It didn't take long for Pittsburgh Steelers fans to gripe about the team's lack of activity at the NFL trade deadline. As the clock ticked down, fans were hopeful general manager Omar Khan had a trick up his sleeve. He did not.
Wide receiver seemed to be the focus. Though the Steelers were reportedly one of the teams in discussion for a Jakobi Meyers trade, they were ultimately outbid by the Jacksonville Jaguars. The same thing happened with WR Rashid Shaheed, who was traded to the Seattle Seahawks just before the deadline.
These moves caused a firestorm of angry comments on social media, belittling the Steelers for their complacency at the deadline. Both Meyers and Shaheed were acquired for a fourth-round pick plus an additional late-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
What's a fourth-round pick, anyway, right?
The Steelers didn't lack draft capital to pull the trigger on a trade, nor did they lack wisdom at the deadline. Pittsburgh had four big reasons not to part with a fourth-round pick before the trade deadline... and they're currently valuable members of the team.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have been striking gold with fourth-round picks in recent years
If we think back far enough into the Kevin Colbert era, the Steelers would have been just as well off setting a fourth-round pick on fire as they would have using it on draft day. But in recent years, with new front office decision-makers Omar Khan and Andy Weidl, that hasn't been the case at all.
The Steelers' last four fourth-round picks were spent on wide receiver Calvin Austin III (2022 draft), edge rusher Nick Herbig, guard Mason McCormick, and edge rusher Jack Sawyer. While the jury is still out on Sawyer, the rookie already looks promising—earning the highest splash play rate of any defensive rookie in the NFL this season.
As for the rest of these fourth-rounders, how could you not be satisfied?
When finally allowed to step into a starting role in year three, Austin has been a weapon for the Steelers—showcasing his natural hands and impressive quickness after the catch. Meanwhile, Herbig has been a pressure specialist and QB sack artist early in his career (and he's not yet 24 years old). Herbig is grading out as a top-five edge rusher in the NFL, per Pro Football Focus.
Then there's Mason McCormick—a small-school guard with prototype traits. The former South Dakota State Jackrabbit tested as a 99th percentile athlete entering the NFL, and he already looks like a long-time starting NFL guard.
READ MORE: Steelers’ lack of trades speaks volumes to two young wideouts
If you go back before these selections, the Steelers found a gem in Kevin Dotson (who the team foolishly traded away), and Dan Moore Jr. was more than worth his draft selection (as his new four-year, $82 million deal with the Tennessee Titans would suggest).
From my count, the Steelers have hit on four straight fourth-round picks and six of their last eight, dating back to the Colbert era. Khan and Weidl are batting a thousand with their fourth-round selections so far, and there's no reason to suggest that they can't continue to find talent early on Day 3 of the NFL Draft.
Adding Jakobi Meyers or Rashid Shaheed to the Pittsburgh Steelers would have been nothing more than a half-year rental that stunted the development of players like Roman Wilson and Calvin Austin. This front office made a wise decision to avoid mortgaging draft capital before the deadline.