NFL Trade Pitch Ships Steelers $31 Million Playmaker

Ideally, the Pittsburgh Steelers will add another capable receiver before the start of the 2025 NFL season. But if the Steelers can’t make that happen, a tight end addition could be on the table.

This week, CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin proposed the Steelers acquire Seattle Seahawks veteran tight end Noah Fant.

“Even after securing Metcalf as their new No. 1 wideout, the Steelers have reportedly been sniffing around for pass catchers, in part to replace the gifted but volatile Pickens,” Benjamin wrote. “And Fant — more so than, say, the Atlanta Falcons‘ Kyle Pitts — would seem to be readily available in Seattle.

“The Seahawks spent a second-round draft pick on fellow tight end Elijah Arroyo, whose athleticism could quickly vault him into a starting role, and trading Fant would save the team close to $9 million in 2025, the last year of the veteran’s deal.

“As a bonus, Fant previously spent three years working alongside current Steelers assistant Zach Azzanni in Denver.”

Fant, who has earned $31.6 million in the NFL, began his career as a first-round pick for the Denver Broncos. The Broncos traded him to the Seahawks as part of the package to land quarterback Russell Wilson before the 2022 season.

In six NFL seasons, the 27-year-old tight end has 300 catches, 3,305 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns in 95 career games.

How TE Noah Fant Could Fit With the Steelers

Fant isn’t the WR2 that the Steelers need. He also hasn’t developed into the elite tight end pundits expected when he became a first-round pick.

But Fant is a reliable offensive target. He’s posted at least 500 receiving yards in four of his six NFL seasons.

Last year, he finished right at that mark with 48 catches, 500 receiving yards and one touchdown.

His best statistical season came in 2021 with the Broncos when he had 68 receptions, 670 receiving yards and four touchdowns. Fant was second on the Denver offense with 90 targets that season.

Fant is a potential fit with the Steelers because of his previous working relationship with Steelers wide receivers coach Zach Azzanni and due to the system offensive coordinator Arthur Smith runs.

Smith loves deploying multiple tight-end sets. So, for the past several weeks, pundits have argued the Steelers could add another tight end this offseason.

Previously, insiders have linked Pittsburgh to Miami Dolphins’ Jonnu Smith and Atlanta Falcons’ Kyle Pitts.

Why Acquiring Fant Doesn’t Make Sense for Steelers

After making his trade pitch, Benjamin then played devil’s advocate and explained why the Steelers-Fant trade probably won’t happen.

“Even if the Seahawks want to shed Fant’s salary, they might prefer to swallow his cap hit for the sake of ensuring new quarterback Sam Darnold has at least one proven option at tight end,” Benjamin wrote. “And while the Steelers seem to want more offensive pieces, tight end is already reasonably stocked with both Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington atop the depth chart.”

From the Steelers perspective, the second point is very important. Not only do the Steelers already have Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington at tight end, the team also has versatile playmaker Connor Heyward.

Heyward plays both tight end and fullback in Pittsburgh’s offense.

Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers hyped the team’s tight end room while appearing on ESPN’s The Pat McAfee Show on Tuesday.

Noah Fant is an intriguing option and probably wouldn’t cost as much in a trade as Pitts or Smith. But it would be much better for the Steelers offense if they acquired a receiver instead of another tight end.