On Monday, one day before the NFL trade deadline, the Pittsburgh Steelers watched as the Jacksonville Jaguars made a trio of aggressive moves to better their roster before it was too late. Now the Steelers have a decision to make: do they follow suit and respond with a move of their own, or let the sun set on the trade deadline?
The Jaguars weren't in the business of going after small fish. Though their trade for Saints defensive tackle Davon Godchaux doesn't move the needle, they made massive splay plays for Falcons Pro Bowl safety Jessie Bates and Eagles defensive tackle Jordan Davis.
These moves didn't come cheap either.
The Jaguars gave up north of a second-round pick to improve their secondary and a slew of picks to bolster their defensive line. In total, Jacksonville's GM, James Gladstone, surrendered a 2027 first-round pick, both their 2027 and 2029 second-round picks, a 2028 fifth-round pick, and a 2028 conditional sixth-round pick.
To be clear, I'm not suggesting the Steelers do the same. But if their top competitors in the AFC are making massive splash trade moves, can they afford to sit on their hands and watch the deadline pass?
The Pittsburgh Steelers have a massive decision at the NFL trade deadline today
This is it; the clock is ticking. After today, the only way Omar Khan can bolster the Steelers' roster is through free agency—and we all know what that talent pool looks like this time of year.
There have been reports that the Steelers are searching for wide receiver and cornerback help. But it'shard to imagine they can make a trade of the same magnitude and significance as what the Jaguars were able to pull off with Bates and Davis.
For this to happen, there needs to be a team willing to give up a talented player—specifically at receiver or corner—and that's the part that's out of their control... for the most part.
Khan could always get on the phone with a team that isn't necessarily selling and blow their socks off with a deal they can't refuse. But in doing so, the Steelers would jeopardize valuable future draft capital.
If the Steelers do anything at all before the 4 p.m. ET deadline, it will likely be a move that doesn't involve much draft capital (and one that really doesn't move the needle for this team).
The Steelers aren't the Jaguars. But there's a reason the Jags got so good so fast: they've been hyper-aggressive when it comes to capitalizing on a Super Bowl window.
The AFC could be up for grabs this year, and the Jags aren't waiting around for someone else to claim the title. Will the Steelers do the same? Better yet, should they? That's up for debate.
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