Steelers last chance to sign productive free agent WR just went out the window

Re-uniting with his former offensive coordinator turned Titans Head Coach Brian Callahan, the veteran WR is headed to Nashville, leaving the confines of Cincinnati for the first time in his professional career. 

A Pittsburgh native, Boyd shined during his collegiate tenure with the Pitt Panthers. Pairing that with nearly a decade of playing the Steelers twice a year and it seemed like the stats were aligned for Boyd to come home and join the Pittsburgh Steelers. 

It makes sense for Pittsburgh as well, seeing as they needed (and still do) a veteran presence to the WR room, and that was before the Diontae Johnson trade. 

Following the release of Allen Robinson, adding Boyd to the mix would have formed a terrific trio between Johnson, Pickens, and Boyd. 

Instead, the Steelers continued their offseason of surprises and traded Johnson before selecting WR Roman Wilson in the third round of last months draft. 

Somewhere in between, the interest between both Pittsburgh and Boyd was mutual, with the Steelers reportedly offering the veteran a two year $10m deal. 

Boyd wanted to weigh his options after the draft but Pittsburgh views Roman Wilson as their next slot WR, a position and alignment Boyd would need to play at this point of his career. 

So both sides probably leave a little jaded but satisfied nonetheless. Pittsburgh can still trade for the WR of their choosing, and Boyd is back with the offensive coordinator that he knows very well. 

But a storybook ending where Boyd completes his career in the city in which he was born, donning the black and gold and playing against his former team had a better ring to it.