Why Steelers were wrong by trading up for Devin Bush in 2019 NFL Draft

Steelers chose need over more valuable positions

Too often, I feel like Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin will put the blinders on lock themselves into one position early in the NFL Draft based on their biggest need. They did this in 2016 when they took cornerback Artie Burns, in 2018 when they selected safety Terrell Edmunds, and this year when they were desperate for a running back.

This is never a good way to draft. Though occasionally the need will line up with the talent, the Steelers continually ignore ‘money’ positions in the NFL Draft (positions that you want to pay to stick around for a long time) in order to take a position of need.

After the trade-up, the Steelers could have landed a young, productive, talented edge rusher like Brian Burns. This would have proved to be a much wiser choice based on the difference in the value of the position alone. They also could have taken Montez Sweat and held onto their second-round pick.

Choosing need over the best players available at more important positions is what bad football teams do, and if Devin Bush doesn’t improve soon, passing on these players is going to look even worse.