4 teams Steelers should call about a potential Artie Burns trade

The Steelers drafted Artie Burns in the 1st round of the 2016 NFL Draft. Despite a poor 2018 season, there are teams who will covet his former 1st round status.

I know what you are thinking: ‘Who is going to want to give up anything in exchange for a player like Artie Burns’. The Steelers former 2016 1st round draft pick is on the last year of his deal, and performed poorly when called upon last season.

Before you write him off as an impossible player to deal, let me remind you of a few scenarios that were nearly identical in recent years.

The Saints traded for cornerback Eli Apple last October (who was also drafted in the 1st round of the 2016 draft). New Orleans gave up a 4th and a 7th rounder to do so. Apple never had a season with a grade higher than 65.0, according to Pro Football Focus.

The Giants weren’t the only team who was able to trade away a young corner performing poorly. The Browns did the exact same thing to the Steelers.  Gilbert was a cornerback selected in the 1st round back in 2014. He was eventually on the trade block, and Pittsburgh made a call to acquire him three years into his professional career.

The Steelers gave up a 6th round draft choice to take a flyer on the former 8th overall pick. Though it didn’t work out in the long run, these trades go to show you that NFL teams are willing to take risks when it comes to former 1st rounds picks – even when they are entering the final year of their contracts.

Artie Burns is no exception, and he has earned respectable grades of 68.3 (2016) and 72.4 (2017) – better marks than Gilbert or Apple have seen in there careers.

Not every team will be willing to give up capital for a player like Burns, but here are 4 teams that should be interested if the Steelers were to make the call: