PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers are looking for wide receiver help and are assessing all of their options as they head into minicamp. Nothing is pressing, but reports claim the team is actively making calls about offensive weapons, and if they're set on adding to their receiving core this summer, two former players may be options.
With the UFL season wrapping up, the league announced its yearly honors. Of those who were named All-League, there were two former Steelers wide receivers, Deon Cain and Tyler Vaughn. And if Pittsburgh is looking for options, both should be on their radar.
Cain has been a member of the UFL/USFL for three seasons now and has continued to become one of the league's best players. A part of the Birmingham Stallions, Cain has won back-to-back USFL Championships and was named the USFL Championship Game MVP in 2023.
This season, he led the Stallions in three categories, catching 29 passes for 514 yards and six touchdowns. He's just 28 years old and played for the Steelers in 2019 and 2020.
Vaughns was the Steelers' preseason standout in 2021 and 2022 but never played a regular season game for them. He also closed his third spring league season, playing for the XFL before the UFL. This season, he caught 41 passes for 475 yards and four touchdowns.
While neither is a prominent option for Pittsburgh, they shouldn't be ruled out at this point in the offseason. The Steelers don't need to sign either with expectations that they'd make the 53-man roster, but certainly some hope that they would carry their UFL success to the NFL.
If it works, it's a great move for the Steelers. If it doesn't, it's not a splashy trade or free agent signing that fails. And while it doesn't rule out adding another option through a trade, it provides more variety for them to chose from as they look for their final roster this summer.
