Steelers GM Kevin Colbert wants to add 3 rounds to the 2020 NFL Draft

NFL scouting departments were thrown through a loop when then pandemic hit. Here’s why Steelers GM Kevin Colbert wants to extend the NFL Draft by three rounds.

The Steelers may be short-handed on draft selection in 2020, but that’s not what led general manager, Kevin Colbert, to making an outrageous new suggestion. According to The Dailey News, Colbert talked to NFL league officials – pleading his case as to why each team should earn additional draft picks in 2020.

While Colbert’s intentions seem to be looking out for the best interests of teams throughout the league, there’s no doubt he believes the Steelers would benefit from this. Here is some of what the article had to say:

"The Daily News has learned that Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert told league officials on a conference call that teams should be awarded three extra draft picks given the inherent challenges posed by the coronavirus restrictions. The lack of Pro Days, private workouts and visits to team facilities have thrown some organizations for a loop."

The Steelers are already short on picks in the 2020 NFL Draft. They surrendered their original 3rd round pick in the deal to move up for Devin Bush last April, and their 2020 first-rounder was traded to the Dolphins for Minkah Fitzpatrick. In addition, Pittsburgh traded away their fifth-round pick to essentially rent Seahawks tight end, Nick Vannett, for 13 games.

But regardless of how this change would impact the Steelers, it’s not hard for NFL teams to want to get behind this.

Since just after the NFL Combine, the whole offseason has been a mess. The free agency period was moved around, and teams couldn’t properly evaluate candidates the way they normally would. What’s worse is that most Pro Days were forced to be canceled because of the travel ban. This is typically one of the biggest steps for coaches and front office staff to determining which players are the best fits for their franchise.

Without the ability to meet with draft candidates face-to-face and examine the player as well as the person, there are sure to be more misses on prospects this year due to incomplete evaluations. Adding three picks to the end of the draft would give every franchise a chance to make up for lost time.

While signing players as undrafted free agents is always an option, oftentimes, players with more than one offer get to choose where they want to play. If the draft were to be extended from 7 to 10 rounds this April, it would give teams the opportunity to equally divide players who would have otherwise been undrafted free agents.

This new proposal by Colbert probably isn’t something that is likely to come to fruition. However, with the state of the NFL right now, some flexibility is exactly what we need in the world. Perhaps an extension to the 2020 NFL Draft is something that would be in the best interest of all parties involved.