We can cross former Chicago Bears wide receiver Keenan Allen off the list of possible solutions to the Pittsburgh Steelers’ wide receiver problem.
Allen remains one of the most high-profile players available in free agency and he would no doubt be a strong addition to the Steelers’ wide receivers room, which is lacking big time after the Steelers traded George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys.
But don’t expect that pairing to happen anytime soon. Allen was a guest on streamer JGoofy’s livestream recently and said he isn’t interested in playing for Pittsburgh.
“(Aaron Rodgers) being a quarterback, of course, that interests you,” Allen said (H/T Alex Kozora of Steelers Depot). “But Pittsburgh? No.”
While that would seem to close the door on Allen possibly going to Pittsburgh, he did go on to leave the door slightly ajar.
“But, hey, you never know,” Allen said.
Allen, 33, is coming off a down season in which he tallied 744 yards, his lowest total since an injury-shortened 2016, and seven touchdowns.
However, it’s worth noting that he had a lot of competition for targets and a rookie quarterback, and the Bears were a mess as a whole, so decline may not be the simplest explanation for his 2024 struggles.
Even a diminished Allen would be an upgrade for Pittsburgh, though. The Steelers wide receivers room is filled with question marks, with the team needing guys like Calvin Austin, Roman Wilson and Robert Woods to step up next to DK Metcalf.
Allen would offer a suitable No. 2 option and someone who can play inside and out, which would give offensive coordinator Arthur Smith options on how to deploy him.
At this point, it would seem that Allen isn’t going to be an option for the Steelers in free agency, but if his free agency stint drags on long enough and the Steelers don’t find a solution in the meantime, that could change.
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