Trading away star players is normally not on the agenda for the Steelers but they could look into making some moves this offseason.
Trades have not been common for the Steelers when you look at their franchise history. The NFL seems to be starting to come around when it comes to acquiring talent via trade in recent years. Pittsburgh even made a big move by trading away Chase Claypool at the trade deadline, which saw them come out of that with a high valued pick in the upcoming draft.
Chicago is probably regretting that deal, especially after Claypool did little to help their offense improve over the remainder of their schedule. The black and gold have not shied away from the trade route in recent years by completing many transactions since 2019. There is always a way of finding alternative routes to improving your team and this organization has seen that in recent years.
Mitch Trubisky could be traded or released by the Steelers
There is going to be a new quarterback room for Pittsburgh for the upcoming 2023 campaign. It is possible that Mitch Trubisky returns to the Steelers with one year remaining on his contract, but he could demand a trade or release. He has voiced his opinion recently about having regrets about the way free agency played out and his quickness to sign with this club last offseason.
Kenny Pickett is the guy moving forward, but Trubisky might need to sit by and wait through another year of being a backup before moving on. The Steelers should put his name out there and see if there is any interest. Compensation for him on the trade wire will not be strong, but removing his cap hit from the payment pile would be beneficial for the black and gold.
Diontae Johnson could be traded if Pittsburgh gets a Claypool-like deal
One of the more disappointing performances this season was Diontae Johnson. After signing a new two-year deal this past offseason, this wideout was not able to score any touchdowns this year. Johnson should not take on the full blame as the offense struggled to distribute the ball and could not cash in when they got in the red zone.
The emergence of George Pickens could also lend to this thought process of putting Johnson on the trade block. Both are number one options on offense and this group needs some balance to it. Taking away a target from Pickett might not seem like the wisest choice, but it would give the club a better chance to improve at other spots on the roster.
Trading with Chicago earlier in the season could make this an interesting option for Pittsburgh. The Steelers were able to get a second-round pick for a young player that had limited production in recent years. Johnson is a much more proven player and could bring a better return under the right circumstances.
Looking into this potential deal might be strongest around draft season, so pay close attention. This receiver has also brought different headaches off the field with different social media posts that could be seen as different slights to the franchise. If a trade was done and the Steelers got a high draft pick in return, expect the club to replace Johnson with that selection.
Cam Heyward would be one of the biggest shockers in franchise history
Trading away Cam Heyward would be a monumental task by the Steelers. This would not get much positive attention from fans as everyone loves this player who glowingly represents the franchise. It seems highly unlikely that the black and gold move one of their future Hall of Famer players on defense, but it is not impossible.
One thing of note that could spark this speculation was the comments said by Heyward after Pittsburgh just concluded this past season. Heyward seemed to go out of his way to say that not anything is promised and that he would love to be here, but you never know what the future holds. It was bizarre that the star player would even put that thought out there as the team seems content with having the leader continue with the club.
The Steelers would be foolish to trade away a player of Heyward’s caliber for any number of draft picks. It seems like he will be back and finish his career with the black and gold unless he requests otherwise. Heyward is getting older and could go ring chasing if he wants, but he did say that he wants to be a Steeler and will not be retiring anytime soon.
The Steelers could look into trading away some of their players this offseason. Some might not be realistic, but it is unknown how the player and team value each other right now.