The Pittsburgh Steelers narrowly missed out on a blockbuster trade this offseason. The Steelers spent the preseason in trade talks with the San Francisco 49ers for Brandon Aiyuk.
The Steelers were one of the few teams with a chance to land the All-Pro wide receiver, with AFC North rival Cleveland Browns also in the running. They reportedly had a deal in place with San Francisco, but the 49ers were able to sign Aiyuk to a 4-year, $120 million extension instead.
Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine listed hypothetical potential trades for the 2024 season but unfortunately has the Steelers AFC North rival making a splash, with the Cleveland Browns landing Tennessee Titans star receiver DeAndre Hopkins.
“Some of the Browns newly found financial freedom could be used to make one last major addition to the roster during the season,” Ballentine reported. “DeAndre Hopkins is a logical hypothetical target. The 32-year-old showed he’s still got it with a 1,000-yard season in 2023, but the Titans are in the middle of a rebuild and the veteran is on the final year of his contract.”
“That’s not to mention the chemistry that Hopkins already has with Watson from their days together in Houston. A receiving trio of Amari Cooper, Jerry Jeudy and DeAndre Hopkins would leave Watson with no excuses not to return to Pro Bowl form.”
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The Browns recently freed up $36 million in cap space by restructuring Deshaun Watson’s contract. Cleveland showed they are in the market for a receiver.
Hopkins would be a great addition, coming off his seventh 1,000-yard season of his career with seven touchdowns last season. Pittsburgh will unfortunately have to play against Hopkins twice a year if the receiver goes to Cleveland.
More NFL: Steelers Linked To Chiefs In Hypothetical Trade Proposal For 2024 Season
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