Should Steelers take notes from Panthers major step toward a rebuild?

The Pittsburgh Steelers are in a tough spot. Should they take a page from the Panthers and prepare for a true rebuild in 2023?

Normally, I would never advocate that the Pittsburgh Steelers do anything that resembles the dumpster fire of an organization that is the Carolina Panthers. However, in this case, maybe they have a point. On Friday, the Panthers traded RB Christian McCaffrey to the 49ers for quite an impressive haul.

Carolina received second, third, and fourth-round draft choices in 2023 as well as a fifth-round pick in 2024. This was an outstanding return for a 26-year-old running back who played a combined 10 games in 2020 and 2021 because of injuries. Not only do the Panthers rake in excellent draft capital in exchange for a running back, but they also dump McCaffrey’s sizable contract that will pay him an average of $12 million per year from 2023 to 2025.

This trade certainly has me thinking about the state of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Despite their upset win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 6, this team simply is not in good shape. The offense has been as poor as we could have envisioned prior to the season, and they rank near the bottom of the league in every major statistical category.

It’s clear that the Steelers need a new offensive coordinator, and things might not change much until they get one. However, this is also a talent issue, and Pittsburgh could use as many throws at the dart board in the NFL Draft as they could get to help rebuild this roster.

Should Steelers trade assets away before the deadline?

Even the most naive fans have to know deep down that this Steelers team isn’t going anywhere in 2022 (and maybe not even the following year). I have mentioned recently that Pittsburgh should be trying to gain draft capital so that they can have a legitimate Super Bowl window a few years down the line. Anyone who isn’t part of the picture for 2024 or beyond should be up for grabs.

After seeing what the Panthers were able to get for an injury running back approaching shelf-life, the Steelers have some players who could have a solid return. One of those is Chase Claypool — a name that has been swirling around trade rumors for weeks now. Claypool is coming off maybe the best game of his career, and it’s highly unlikely that he will be in Pittsburgh after the 2023 season with Diontae Johnson paid and George Pickens on the verge of a breakout. The team could try to move him for a mid-round draft choice.

If the Steelers really wanted to get serious and take a major step toward a rebuild, there are teams out there who would pay a pretty penny for Cameron Heyward’s services. Heyward will be 34 years old next season, and it’s unlikely that he’s still a relevant player (or even around) when the Steelers Super Bowl window will open back up again. He’s a guy that I would love to keep in Pittsburgh for his whole career, but it would also make sense to be proactive and try to get a few high-draft choices out of him.

I have to stress that I don’t believe the Steelers will even consider doing any of this. Even with a new general manager in town, this just isn’t how they operate. However, it’s easy to see how stockpiling draft capital could help this team turn around fast with young players and with improved depth across the board.

I fully expect the Steelers to stand pat at the trade deadline. Mike Tomlin’s mind is always in the present, so it would be shocking if they shopped some of their own players. However, on this rare occasion and considering the state of the team, I do think it would make sense to take a page from the Panthers playbook here and be more proactive.