NFL Rumors: Bengals FA Tyler Boyd, Steelers Have 'Mutual Interest' amid Patriots Buzz

Former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tyler Boyd could be heading to a division rival in free agency.

Mark Kaboly of The Athletic reported that Boyd and the Pittsburgh Steelers have "mutual interest" and that it is "more than just smoke."

Pittsburgh is not the only team reportedly interested in Boyd, as Mark Daniels of MassLive.com reported that the New England Patriots are also in on the eight-year veteran.

The Steelers traded wide receiver Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers, so Boyd could serve as an experienced replacement. George Pickens is currently the most experienced receiver on the roster.

Boyd is from the Pittsburgh metropolitan area and played his collegiate football at the University of Pittsburgh. He has 6,000 career receiving yards and 31 touchdowns, and had 67 catches for 667 yards and two touchdowns in 2023 with the Bengals.

Pickens led the Steelers with 1,140 yards in 2023, and Johnson was behind him with 717 yards. The next highest was from running back Jaylen Warren, who had 370, and bringing in a secondary option for new quarterback Russell Wilson is a necessity for Pittsburgh.

The Steelers went 10-7 in 2023 and fell to the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Wild Card Round. The franchise has qualified for the postseason in three of the last four seasons and has notably never had a record under .500 with current head coach Mike Tomlin.