Steelers Pursuit Of Courtland Sutton Believed To Be Legitimate: 'There's Been Enough Smoke'

Since the Pittsburgh Steelers traded Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers, they have been tied to almost every wide receiver in the NFL. That list includes some big-name players like Brandon Aiyuk and Courtland Sutton. While analysts may debate how pressing of a need it is to the Steelers, the fact remains that they have to find someone to fill the void left by Johnson.  

The Denver Broncos selected Sutton in the second round in of the 2018 NFL Draft. What makes Sutton intriguing, besides his excellent 2023 performance, is that he played with the Steelers' new quarterback, Russell Wilson, for the past two seasons. He was a favorite target of Wilson's last season, racking up 59 catches for 772 yards and 10 touchdowns. 

Rumors now swirl that the Steelers could consider a draft-day trade for Sutton. While the Broncos have said they aren't interested in trading Sutton, the 2019 Pro Bowler is reportedly frustrated with his contract. 

Mike Florio, the creator of ProFootballTalk, joined Andrew Fillipponi and Chris Mueller on 93.7 The Fan's show The PM Team with Poni & Mueller. They asked the analyst about Sutton specifically. 

"It seems like every Broncos game last year, Courtland Sutton was catching a touchdown. It's not like it's constant, constant, constant; he's dominating games, catching 10 for 250. But he always shows up with a big play. He's that guy that Russell Wilson seemed to develop a sixth sense with - spin here, spin there, roll out, throw the ball, Courtland Sutton goes and gets it," said Florio.

Florio not only likes that Sutton and Wilson are so familiar with one another, but also thinks they were successful together. That is hard to dismiss. The chemistry between a quarterback and a receiver has to develop; it can't be forced. This would give the Steelers a proven commodity in the receiving corps. 

Florio is giving these rumors more weight than usual since Sutton has not shown up for voluntary OTAs. He thinks the Steelers might be able to capitalize on the discord between Sutton and the Broncos. 

"If that's something to pull off, then so be it. Because something is clearly going on there between Sutton and the Broncos, he hasn't been at offseason workouts. I know they're voluntary, but the guys who are all in, the guys who are fully committed to the cause, tend to be there. If there's an issue, that's when they stay away. There's been enough smoke with that one, and you've got the familiarity with Russell Wilson; that's a plus. It's a guy that's proven he can play and proven he can play with this quarterback."

The Steelers cleared up some cap space Wednesday by renegotiating linebacker Alex Highsmith's contract. This isn't surprising for the Steelers. Like all NFL teams, they often reconfigure contracts with veteran players to maximize talent on the roster.

Fillipponi and Mueller asked Florio about the restructuring and whether he thinks that increases the likelihood that the Steelers are gearing up for a massive draft-day trade. Florio said he doesn't believe in coincidences during draft week, saying teams have "better things to do" the day before the draft than worry about extensions or restructuring veteran contracts.  

Would The Steelers Go From The Frying Pan Into The Fire With Sutton?

While the wideout's relationship with Wilson is a definite bonus, there are concerns that they would end up trading one problem for another. The Steelers chose to trade Johnson in part because he was disgruntled. From the outside, he appeared to be a complainer who wasn't doing all he could to support his teammates.