Pittsburgh Steelers come to two realizations after Amari Cooper trade

The Dallas Cowboys did a lot for the Pittsburgh Steelers without even knowing it. Trading for Amari Cooper has opened doors for the whole NFL.

A second-round pick and a player was a stretch for a player who hasn’t played this season, will search for money come March and who is spending his weekends in Miami instead of the football field.

Asking so much for Le’Veon Bell felt like a fair trade, but at the same time, felt unreal. No one would offer that for a running back, especially one that has had the year Bell has. If anything, the Steelers were looking at a mid-round pick just to get something for him.

Then, Amari Cooper happened. A player well known for his drop issues in 2017, somehow found his way to the trading block a week before the deadline. John Gruden has gotten what he’s asked for when dealing stars, and this time was no different.

Dallas handing Oakland a first-round pick in exchange for Cooper means anything is possible. But more to the point, it means trading Le’Veon Bell is possible.

Bell has first-round value, but even a second-round pick would be good compensation for the runner. He still possesses all the skills he did last year, and with a week of getting ready, he could be a force in the NFL.

It all comes down to whether or not he shows up. Chances are he won’t, but if the Steelers can present him with a trade offer ideal enough to consider, he may agree to be moved before the deadline.

Then, there’s the trade for. Patrick Peterson has made it overwhelmingly clear he wants out of Arizona. The Cardinals are not a team on the up-and-up, and Peterson feels he can be part of something headed in the right direction.

He has the same value as the rest of these stars. An early first or second-round pick, or maybe even a good player and a mid-round pick. At only 28-years-old, there’s still a lot of football left in his career. Valuable football.

A value that comes greater to few other teams than the Steelers. Pittsburgh has somehow turned their season around with a grown connection on offense, James Conner’s breakout year and a defense that has come miles since Week 1.

But with Artie Burns’ demise, the secondary still seems a step behind. Joe Haden is performing like he, well, should. Mike Hilton continues to be one of the best slot corners in football, and Sean Davis and Terrell Edmunds are holding up their end at safety.

The only gap in this defense remains at corner. Meaning the Steelers need to choose between waiting it out and hoping Burns or Coty Sensabaugh doesn’t cost them a Super Bowl, or trade for a player who brings them up a whole level.

To be frank, Pittsburgh is one of the NFL’s favorites to win a Super Bowl with Peterson. The Cardinals’ corner already has two interceptions on the year, but it’s his presence that matters more than anything.

Haden and Peterson outside mean teams need to target a player who can cause a turnover at any minute. It’s a combination that leads to success. A success Pittsburgh can obtain.

There’s two real opportunities for trades in Pittsburgh. This team isn’t know for big moves, but people were saying that when they signed Joe Haden, Morgan Burnett and Jon Bostic. This isn’t the don’t do anything Steelers of the past. There’s a chance something gets done. Maybe a greater chance than you think.