The Pittsburgh Steelers ’ $84M attempt collapsed at the trade deadline, leaving a glaring void in their offense. With Aaron Rodgers under center and playoff hopes alive at 5-3, Pittsburgh must now rely on internal reinforcements. Head coach Mike Tomlin is scrambling to patch the roster after missing out on two key wideouts.

Preparing to face the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 10, the Steelers’ front office missed a major trade deadline opportunity, as their pursuit of Miami Dolphins star receiver Jaylen Waddle fell apart due to the latter’s steep asking price.

The Dolphins wanted at least a first-round pick, possibly more, which cooled interest from several teams. Despite needing a top-tier receiver, Pittsburgh chose not to meet the steep demand. Waddle’s current deal made the possible trade even more interesting.

He signed a three-year, $84.75 million contract extension with the Dolphins in 2024 that keeps him under contract through the 2028 season at a total value of $104.6 million.

That was attractive to the Steelers as a long-term investment unlike other rental options available to them at the deadline. But with Miami unwilling to negotiate below a first-rounder, the deal collapsed before any serious talks could progress.

For Pittsburgh, missing out on Waddle wasn’t just a failed trade, it was a missed chance to give Aaron Rodgers the kind of explosive receiver he’s never had in the NFL.

Waddle opened his career with three straight 1,000-yard seasons, dipped in 2024, but has bounced back in 2025 with 41 catches for 586 yards and four touchdowns in nine games. Putting him alongside DK Metcalf could have granted the Steelers one of the most electric receiver in the league.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Pittsburgh was one of the two teams in pursuit of Jakobi Meyers before he was ultimately dealt to the Jacksonville Jaguars ahead of the deadline. The two failed negotiations seemed to be a precursor to Pittsburgh being active but unwilling to overpay.

Moving forward with DK Metcalf, Calvin Austin III, and rookie Roman Wilson as their top-three receivers for the remainder of the season.

Mike Tomlin’s roster move

With no major offensive additions at the deadline, the Steelers turned to internal reinforcements. On Saturday, they signed running back Trey Sermon to the 53-man roster from the practice squad. The move adds depth to both the backfield and special teams ahead of their Week 10 matchup.

Sermon, who joined the team after a rookie minicamp tryout earlier this year, had been elevated several times this season but was out of game-day elevations, prompting a full-time promotion. Most of his contributions have come on special teams, where he’s logged 28 snaps, made one defensive play with a tackle, and returned two kicks for a 25.5-yard average.

Along with Sermon’s signing, the team promoted linebacker Mark Robinson from the practice squad to the active roster. Having played in 44 career games, Robinson brings depth and experience within Tomlin’s defensive scheme, both valuable as injuries and rotation needs continue to test the unit.

In another roster move, defensive lineman DeMarvin Leal was signed back to the practice squad. Leal has appeared in 31 career games with six starts and has played in three this season. His return adds depth to a defensive front that’s been effective but stretched thin by recent attrition.

At 5-3, the Pittsburgh Steelers remain firmly in the mix in the AFC playoff race. The path forward will rely less on trades and more on Tomlin’s trademark resilience.