Rashid Shaheed could ignite the Pittsburgh Steelers' passing game and return game.
It has been well-documented how badly the Pittsburgh Steelers need wide receivers.
Building on this need, beyond DK Metcalf, who had an OK season by his standards, the Steelers received scant production from the other wide receivers, which was part of the reason Pittsburgh finished 22nd in the NFL in passing offense.
Most of the wide receivers won’t be back next season. Adam Thielen retired, and Calvin Austin III, Scotty Miller, and Marquez Valdes-Scantling are all set to become free agents next week.
Digging deeper into the numbers, the Steelers could use help in the return game, too. They were 21st in punt returns in 2025 with an 8.8-yard average and 28th in kickoff returns with an average of 24.2 yards.
With these needs in mind, there is a wide receiver poised to reach free agency who could improve Pittsburgh in multiple ways. He is Rashid Shaheed, who helped the Seattle Seahawks win the Super Bowl last month after being acquired from the New Orleans Saints in an in-season trade.
The fourth-year pro caught a career-high 59 passes for 687 yards and two touchdowns last season. Playing conservatively, the Seahawks didn’t utilize Shaheed much in the playoffs, but he still averaged 26 yards per catch with his three receptions for 78 yards.
Shaheed was the only NFL player to score a touchdown on both kickoff returns and punt returns last season; He also ran the opening kickoff for a score in the Seahawks ’victory over the San Francisco 49ers in an NFC Divisional Round playoff game.
During the regular season, Shaheed averaged 16.2 yards on punt returns and 29.9 yards on kickoff returns. Both were career highs and helped Shaheed earn his second Pro Bowl selection. Shaheed was also picked for the Pro Bowl in 2023, the same year he was first-team All-Pro as a punt returner.
There are two other wide receivers who are reasonably priced who can help the Steelers, Jajuan Jennings, or the 49ers and the Minnesota Vikings’ Josh Nailor.
However, neither of those players won a Super Bowl. Not only did Shaheed do that this year, but he could solve a lot of problems for Pittsburgh in the years to come.
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