The Bucs recently received a phone call from up in Pittsburgh. The Steelers have inquired about the availability of one of Tampa’s younger wide receivers, who is a bit buried in the depth chart following the NFL draft. Who is Trey Palmer, and how could his presence be helpful in Pittsburgh?
Tampa Bay drafted WR Trey Palmer in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL draft. After playing for LSU for three years, this speedy slot receiver tore up the college football world in his lone year at Nebraska. Palmer tallied up 1,043 yards (a Nebraska record) on 71 catches, nine of which were touchdowns.
In addition to his receiving prowess, Palmer was a renowned punt returner. Known for his shiftiness and his incredible lateral movement, Palmer was nearly untouchable. At LSU, he recorded both a kickoff return touchdown and a punt return touchdown. He fielded 23 punts and gained 188 yards, while also fielding 15 kickoff returns for 394 yards.
When he was drafted to Tampa Bay, he was listed as the WR3, behind future Hall of Famer Mike Evans and Penn State alum Chris Godwin. Despite being somewhat buried, the rookie went out and hauled in a seven-yard touchdown grab in his NFL debut. This shot fired up the hearts of the Bucs organization, but from then on, his usage was somewhat limited.
By the end of 2023, Palmer had grabbed 39 receptions for 385 yards and three touchdowns. While his production as a WR 3 was solid, by the end of 2024, he was a WR4.
The Bucs grabbed Washington WR Jalen McMillan in the 2024 NFL draft, and after some impressive playmaking, he was Tampa’s new WR3. Palmer bumped down the depth chart, and he ended 2024 with just 12 catches for 172 yards and a TD.
Now, in the most recent NFL draft, Tampa grabbed Emeka Egbuka and Tez Johnson. After Evans was injured last season, Sterling Shepard stepped in and took some valuable snaps. If everything plays out as it is threatening to, Palmer will now be Tampa Bay’s WR7. For a young guy with so much upside, that is not a great position to be in.
Pittsburgh spotted that right away.
After the departure of George Pickens and the murky future of Roman Wilson’s post-injury career, the newly acquired D.K. Metcalf is the Steelers’ only real option at WR. Could trading for Trey Palmer be a viable option?
Well, it’s safe to say that the Bucs WR would not be the ideal WR2. Mike Tomlin would have to utilize Palmer effectively to get the most out of him, and even then, the ceiling seems somewhat limited.
It is worth noting, however, that a trade package for Palmer would likely be relatively cheap. If the Steelers wanted to go out and get him, it shouldn’t take much more than a sixth, maybe even seventh, round pick. Are those picks more valuable to the Steelers than Palmer is right now? That is up for debate. Nevertheless, adding depth at WR has never hurt a team (see the Buccaneers).
Trading away Palmer to Pittsburgh seems like a no-brainer for the Bucs.
First off, Bucs GM Jason Licht is a draft savant. Trading Palmer, even if it was only for a seventh-round pick, could be flipped into a position of need for Tampa Bay. Licht’s ability to fill roster holes in the draft has been outstanding in recent years, and this trend is likely to continue in the future.
Additionally, Palmer is no longer needed in Tampa Bay. They have plenty of depth at WR; even if Godwin and Evans retired today, they’d have four receivers ahead of Palmer ready to go. Granted, Palmer has been an enormous help on special teams for the Bucs, often returning punts or kickoffs. On the other hand, though, Oregon rookie Tez Johnson is very familiar with punt returning and could easily fill that role.
All in all, this seems like a win-win for Tampa Bay. They can acquire a draft pick that could be flipped into any position they would like to add depth at, while simultaneously not really losing anything.
Trey Palmer should be licking his chops at the recent trade rumors. If he gets shipped off to Pittsburgh, Tampa would cut some dead weight, the Steelers would gain depth, and Palmer would have a chance to start fresh. In the words of the rapper/songwriter Drake, honestly, that sounds like a fair trade.
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