3 last-minute trades Steelers must make before 2025 NFL Trade Deadline
The Pittsburgh Steelers find themselves at a critical juncture in the 2025 season. Sitting at 4-3 and atop the AFC North, the window to maximize Aaron Rodgers' final NFL campaign is wide open. With the trade deadline set for November 4 at 4 p.m. ET, General Manager Omar Khan has a golden opportunity to address glaring roster weaknesses that have emerged over the past two weeks.
The Steelers' defensive collapse has been alarming, allowing 68 points over their last two games and ranking 30th in yards allowed. Meanwhile, the offense lacks a reliable No. 2 target behind DK Metcalf to give Rodgers the weapons he needs for a championship push. With the Cincinnati Bengals struggling at 3-5, the Baltimore Ravens at 2-5, and the Cleveland Browns in full rebuild mode, Pittsburgh's path to divisional dominance has never been clearer. Here are three trades the Steelers must make before the deadline passes.
Trade for WR Rashid Shaheed from New Orleans Saints
Trade Package:
Steelers Receive: WR Rashid Shaheed, 2026 5th-round pick
Saints Receive: 2026 3rd-round pick
Why This Move Makes Sense:
The Steelers desperately need a field-stretching receiver to complement DK Metcalf, and Rashid Shaheed fits the bill perfectly. The 27-year-old speedster has posted 39 receptions for 431 yards and two touchdowns in seven games this season, putting him on pace for his best NFL campaign despite questionable quarterback play in New Orleans.
Pittsburgh has completed zero passes of 30 or more yards this season, and Aaron Rodgers has attempted just one such pass through five games. Shaheed's blazing speed would immediately open up the vertical passing game and create more space underneath for the Steelers' formidable tight end trio of Pat Freiermuth, Jonnu Smith, and Darnell Washington.
The Saints are 1-7 and clearly selling assets before the deadline. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that New Orleans is willing to part with Shaheed “if the compensation is fair and right,” with their asking price sitting at a third-round pick. Since Shaheed is on an expiring contract worth $4.2 million and set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2026, the Saints have every incentive to cash in now rather than lose him for nothing.
Trade for CB Tariq Woolen from Seattle Seahawks
Trade Package:
Steelers Receive: CB Tariq Woolen
Seahawks Receive: 2026 4th-round pick, 2027 conditional 5th-round pick
Why This Move Makes Sense:
The Steelers' secondary has been a disaster in 2025, with veteran cornerback Darius Slay struggling so badly that he was benched during the Week 8 loss to Green Bay. Pittsburgh's pass defense ranks dead last in the NFL, allowing Jordan Love to complete 20 consecutive passes in their most recent defeat. The unit has been plagued by missed tackles, blown coverages, and miscommunication all season long.
Tariq Woolen represents a calculated gamble that could pay massive dividends. The 2022 Pro Bowler burst onto the scene as a rookie with a league-high six interceptions and finished third in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting. While he's struggled in 2025, allowing catches on 66.7% of his targets, multiple league executives believe Seattle is ready to move him because he doesn't fit defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald's physical style.
At just 27 years old with elite size (6'4″) and speed, Woolen possesses the physical tools that have always intrigued Mike Tomlin. The Steelers need to get younger and faster on defense, and Woolen checks both boxes. With Darius Slay likely on his way out and the cornerback room desperately needing reinforcements, acquiring Woolen addresses an immediate need while providing upside if a change of scenery rejuvenates his career.
Trade for LB Demario Davis from New Orleans Saints
Trade Package:
Steelers Receive: LB Demario Davis
Saints Receive: 2026 6th-round pick
Why This Move Makes Sense:
The Steelers' linebacker corps has underperformed significantly, with Patrick Queen struggling in coverage and the overall unit failing to provide the playmaking expected from a Pittsburgh defense. Inside linebacker has been identified as a key position of need by multiple NFL analysts, and the Steelers have been making numerous practice squad signings and releases at the position, signaling their dissatisfaction with the current rotation.
Demario Davis, despite being 37 years old, remains productive with 48 tackles, four tackles for loss, a pass defended, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery through five games in 2025. The veteran's leadership and championship experience would be invaluable for a defense that has looked lost and undisciplined in recent weeks. Davis could immediately upgrade the linebacker rotation while mentoring younger players and bringing the kind of veteran presence the Steelers thought they were getting from their other high-priced defensive additions.
With the Saints firmly in rebuilding mode at 1-7, Davis represents an expendable asset on an expiring contract. New Orleans has no reason to hold onto aging veterans when they could accumulate draft picks for the future. For Pittsburgh, acquiring Davis for minimal draft capital makes perfect sense as a short-term fix that could stabilize a defense desperately searching for answers.
Lakers’ Austin Reaves Could Land Jaw-Dropping $240 Million Max Deal
Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves is playing himself into superstar money — and perhaps one of the most lucrative contracts in franchise history.
The undrafted Arkansas native has exploded into the national spotlight after averaging 40 points per game over a three-game stretch without LeBron James and Luka Dončić, capped by his game-winning floater at the buzzer Wednesday night to lift the Lakers past the Minnesota Timberwolves, 116–115.
Now, his red-hot run has amplified the biggest question hanging over the Lakers’ future: How much will it cost to keep him?
Reaves’ Free-Agency Value Skyrockets
Before the season began,
“If he has a good year, he could be a fringe All-Star candidate for sure,” The Ringer’s Zach Lowe said on his podcast,
Woike added that the league’s rising salary cap could push Reaves’ maximum offer from rival teams to around $42 million per year, placing him in the same financial tier as All-Star guards like Trae Young.
“If he plays well, there will be offers north of $40 million for him,” Woike said. “With the cap jump, his max from another team starts around $42 million. It’s him and Trae — those are the free agents everyone’s watching.”
Lakers Hold the Edge Financially
Under NBA rules, only the Lakers can offer Reaves a five-year maximum deal, which is projected to be worth $240.7 million, according to Bleacher Report’s Dan Favale
Other teams are capped at four years and $178.5 million, while a four-year max from Los Angeles would reach $185.9 million — still the highest possible total.
Reaves declined a four-year, $89.2 million offer from the Lakers last summer and is expected to opt out of his $14.9 million player option after this season to test the open market.
At least 10 teams are projected to have significant cap space next offseason, per ESPN front office insider Bobby Marks, ensuring a competitive bidding war.
Lakers Face a Financial Crossroads
The Lakers’ decision will hinge on how far they are willing to go alongside Dončić, who signed a three-year, $165 million deal this past offseason.
A full Reaves max extension would leave the Lakers no room for another top-tier star. They will also walk the financial tightrope to dance around the NBA’s second-apron luxury-tax tier — a punitive level that limits trades, free-agent flexibility, and draft maneuverability.
The calculus may come down to whether the Lakers see Reaves as Dončić’s long-term backcourt partner or as a trade-ready asset for another star.
Redick and Ownership Back Reaves’ Rise
Head coach JJ Redick didn’t hesitate when asked if Reaves deserves to be part of the Lakers’ future core.
“He’s established himself as a bad dude,” Redick told The Athletic. “Last year, I think leaguewide, he was viewed as a really good player. Now, he’s a leader. He’s one of the guys — or the guy — on the court. That’s big-time.”
The Lakers also have new financial firepower after billionaire Mark Walter — owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers — was approved as the team’s new majority owner. Walter’s track record of spending big in MLB suggests the Lakers won’t shy away from major investments.
Still, the NBA’s restrictive cap rules mean Los Angeles can’t simply buy its way out of roster decisions. The modern “two-star” model leaves little to no room for a third maximum-salaried player.
The Franchise’s Defining Offseason Looms
Reaves’ breakout has made him both indispensable and expensive. The Lakers must soon decide whether to lock in a $240 million commitment or explore trade scenarios for a complementary star beside Dončić.
Either way, Reaves’ meteoric rise from undrafted prospect to potential max player stands as one of the most remarkable success stories in recent Lakers history — and the next chapter could reshape the franchise’s future.
