FILE - Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. reaches toward the first down line during an NFL football game against the Indianapolis Colts, Jan. 4, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis, file)

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers gave their wide receiver group an upgrade on Monday, acquiring veteran Michael Pittman Jr. from Indianapolis for a late-round pick in this year’s draft.

A person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press the Colts are sending Pittman to Pittsburgh. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal was not official.

The 28-year-old Pittman has been one of the league’s most productive wideouts since being selected in the second round by Indianapolis in the 2020 draft. Pittman has 485 receptions for 5,254 yards and 25 touchdowns in six seasons, including 80 catches for 784 yards and seven scores in 2025.

Pittman appeared to confirm the deal on social media, posting on his X account that his wife had a dream recently that he was wearing a Steelers jersey.

“God works in crazy ways,” Pittman posted.

The Steelers have been searching for a secondary receiving option to complement DK Metcalf, who they acquired in a trade with Seattle last year. Metcalf, who faced frequent double teams, finished with just 59 catches for a career-low 850 yards. He was also suspended for Pittsburgh’s final two regular-season games after making contact with a fan in Detroit.

Pittsburgh is hoping to create a more dynamic offense in 2026 under new head coach Mike McCarthy, hired in late January to replace Mike Tomlin.

The Steelers remain unsettled at quarterback. The club remains open to Aaron Rodgers returning after a solid if not always spectacular 2025, though Rodgers has remained noncommittal so far about the possibility of returning for a 22nd season and reuniting with McCarthy, who coached Rodgers when both were in Green Bay.

Whoever is behind center now has two tall and proven playmakers on the outside. Pittsburgh’s wide receivers outside of Metcalf were often an afterthought last season.

Four of the Steelers’ top five leading receivers in 2025 were either running backs or tight ends. Calvin Austin III’s 31 receptions ranked sixth on the team.

New CB coming

Several online websites were reporting the Steelers signed Jamal Dean, a cornerback from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Pro Football Focus reported the contract is a 3-year, $36.75 million deal.

He was part of secondary that helped the team win Super Bowl LV, 31-9, over the Kansas City Chiefs.

Tampa Bay drafted Dean out of Auburn in 2019 in the third round. He had 38 solo tackles, three interceptions and nine passes defended. For his career, he as 11 picks

Two on the move

TAMPA, Fla. — Running back Kenneth Gainwell agreed to a contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, three people with knowledge of the deals told The Associated Press on Monday.

The people spoke on condition of anonymity because the contracts haven’t been finalized. The new league years begins Wednesday.

Gainwell is getting a $14 million, two-year deal. He had 1,023 scrimmage yards along with a career-best 73 catches last year in his only season in Pittsburgh. He spent his first four seasons in Philadelphia and was part of a Super Bowl championship team in 2024.

The Steelers also lost starting offensive guard Isaac Seumalo to the Arizona Cardinals in free agency.

The 32-year-old Seumalo is entering his 11th season in the NFL and started the past three seasons for Pittsburgh, making the Pro Bowl in 2024. He is expected to move into a starting role for the Cardinals.

Extra draft picks

Baltimore, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh each were awarded a league-high four compensatory picks in next month’s NFL draft based on their losses and signings in last year’s free agency.

The NFL announced on Monday the 33 compensatory picks for the draft that will be held in Pittsburgh on April 23-25.

Picks are awarded to teams in the third through seventh rounds with 32 of the picks based on teams losing more or better free agents than they acquired last offseason and the other given for minorities hired as head coaches or general managers for other organizations.

For instance, Pittsburgh is getting the 99th pick for losing offensive lineman Dan Moore to Tennessee. Pittsburgh got an additional fourth-round pick and two sixths.

Compensatory free agents are determined by a formula based on salary, playing time and postseason honors. Not every free agent lost or signed by a club is covered by this formula.