Steelers should consider trading out of first round of 2021 NFL draft

The Steelers may want to think about trading out of the first round altogether in the upcoming draft

I don’t believe it’s out of the realm of possibility that the Steelers would trade out of the first round entirely in the 2021 NFL Draft, but I don’t necessarily think it is something we are considering. However, it’s something we may want to consider doing. Here’s why I say that.

Unless there will be another free agent signing or two prior to the 2021 draft, what we see is what we are going to get up until draft night.  If you look at our roster objectively, I would say that if we had to play a game right now sans any player we will draft, I think we would be competitive, but the Steelers and their fans cannot accept just being competitive.

The reason I say that we would be just competitive and not Super Bowl contenders is that we still have glaring holes on our roster on both sides of the ball; however, since we are currently sitting at pick 24, are we really going to be able to draft the next Maurkice Pouncey or David DeCastro?  Taking it a step further, are we really going to be able to draft the next Franco Harris, Terry Bradshaw, or ‘Mean’ Joe Greene? 

Since anything is possible, I have to acknowledge that is obviously a possibility that we could draft a player of the caliber of the aforementioned.  Though not very many things are probable, the likelihood of drafting a player at pick 24 of the caliber of the aforementioned players is slim, in my opinion.  Having a player like DeCastro, who was drafted with the 24th pick of the 2012 draft, fall to us is not very likely.

The Steelers may be better served by trading out of the first round

Picture this scenario:  After pick 20, it looks like only one of the top-rated RBs is still on the board.  Do the Steelers draft him?  What if the top-rated EDGE rusher is on the board at pick 24, do we draft him? What if one of the top-rated OL is still on the board at 24, do we draft him?

I think you see my point.  Unless the choice is blatantly obvious, which is subjective at best, I vote the Steelers trade out of the first round to amass more draft picks not only in the 2021 draft but in future drafts as well.  I realize that sounds like we would be indecisive but, honestly, in a year where we have several holes to fill, the best and, coincidentally, the least expensive option is to build the roster via the draft.

I know I have said this before, but I will say it again, the Steelers have always prided themselves on building the roster through the draft and supplementing the roster in free agency.  That philosophy has served us well, but, at times, has not always panned out.

Getting back to the notion of trading out of the first round, the Steelers would need to find a willing trading partner, perhaps a team without a first-round pick, or perhaps a team who is picking after us.

I would not want to speculate about what compensation a trade out of the first round would yield, but suffice to say, the Steelers would have more ‘fire power’ in this draft and in the 2022 NFL Draft or even the 2023 draft. depending on how far we trade back and depending on how badly a team wants that 24th spot.

If the Steelers stand pat at pick 24 and draft a RB, for example, some fans will like that pick, some fans will not like that pick and some fans may simply be indifferent.  If the Steelers trade out of the first round, the aforementioned feelings will be present among the fans.  I still say we trade out of the first round as there will be plenty of talented players in the second round and beyond that the Steelers could draft.  Remember the draft is not only about the present but it’s about the future as well.