NFL insider addresses rumor linking Steelers to Justin Jefferson

NFL insider Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated did his best to pour cold water over any idea that the Steelers could target Vikings star wide receiver Justin Jefferson ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft. 

Writing in his latest mailbag, Breer explained that out of 10 named high-performing receivers drafted by the Steelers over the last 26 years, none of them went in the first round of a draft. 

"Throw first-rounders Santonio Holmes and Plaxico Burress into the mix, and you have a dozen homegrown, good-to-great players in the NFL," Breer continued. "...I’m laying this out to explain why it’d be completely out of character for the Steelers to take that kind of swing at a position, particularly when you consider their ability to scout and develop much more affordable options at the position." 

While Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and head coach Kevin O’Connell have insisted that Jefferson isn't available to other teams, the 24-year-old may not be thrilled about potentially having to catch passes thrown by bridge-option quarterback Sam Darnold now that Kirk Cousins is a member of the Atlanta Falcons. Of course, Pittsburgh's quarterback situation isn't necessarily settled considering neither Russell Wilson nor Justin Fields have performed like Pro Bowl selections over the past couple of years. 

As for Jefferson, he remains roughly a year away from free agency and wants to "break the bank" via a contract extension that should temporarily make him the NFL's highest-paid non-quarterback. Just last week, Breer predicted that Minnesota will eventually go "through the hoops it needs to in order to get a deal done" with Jefferson before he gets all that close to reaching the open market. 

"Obviously, this is no indictment on Jefferson, the NFL’s best receiver," Breer added about the Steelers-Jefferson link in his mailbag. "And the Vikings aren’t looking to deal Jefferson anyway."

The Steelers will enter September hoping that either Wilson or Fields will earn a lucrative contract extension due to stellar play over at least 17 weeks of regular-season football. In short, Pittsburgh wants one of its new quarterbacks to get the best out of receivers already on the roster and, thus, likely won't sacrifice assets and money to land a proven commodity from a different club such as Jefferson.