Before acquiring DK Metcalf from the Seattle Seahawks, it appears the Pittsburgh Steelers had their eyes on another premier wide receiver that was available this offseason.
In a profile written by The Athletic's Dan Pompei, it was revealed that the Steelers were in hot pursuit of Chris Godwin before he re-signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on a three-year, $66 million deal.
“Four other teams wanted Godwin, with the Patriots and Steelers at the forefront, according to Godwin,” he wrote.
It's no surprise that Pittsburgh showed interest in Godwin, as it entered free agency with a significant need for receiver help.
The 29-year-old returned to the Bucs almost immediately after the legal tampering period began on March 10, and his deal was tops in total value among all free agents at the position.
The Steelers' splash came in the form of Metcalf, who they signed to a four-year, $132 million extension after landing him. They also went on to bring in 12-year veteran Robert Woods on a one-year contract in late April before trading George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys on May 7.
Godwin would've been a bit of a risky addition, as he dislocated his ankle in a Week 7 loss last season to the Baltimore Ravens and would not appear in another game.
He was productive when healthy, however, so perhaps Pittsburgh was confident that he'd remain effective moving forward. In seven contests on the year, Godwin logged 50 receptions for 576 yards and five touchdowns.
A third-round pick out of Penn State in the 2017 NFL Draft, he helped Tampa Bay win Super Bowl LV over the Kansas City Chiefs while ranking second in franchise history behind teammate Mike Evans with 579 catches, 7,266 yards and 39 touchdowns.
It's anyone's best guess as to how the rest of the offseason would've unfolded had the Steelers had signed Godwin, but they're likely pretty happy with how things actually transpired.
