SHOCKING RUMORS: Pittsburgh Steelers Consider $56 Million Wide Receiver Amid Calvin Austin III Injury—Could This Be The Game-Changing Move They Need?
Veteran wide receiver Curtis Samuel played in just his first game of the 2025 NFL season for the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. He appeared on the field for 20 offensive snaps and five special teams snaps during the Week 4 matchup versus the New Orleans Saints.
Samuel could have a much greater opportunity for more playing time with the Pittsburgh Steelers. For that reason, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler suggested the possibility of the Steelers pursuing a trade for Samuel before the NFL trade deadline.
“The Steelers could have one more move in them, and I’d be willing to bet they’d at least have a conversation on Tyreek Hill if Miami engaged,” Fowler wrote. “Curtis Samuel is also a healthy scratch in Buffalo despite making $7.4 million this season.”
Pundits have previously linked the Steelers to Hill. However, the Miami Dolphins receiver suffered a dislocated knee on Monday Night Football in Week 4.
If the Steelers are going to acquire a wideout before the trade deadline, they will have to pursue other possibilities. Samuel is one of the more intriguing ones potential available.
According to Spotrac, Samuel has earned about $56.9 million in his nine-year NFL career.
Calvin Austin III Injury Could Gives Steelers Urgency to Add WR
Fowler made his argument about Samuel as a Steelers target last Wednesday. So, Fowler didn’t loosely connect Samuel to Pittsburgh because of Calvin Austin’s injury.
Austin suffered a shoulder ailment during Week 4 in Dublin. He left in the fourth quarter and received treatment at the hospital in Ireland.
But while Fowler didn’t name Samuel a replacement for Austin, the Steelers’ need for a receiver only increases if Austin has to miss time. According to The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac, that’s likely to happen.
On Monday, Dulac reported Austin will miss “several weeks” because of his should injury. ESPN’s Brooke Pryor reported Sunday that she saw Austin’s arm in a sling after the victory against the Minnesota Vikings.
Austin has 10 of the last 11 games for the Steelers, including the playoffs, dating back to last season. In four contests this year, Austin has posted 10 catches, 139 yards and two touchdowns.
The 26-year-old averaged 15.2 yards per catch with 26 receptions and 548 receiving yards during 2024.
What WR Curtis Samuel Could Bring Steelers
Samuel never really lived up to his second-round billing. The Carolina Panthers selected him at No. 40 overall in the 2017 NFL Draft.
But Samuel has put together a decent NFL campaign over nine seasons. He’s eclipsed the 600-yards mark four times. In 2020, he registered a career-high 77 catches for 851 receiving yards.
He’s not likely to return to the production he had five years ago. In 2024, Samuel 31 catches for 253 yards and a touchdown in 14 games.
This season, he has one catch for nine yards in his infrequent playing time.
But with Samuel, the Steelers would be adding a proven commodity with some upside.
Behind Austin on their current depth chart, the Steelers have the inexperienced Roman Wilson and veterans Scotty Miller and Ben Skowronek. None of those three inspire a lot of confidence as a starter opposite DK Metcalf.
Samuel isn’t necessarily a great option either. But he could help replace Austin until the starter returns.
SHOCKER: Bears Trade Fan-Favorite QB to Desperate Team in Bold Move – Could This Be the Game-Changing Deal We Didn’t See Coming?
The Chicago Bears, at 2-2, just about crept past the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday afternoon, in a 25-24 battle.
And whilst Caleb Williams has hardly been perfect to commence his second season in the league, the signs of both his ability and gradual improvement have certainly been on show.
However, this trade proposal concerns not Williams – who will remain, unless something goes very much awry, with the Bears for the foreseeable future – but second-stringer, Tyson Bagent.
Bagent has been a solid backup for both Williams and former Bears starter, Justin Fields, over his three-year period in the league. And despite being a fan favorite amongst much of the Bears faithful, finds himself moved to the Cincinnati Bengals in this trade proposal.
Tyson Bagent Would Be A Desired Target For Cincinnati
Fundamentally, after another damning defeat on Monday night, the Bengals know they cannot proceed for much longer with Jake Browning, who put up a disappointing 125 passing yards against the Denver Broncos.
On the season, since starter, Joe Burrow, went down with turf toe in week 2 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, the former University of Washington man has 506 passing yards, three touchdowns and 5 interceptions for a very uninspiring 67.9 passer rating.
When it comes to high profile names to replace the former AFC Champion, former undrafted free agent, Bagent is not exactly the first that comes to mind. But it could sneakily be one of the smarter ones.
Bagent went 2-2 as a starter in 2023 in lieu of Fields, and whilst he did show himself to a be a little interception-prone, he also managed to push the ball downfield and get things rolling on offense at a time when virtually
Not only could Bagent give Cincy that spark on offense that the team is sorely lacking without Burrow, but he represents an ascending player who, in theory, is still getting better and better.
Even if he does not vastly improve from the level we have seen from him over the past few years, a future age-related decline is very far down the line for the 25 year old – something that cannot be said for other much-touted veteran trade options like Jameis Winston or Russell Wilson.
What Would It Take For The Bears To Part With Tyson Bagent?
The former Shepherd University man is not exactly an irreplaceable component of their offense, critical to them making a run for the NFC North title and/or playoffs. But he is still the QB2 ahead of third string veteran, Case Keenum.
Chicago would prefer to hold onto Bagent if they can, but given the presence of Keenum on the roster, one imagines that if the right offer came through, general manager, Ryan Poles, could certainly be willing to deal the third year QB.
The team would not need to get a super-haul for Bagent’s services, but a pair of low-end day 3 picks over the next couple years should be enough to get the deal done.
Chicago Bears receive: 2026 sixth round pick, 2027 seventh round pick
Cincinnati Bengals receive: Tyson Bagent
