With the Steelers being the last remaining undefeated team, now is the time to bolster the roster in order to aid in a potential Super Bowl run
Considering the Steelers are the last undefeated team in the NFL, they should certainly be one of the favorites to make a deep playoff run. Considering this and considering the struggles the Steelers have had in some areas, it seems pertinent that the Steelers try and complete a big move before the November 3rd trade deadline passes. Adding a player now could aid the Steelers later in the season as they gear up for a potential playoff push.
What type of trade is important here, as not every team will be willing to give up a player right now. Instead, the Steelers would need to be making calls with teams whose seasons are already over essentially. These teams will be more willing to trade talent in order to gain draft capital and improve their draft positioning to land better talent. Thus, any player on this list will be on a team that would be willing to part with good players due to their bad starts to the season.
While trading draft picks for current players is a risky move, the Steelers would benefit from such a move right now. Considering their Super Bowl odds get worse next year, adding as much talent now makes their odds better of making it this year. As well, with Covid still affecting the sports world, drafting next year will likely be similar to how it was this year, that being more of a guess than usual. Finally, the Steelers could receive a great talent at a discounted price.
With all of this said, here are the five blockbuster trades the Steelers should pursue before the trade deadline.
Julian Love
It is no secret that the Steelers have fielded one of the worst secondaries in the NFL this year. Their top cornerbacks have been getting beat, their star safety Minkah Fitzpatrick has been lackluster, and opposing offenses have been able to stay in games due to the ability to pass on the Steelers. If the Steelers look to make a move, it has a good chance of being here. Enter Julian Love, the hybrid safety and slot corner from the Giants.
Love was a middle-round pick last year, and his best trait is his calling card is his versatility in the secondary. He can cover the slot as well as a deep safety. Adding him wouldn’t add a starter this year, but it would give a player like Fitzpatrick the ability to play closer to the line sometimes as Love stays back to cover deep. As well, he could move into the slot and allow Mike Hilton to move around more and even play a pseudo-linebacker role for the Steelers.
His cost likely wouldn’t be that high either, as the Giants seem out of playoff contention even though they are playing in the horrible NFC East. Perhaps a swap of middle-round picks could do. If the Giants were willing to part with Love and a fifth for the Steelers fourth, the move would be well worth it. The Steelers would add a versatile and youthful defensive back which would give them options moving forward.
Quinnen Williams
While the Steelers don’t have a need on the defensive line, the rumors swirling of former third overall pick Quinnen Williams being available for a second-rounder is enticing. The blue-chip Williams would likely come in as a nose tackle with the Steelers and considering the depth wouldn’t be more than a rotational piece on defense. That said, adding him would make this unit deep this year and give them a likely starter next year after some veterans move on.
While Williams’s start to his career hasn’t been ideal, he certainly hasn’t been horrible. He has been more of a run stuffer than a pass rusher, which means playing nose tackle would be a good fit for him. As well, he is currently in the second year of his deal, meaning the Steelers would have control over him for the next three years after this season. That is a solid value for a player who could become a versatile player on this defensive line.
The only issue with him is cost, as a run-stuffing nose tackle with his upside is not worth a second-round pick. The Steelers should instead offer a third-round pick that could turn into a second based on playing time. Considering this unit is deep, that would likely mean the pick stays a third-rounder, but if he excels, the Steelers still win despite losing a second-round pick. Either way, adding a player like Williams could be a huge win for the Steelers not just now, but in the future as well.
Irv Smith
While the Steelers went out and signed Eric Ebron this offseason, the tight end group has still struggled to do much in the passing game. While he has had his ups and downs, Ebron certainly hasn’t been an elite signing. The aging Vance McDonald has been a solid blocker, but his contributions in the passing game have been next to nothing. Given the Vikings struggles, the Steelers should see how willing they are to part with Irv Smith.
Smith was a second-round draft choice last year, but he has struggled to see the field early this year. The offense as a whole has struggled and the Vikings may be willing to move on from Smith for little compensation as they look to land a top quarterback in the next draft. As for the Steelers, adding Smith would give them a talented trio at the position. More importantly, when the Steelers make cuts next offseason, losing Ebron or McDonald (or both) would be offset by having a player in-house ready to replace them.
Considering his low usage so far, offering a fourth and perhaps a low-value role player like Jaylen Samuels could get the deal done. The Vikings prepare themselves to tank for a QB and rebuild around him while the Steelers net a tight end they could mix in this year and start next year. While the offense has been doing well, adding a potential top tight end in Smith would make a lot of sense for this season and the future.
Lonnie Johnson
Going back to the secondary, the Steelers could make a call to the Texans and seek out some new talent. While many fans will say that call should be for JJ Watt, his large cap hit, age, and declining play doesn’t make sense for the Steelers right now unless the team could get him for next to nothing. Considering the Texans are in freefall with a new regime likely entering the picture, adding defensive back Lonnie Johnson would be a stellar deal for the Steelers.
Johnson hasn’t been much of a starter, but he has played a key role for the Texans as a hybrid safety and cornerback. Unlike Love though, Johnson has the size to play on the outside. Considering the struggles of the starting outside corners, he could be a rotational option and even leap one of the two if the struggles continue. Going into next year, the Steelers could cut either of the starters to save cap space if the struggles continue.
Considering Johnson isn’t a full-time starter and the Texans are selling everything on their roster, landing him for a sixth-round pick seems realistic. Maybe the Steelers even offer a defender from the deep front seven like Chris Wormley or Olasunkanmi Adeniyi to swap with the Texans. Adding Johnson gives the Steelers options both this season and next year in order to fix this ailing secondary.
Myles Jack
If the Steelers really wanted to make a splash before the trade deadline, they would try and trade for Jaguar Myles Jack. Like the teams above, the Jaguars are likely now set to tank, meaning they will be willing to ship off players that can get them in a better position to get a top quarterback next year. On top of this, Jack has been struggling through some injuries, making his value likely as low as it has ever been.
He is an athletic and talented option in the linebacker room though, and he would make a lot of sense for the Steelers after losing Devin Bush. While his contract is hefty, they would inherit it without the signing bonus. This means restructures can help lower his cap number going forward. His talent far outweighs any of this, as he is one of the best pass covering linebackers in the league. Like many of these deals as well, adding him would benefit the Steelers next year as he would likely team up with Bush as the starters.
Given the Jaguars’ desire to tank and his current usage, Mack could possibly be dealt with a fifth-round pick in exchange for the Steelers third. Assuming a deal like that would be a go, the Steelers shouldn’t hesitate to pull the trigger. Mack can replace Bush this season and then the team would have one of the best linebacking groups in the league next year. Keep Mack’s name in mind as the trade deadline approaches.
While the Steelers won’t make all of these deals for obvious reasons, they likely will seek out at least one of them. To me, adding a player like Johnson or Smith at their price would be a cheap but promising addition. If the team is thinking bigger, then adding a player like Mack is also in play. No matter what, Kevin Colbert should be making plenty of calls over the next week.