s not wrong. Time, separation, and discipline are what McLaurin thrives on. Since 2017, Rodgers has yelled at every rookie receiver for lacking these three qualities. And keep in mind that the Steelers aren’t playing around. Rodgers wasn’t brought in to impart patience lessons. They brought him in to win.
Did the Steelers trade for McLaurin?
— Mark Kaboly (@MarkKaboly) July 6, 2025
And Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report chimed in with a plan to make that win a reality. “If the Steelers hope to make a legitimate run at a Super Bowl with Rodgers, however, they should look for all of the receiver help they can get. McLaurin, who is a pristine route-runner who can attack all areas of the field, would complement Rodgers well.” He also came up with a hypothetical trade: the Steelers send Washington a 2026 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick. The Steelers get McLaurin. Steelers fans go berserk (not part of the trade, but assumed).
Knox summed it up like this: “If the Steelers were ever going to go all-in on a season, this is the one.” Can’t argue with that. Rodgers. Tomlin is still at the wheel. And one potential WR addition away from turning the AFC into chaos. Meanwhile, in Washington, the tension is cooking on high.
Terry McLaurin’s holdout grows louder, Steelers circle
Terry McLaurin has made things crystal clear: pay me like the elite receiver, or I’m out. The Commanders? They’re dragging their feet like it’s a 4th-and-long. McLaurin has not attended OTAs since May. Skipped minicamp. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that the 29-year-old is “not happy” with the way the conversations have gone, even though training camp is only a few weeks away.
According to reports, Washington wants to keep him. He recently finished a season with 1,096 yards, 82 receptions, and a career-high 13 touchdowns. But here’s the problem: wanting to keep him means you have to pay him. And McLaurin is looking for a salary between $24 and $30 million annually. In the present market, it isn’t crazy. That’s just the cost of doing business.
And Tomlin can enter covertly if Washington continues to put things off. As of yet, no trade request has been issued. But this thing’s teetering. One more stalled meeting, one more lowball offer, and the guy who’s been Washington’s offensive identity for five years could be packing bags.
But at the end of it, everything boils down to this: would Pittsburgh be prepared to give up future picks? Considering the Rodgers timeline, the answer might be: how many picks do you want? If Washington can’t figure this out fast, don’t be surprised if Mike Tomlin turns that ‘Did the Steelers trade for McLaurin?’ tweet into a receipt.
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