Steelers fans are quickly realizing trade deadline addition is a total dud

Well, fellow Baltimore Ravens fans, it looks like the Pittsburgh Steelers’ attempt at a splashy trade deadline move has turned out to be a belly flop. Pittsburgh’s acquisition of Mike Williams from the Jets has been a complete bust, and Steelers fans are already starting to see the writing on the wall. Williams, once hyped as the piece to complement George Pickens and bolster their playoff push, has been nothing more than an expensive seat-filler.

When Pittsburgh traded a fifth-round pick for Williams, the reaction from Ravens fans was somewhere between confusion and laughter.

The 30-year-old receiver had just 12 catches for 166 yards in nine games with the Jets and was deemed expendable the moment New York acquired Davante Adams. But Steelers fans clung to hope, especially after Williams caught a game-winning touchdown in his debut against the Washington Commanders. Unfortunately for them, that moment was a fluke rather than a sign of things to come.

Since that game, Williams has been an afterthought in Pittsburgh’s offense. He has played fewer than 35 percent of the snaps in any game, has yet to see another target, and has steadily lost playing time to guys like Ben Skowronek. Even with Calvin Austin III out against the Bengals, Williams couldn’t find his way onto the field in a meaningful way.

At this point, Ravens fans are starting to wonder if the Steelers even had a plan for him in the first place.

Mike Williams was never going to help the Pittsburgh Steelers

Let’s not pretend this was ever going to work (we predicted it wouldn't). Williams’ skill set (catching jump balls and winning at the catch point) requires consistent opportunities and trust from the quarterback. Neither of those things has materialized in Pittsburgh.

Russell Wilson has been slinging the ball all over the field in recent weeks, but Williams is nowhere near the action. Instead, the Steelers’ offense has thrived with George Pickens and a rotating cast of complementary pieces, making Williams look even more irrelevant.

It’s also worth pointing out how bad this trade looks when compared to other midseason moves. The Ravens gave up a fifth-round pick for Diontae Johnson, and now they’re dealing with a player suspended for refusing to play.

While Johnson had the talent to potentially make an impact, his refusal to enter the game against the Eagles has turned a frustrating situation into an outright circus. Meanwhile, Williams has simply faded into obscurity, leaving Steelers fans wondering why Pittsburgh traded for him at all.

Sure, Baltimore’s own trade hasn’t exactly panned out, but at least Diontae Johnson’s situation is dramatic enough to keep fans engaged. Pittsburgh, on the other hand, gave up a pick for a player they barely use, leaving little room for optimism. Williams’ lack of production has been a quiet disappointment, and for Ravens fans, it’s just another reminder that the Steelers’ trade deadline gamble has been anything but impactful.

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