Steelers news and commentary from Wednesday, April 3rd

Welcome to the Terrible Towel Tales, where we’ll highlight some of the latest stories permeating Steelers media for your reading pleasure every Monday through Saturday. In today’s news…

Ex-Steelers’ Antonio Brown Calls Out Cordarrelle Patterson | Noah Strackbein, All Steelers

Cordarrelle Patterson is considering a jersey change for the first time in his 11-year career, asking Pittsburgh Steelers fans for their input. But the number he came to town with, No. 84, has a historic name attached to it, and that historic name is making his opinion on the matter known.

Patterson posted on X, asking fans for their opinion on alternative jersey number options. He’s looking at No. 10, 13, 18 and 81, but is also considering keeping No. 84. Well, former Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown saw the post and chimed in.

Steelers Land Projected $96 Million Star WR in Proposed Blockbuster Deal | Dave Holcomb, Heavy

The Pittsburgh Steelers have yet to fill the void at wide receiver the team created in the Diontae Johnson–Donte Jackson swap. But Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport named Pittsburgh one of six teams that should make an enticing trade offer to the San Francisco 49ers for wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk.

Davenport proposed the Steelers send their 2024 first and third-round selections to the 49ers for the 2023 second-team All-Pro wideout.

“Aiyuk is a better and more proven option than anyone who will be on the board when pick No. 20 rolls around,” Davenport wrote. “He and George Pickens would be a formidable duo at the position.

New Potential Steelers WR Trade Targets Emerge | Alan Saunders, Steelers Now

But now they must deal with his cap hit, which will cost the Texans $19 million in 2024. The Texans are already paying Robert Woods $9.7 million this season, and with the addition of Diggs, he seems likely to be pushed out of a starting role.

Last season, Woods played alongside Nico Collins and 2023 rookie Tank Dell as Houston’s top three receivers. With the addition of Diggs, one of them will be pushed out, and it could be Woods because of his cap hit and relative lack of production last season. In 2023, Woods was fourth on the Texans in receiving yards with 426, well behind Collins (1,297), Dell (709) and Noah Brown (567), who stepped into a starting role after Dell broke his leg mid-season.