Here are the four reasons the Steelers have to do everything they can to get Ravens OT Orlando Brown.
With the recent report that the Ravens are set to trade offensive tackle Orlando Brown Jr., one team that has to be fielding offers should be the Steelers. Given the struggles this team is set to have along the offensive line, adding such a talented piece like Brown would be a huge plus. Here are the reasons the Steelers need to try and trade for Brown this offseason.
Cost
Easily a huge plus here, as Brown has a 2021 cap hit of less than one million dollars. Granted, he is in the last year of his rookie deal, but the price tag for such a talented player would have to be appealing for a team as cap-strapped as the Steelers. The only issue becomes his contract length, as his deal expires after this season and he will almost certainly want a large deal to compensate for his services. That said, the Steelers always have the franchise tag and ability to extend him if they choose.
As for trade compensation, the Ravens will likely want a first for him and something else. That said, teams will all be wary about giving the Ravens a mega-deal for Brown with his contract set to expire so soon. He won’t commend multiple first-rounder as Laremy Tunsil did, and if the Ravens would be willing, the Steelers first for Brown would be a great deal. Losing a first would be tough, but the team is likely contemplating drafting a tackle in the first anyway. As long as the asking price doesn’t go much higher, the Brown deal wouldn’t be too cost adverse for the team.
Talent
All of the above doesn’t even consider just how talented Brown has been during his time in the NFL. Entering the 2018 draft, Brown was one of the premier talents in the class with a late first-round potential. Then the combine happened, and it was one that he famously bombed. Given his size, his athletic numbers were never going to be great, but a nearly six-second forty-yard dash was shockingly bad as were his abysmal 14 reps on the bench. Easily, this was the reason he fell to the third round.
Credit to the Ravens for doing their due diligence though, as Brown has blossomed into one of the top young tackles in the league. He has side flexibility, as evident by his desire to be a left tackle after his solid play in 2020. As well, he was elected to his second pro bowl this year, once again pointing to his dominance as a player.
Given the Steelers’ struggles on the line this past season, adding a mauling style of tackle could be just what this team needs. Given Brown has aided in blocking for one of the most potent rushing units in NFL history, he could go a long way in getting the Steelers’ run game going again. While he struggles against quick pass rushers, he only allowed three sacks and committed five penalties this season. He is easily a top tackle in the NFL, and he would go a long way in rebuilding this Steelers line.
Trade History
This point aids in two-fold. For starters, it used to be that teams inside a division would rarely, if ever, trade with each other. That mentality seems to be going more and more by the wayside though, and the Steelers are no exception to this. Just last year they traded with the Ravens for Chris Wormley and a few years before they sent Sammie Coats to the Browns who also sent them Justin Gilbert (these were two different trades, but still with a divisional opponent).
While the Ravens will be more inclined to trade with someone else, if the Steelers are the only team offering a first-round pick, they wouldn’t hesitate to make the move. The real history that needs to be talked about is the Steelers’ lack of history in trading first-round picks. That all changed when the team acquired Minkah Fitzpatrick though, so the team could look to ship out their first this year in hopes of getting a similar talent.
While going two years without a first wouldn’t be ideal, the team showed last year that they can succeed without a top pick. Despite not picking on day one, the Steelers still had one of the best drafts in the NFL. If they aren’t sure about the crop of tackles in this draft, making the move for Brown makes sense.
Cap Space
While it is no secret that the Steelers have one of the worst cap situations in the league this year, as of now they are set to be in one of the league’s best positions next year with an estimated 150 million in cap space. Now, that number will go down this offseason. Restructures and new deals will cut into that total quickly, but even then, that number should still be a relatively high number next year.
As well, the NFL’s cap number should jump exponentially given the positive strides that have been made with this pandemic. Stadiums should have higher attendance next season, meaning the cap number could go even higher than the projections. Even if they don’t, it isn’t unthinkable that the team is sitting close to 50 million under the cap. That means a new deal for Brown could easily be had.
As well, if the team wanted to hold off on signing him right away, the team could tag him and then extend him. While cap space this season will be a concern, next year is a different story. The Steelers should be in a good position to make some moves. One of those could very well be resigning Brown after he begins the line’s rebuild. He wouldn’t be a one-year rental, he would ideally be the Steelers long-term tackle.
Overall, there aren’t a lot of reasons for the Steelers to not try and get Brown this offseason. Assuming the Ravens aren’t bombarded with Texans like Tunsil deals, adding Brown could be a great investment. The line gets an instant boost and the team has cap flexibility to make this move a lasting one. While the Ravens are fielding calls for Brown, the Steelers should be calling them daily trying to get a deal done.