The Steelers are disappointed in their former first-round pick, so here are four trade packages that could send Bush elsewhere in 2022.
Devin Bush was supposed to be the replacement to Ryan Shazier. Unfortunately, he hasn’t lived up to that billing yet, and by all accounts, he has been a disappointment to this point in his career. While the Steelers don’t have to trade him by any means, moving on from him now recoups some needed value for the team.
Here are four trade packages the Steelers could get if they move on from Bush.
Steelers trade with Broncos
Steelers get: 2022 fourth-round pick
Broncos get: Bush
The most basic and straightforward swap, the Broncos are in need of a linebacker and are set to try and build a competitive team this offseason. They have a slew of draft picks poised to help complete this long-standing rebuild, and with most of their linebackers being sub-par options, the Steelers could move Bush to the team that they originally traded up with for him.
Bush would come in and instantly be a starter on this defense. While the Broncos would likely want to add another option there to push Bush, having an athletic option at linebacker wouldn’t hurt them. While Bush suffered a regression last year, he still has those athletic traits that made him such a coveted prospect. The Broncos could use some athleticism in their linebacker room.
As for the compensation, it seems like Bush would likely fetch somewhere in the range of a fourth-round pick for his services. That seems to be the going rate for a former top linebacker on the verge of busting. The Broncos get a potential starter to work with while the Steelers add some ammo for this offseason. It would be a win-win for both sides.
Steelers trade with Jaguars
Steelers get: 2022 fifth-round pick, conditional 2023 fifth-round pick
Jaguars get: Bush
A team everyone should expect to get aggressive this offseason, the Jaguars have the money and the resources to build a competitive team. They need to capitalize here, as Trevor Lawrence is only going to get more expensive as time goes on. This offseason will be critical if the Jaguars want to make a serious playoff push and get the maximum out of their former top pick in the draft.
While Myles Jack is a great option at linebacker for them, their other option leaves something to be desired. Damien Wilson wasn’t a disaster for them at linebacker, but the Jaguars certainly could have gotten better play out of their defender. Linebacker is one of this team’s needs, and Bush could fill that role. Jack would continue with leading the defense, meaning Bush would take on a more reduced role (something that would honestly be a good thing for him).
The compensation here is a little different. With the Jaguars owning such a high pick, odds are they won’t want to part with a fourth-rounder. Instead, they send their fifth-round pick as well as a fifth-rounder in 2022 which is conditional based on Bush’s playing time. Bush would be a good fit in that defense and taking on less responsibility as a defensive leader would likely help him. It is a deal that makes sense from both sides.
Steelers trade with Jets
Steelers get: Mims, 2023 fifth-round pick
Jets get: Bush
Now onto the more intriguing deals involving other players, the Jets find themselves in a similar spot as the Jaguars. They will want to aggressively add players this offseason to get the most out of Zach Wilson’s rookie deal, and their linebacker room is a relative mess right now. While C.J. Mosely is a fine starter, the rest of their linebackers leave a lot to be desired.
Besides Mosley is Quincy Williams, a former third-round draft pick of the Jaguars. While he easily had his best season as a pro, there is still plenty of work he needs to do to be a competent starter long-term. Jarrad Davis was penciled in to be the other starter, but injuries limited him to nine games. Bush would likely start over either of them at this point.
The terms of this deal get a bit more creative. The Steelers will almost certainly be adding a receiver or two this offseason, and Denzel Mims has seemingly been worked out of the Jets offense. He can win deep and provide a speedy element to the offense, something Pittsburgh is lacking. An additional 2023 pick is added to sweeten the deal as well in this player for player swap. Both teams move on from struggling assets in hope that a new home will yield better results.
Steelers trade with Eagles
Steelers get: Dillard
Eagles get: Bush
A rare player for player swap, a deal like this makes a lot of sense for both sides. The Eagles have seemingly failed to find a quality off-ball linebacker every offseason, and last year they were forced to start T.J. Edwards and Alex Singleton because of it.
While neither are complete liabilities, they could certainly be improved upon. As well, adding an athletic linebacker to that room would be a change of pace, as neither starter are notoriously athletic.
Andre Dillard, meanwhile, has had his own share of struggles as a former first-round pick. He has never developed into a consistent starter as of yet, but the Eagles seemingly made some progress with him in 2021. He was used mostly as a swing option and a reserve which led to his best season yet. That said, he still has an unlikely path to become a full-time starter with the Eagles and thus could be traded.
The Steelers have a need at offensive tackle while the Eagles have a need at linebacker. Both teams possess former first-round picks on the verge of busting. This deal honestly seems pretty cut and dry. The Eagles get a more athletic linebacker to try out on their defense while the Steelers get a new tackle to start. It’s a win-win deal for both sides and one that has to be explored moving forward.
The Steelers aren’t promised to trade Bush but considering his rookie deal is up after next season and it seems unlikely that he gets his fifth-year option, trading him could yield the team the most value. These four deals seem like the best fits, as each of the teams he would be going to is in need of linebacker help. Keep these trades in mind as the offseason ramps up.