Week 7 didn’t go the way Mike Tomlin drew it up. The Pittsburgh Steelers fell in a nail-biter to the Cincinnati Bengals, 33-31, slipping to 4-2 on the season. The sting of that loss was felt across the locker room and beyond. Enter former Steelers guard Trai Essex, who stirred the pot with a bold trade idea.

“I have 0 sources everybody. Haven’t even read this anywhere but I just have this feeling that we may be in play for Calvin Ridley,” he wrote on X. Essex continued, “He has 2 years left after this year for 20 milly per season (Not guaranteed). Very cap friendly for a top end #2 WR. A 3rd rounder may do it for a Titans team in the midst of a probable fire sale,” he said.

Now, here’s the thing. Ridley’s deal with the Tennessee Titans is massive, four years, $92 million, with $50 million guaranteed. It also includes a $20 million signing bonus and an average of $23 million a year. The contract runs through 2027, so yes, it’s pricey, but not out of reach for Tomlin if the front office wants to swing big. Still, there’s a catch.

The Titans might not mind clearing that contract, but losing Ridley would leave Cam Ward with almost no help. The veteran wideout still put up over 1,000 yards last season in Nashville despite brutal quarterback play, so he’s clearly still got it.

Right now, Ridley had 290 yards through six games. And that’s mostly because Ward’s rookie season has been rocky. However, apart from Ridley, there are few more wide receivers Tomlin can look at.

5 more WR options for Mike Tomlin

First up, the big one: Eagles’ A.J. Brown. The Birds are flying high, trying to defend their Super Bowl 59 crown, so trading their star receiver seems unlikely. Still, Brown hasn’t looked like his usual self this season. His chemistry with Jalen Hurts feels off, and fans noticed that cryptic post after his rough two-catch, seven-yard game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 4.

If that relationship goes south, Pittsburgh could be waiting to pounce. And how fun would it be to see Brown back with his college running mate, DK Metcalf? That’s a reunion Steelers Nation would go crazy for.

Then there’s Raiders’ Jakobi Meyers. At 6-2 and 193 pounds, he’s built for those across-the-middle plays. He’s on pace for 82 catches and 932 yards this year, but pairing him with Aaron Rodgers could unlock another level.

Next one can be Saints’ Chris Olave. The rebuild in the Big Easy is real, and with his contract running only through 2026, they might listen. He’s just 25, though his numbers are dipping to a career-low 8.8 yards per grab.

Still, Olave makes perfect sense schematically. He’s been targeted 64 times, with 35 of those coming inside ten yards, exactly where Rodgers throws 75% of his passes. That’s plug-and-play perfection.

And while the 49ers’ Jauan Jennings hasn’t lit up the stat sheet, his name’s on the block too. He wanted out before the season over a contract spat and has just 10 catches for 136 yards and a touchdown so far.

Finally, there’s Jets’ Allen Lazard. Rodgers trusts him, always has. The 6-5 vet took an $8.5 million pay cut this year, dropping his base to $1.75 million. Affordable, reliable, and likely cheap to acquire, maybe just a late-round pick swap. If Mike Tomlin wants a red-zone weapon, Lazard could be the easiest win of them all.