Steelers projected to receive 3rd round compensatory pick in 2020 NFL Draft
By Tommy Jaggi
The Pittsburgh Steelers lost Le’Veon Bell to free agency last season. Here’s why a 3rd round compensatory pick is likely in their future.
In 2018, the Steelers season imploded from within. Well before Antonio Brown bailed on his team during the final, must-win game of the season against the Cincinnati Bengals, Le’Veon Bell made plans to sit out the year. However, those plans didn’t involve informing his coaches and teammates of his decision.
Fast forward a year, and Pittsburgh watched Bell rush for a career-low 3.2 yards per carry on the New York Jets. Bell is looking like a running back who should have never been paid good money, and the Steelers dodged a bullet when the former All-Pro didn’t accept their generous contract offer.
With the Le’Veon Bell fiasco behind us, the Steelers running game hasn’t exactly gone on without a hiccup. James Conner has been prone to injuries over his first three seasons while Benny Snell and Jaylen Samuels appear to be one-dimensional players.
Fortunately, not all is bad for Pittsburgh. Over the Cap recently released their projections for compensatory picks in 2020. They had the Steelers earning a 3rd round draft choice for the loss of Le’Veon Bell to free agency.
Over the Cap projects another 6 other compensatory 3rd-round picks being handed out this offseason – two of them to the New England Patriots. This 3rd round pick is the only compensatory selection Pittsburgh is projected to receive this offseason.
Adding a day two pick for the Steelers would be most welcome in a year where they are without their 1st round selection and their original 3rd round pick. Pittsburgh’s original 2020 3rd round pick was used as trade capital last April when the Steelers elected to trade up for linebacker Devin Bush. Likewise, their 2020 1st round pick was given to Miami early in the 2019 season as part of a deal for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick.
Though the Steelers certainly didn’t make a mistake trading for a safety who would soon turn into an All-Pro defender, their proactive approach has put them into a bind when it comes to draft capital. Fortunately, it appears Le’Veon Bell will be able to help the Steelers out one more time – by allowing them to pick up a 3rd round draft choice because of the money he received in free agency.
Running back is still considered a position of need for Pittsburgh, and it’s certainly possible that their projected 3rd round compensatory pick could be thrown back into the running back position.
dark. Next.
It’s hard to say which direction Pittsburgh will go with their compensatory pick, but at least it’s good news that they should have one coming their way in 2020.