The Steelers roster is one of the best in the league, but these low-cost trades could cement this team as a contender in 2020
While the Steelers have gotten off to a hot start in 2020 winning both of their games, there are still some issues that need to be fixed in order to further better the team. The defense has proven to be a strong unit, but some glaring weaknesses still leave a cause for concern. The offense has looked promising, but there are a few positions that could use an upgrade in order to make the unit more competitive.
Considering that 2020 will likely be the best chance for the Steelers to win the Super Bowl before the exodus of talent that will likely occur next year, trading for some talented players now could pay dividends further into the year. While these players would mostly be one-year rentals, stocking the shelves with as much top-level talent now will be critical in the Steelers having the best odds of taking home another Lombardi at the end of the year. Given that the Steelers also have a decent number of draft picks next year, they have some capital to use in order to add potential stars to this roster.
While the Steelers should remain competitive even without these additions, giving this roster more talent in such a critical year should go a long way in fielding a championship-caliber team. The Steelers are known for making moves like this right now, so if a deal were to occur, it would likely be sooner rather than later. All of this said, here are four trade options the Steelers should be targeting.
Denzel Perryman
Denzel Perryman has been a consistent and solid ILB for the Chargers over the past few seasons, but his role with the team has diminished thanks to rookie Kenneth Murray taking over the starting role. While his time with the Chargers is likely coming to a close, he would make a lot of sense to add to the Steelers. His athleticism and playstyle would be an upgrade over Vince Williams during passing downs.
All of this isn’t to say Williams has been horrible, he hasn’t. He is a great two down LB, one that can both stop the run and sack the QB. While those skills are valuable, he is a weak link in coverage. While Perryman is far from elite in that category, he is superior to Williams. If added, he would likely take Williams’s place during passing downs. This would strengthen the coverage unit overall and could pay dividends when faced against more potent passing teams.
As for compensation, I can’t imagine it will be much. The Chargers are barely playing him, and his contract expires this year. A late-round pick should do the trick, or perhaps they could do a player swap and send a TE or DB to swap for Perryman. While adding him won’t fix all of the issues on the defense, it should be a cheap upgrade to the coverage ability of the LBs.
Will Dissly
Fans may not want to acknowledge it, but the Steelers have an obvious TE issue. Even after adding Eric Ebron, the TE room has been a major disappointment this year. The run blocking has been subpar, and the contributions to the passing offense have been little. Worse yet, Vance McDonald has all but disappeared from the offense, further the need to add more talent to this roster.
The Steelers should make a call to the Seahawks and see how available Will Dissly is. Dissly was thrust into a starting role last year before he was injured, and he performed well. While not a dynamic athlete, he has great hands coupled in with the physicality necessary to make contested catches in the red zone. On top of all of this, he is an adequate blocker, further adding to his overall value.
On top of all of this, Dissly will still have one more year on his deal, meaning he can still be rostered next year. Given the uncertain nature of this group going into next year, having a cheap and talented TE on the roster will give the unit stability. This year, Dissly and Ebron would likely split the season as starters. Next year, the Steelers could move on from Ebron and still have Dissly as a starting option. Assuming his price is a day three draft pick, Dissly would make a lot of sense for the Steelers to trade for.
Desmond King
The Steelers have had a surprising amount of issues with their secondary this year. They have given up a lot of big plays and have struggled to cover consistently. DB Desmond King of the Chargers is upset about his reduced playing time, and given his expiring contract, he should be an available trade target. His versatility and overall talent would make him a great addition to this Steelers secondary.
King can line up all over the field as a DB. He can play in the slot, on the outside, and even as an FS deep. Adding him to the lineup would provide a versatile chess piece for the Steelers defense. He could play more of an FS role and allow Minkah Fitzpatrick to play more like a SS or allow Mike Hilton to move around and have King man the slot. While he wouldn’t be a traditional starter, he has the ability to play everywhere, making him extremely valuable to the defense.
The biggest question would be his cost. While he has seen his snaps decrease due to the addition of Chris Harris, he is a proven commodity as a DB. Perhaps the Steelers could offer a player and a late draft pick for him to seal the deal. If not, his asking price could be a third-rounder, a steep price for what could just be a one-year rental. Assuming he could be had at a fair price, King would make a lot of sense for the Steelers to add via a trade.
Marcus Maye
While Marcus Maye isn’t new to a list of trade targets for the Steelers, he still makes the most sense for the defense. While he is a starter for the Jets, the team appears set to tank, meaning the Jets would likely be willing to trade him and start rookie Ashtyn Davis instead. Maye is a versatile DB who can play either FS or SS, and given the woes of Terrell Edmunds, he could easily contend to start at SS.
If Maye were added, the Steelers would likely move Edmunds down closer to the box and allow Maye to man the SS spot. This would alleviate two issues: Edmunds struggles to cover deep and Williams’s ability to cover anyone. If Edmunds moved down to more of an LB spot, Williams would see the field less on passing downs. Adding Maye trickles down and improves a large amount of the weaknesses on the defense.
Given Maye is almost certain to leave in free agency next year, adding him for a low-cost draft pick makes a lot of sense. He would upgrade multiple levels of the defense and give the secondary an extra boost down the stretch. Edmunds is arguably the worst starter on the defense, so giving him a new role that plays towards his strengths could revive his career and make the defense even more elite going forth from the rest of the year.
Even with the Steelers appearing strong on paper, there are still a variety of moves that could be made to strengthen their overall roster. Keep these four options in mind as trade talks heat up down the stretch this season.