The Pittsburgh Steelers had a busy day on the phones when the NFL negotiation period opened up. Within hours, general manager Omar Khan executed a trade for wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. and signed cornerback Jamel Dean to a three-year deal.
But amid the chaos, the NFL quietly handed out compensatory picks to teams.
The Steelers received quite the haul, thanks to their 2025 free-agent departures. With players like Dan Moore Jr., Russell Wilson, and Justin Fields leaving in free agency last offseason, and with no Steelers free-agent contracts handed out to cancel out the money they received, Pittsburgh received an impressive collection of comp picks for the 2026 NFL Draft.
These picks will give Khan and the front office all the firepower they need to come away with an impressive 2026 draft class.
Every Pittsburgh Steelers' compensatory pick in the 2026 NFL Draft
Round | Overall Selection |
|---|---|
3rd | 99th |
4th | 135th |
6th | 214th |
6th | 216th |
The Steelers were awarded with four compensatory draft picks, including a coveted third-round comp pick. The third-round pick was gained through Moore's departure last offseason. This will be a top-100 pick for the Steelers, giving Pittsburgh three total third-round picks.
The addition of these compensatory selections gives the Steelers added firepower ahead of April's NFL Draft. These picks can be traded as well.
The Steelers now hold a dozen selections. This includes pick No. 21, pick No. 53, pick No. 76, and pick No. 85. It's unreasonable to think Pittsburgh's front office will hold onto all 12 picks and make as many selections in the draft, so we could see some trades leading up to—and during—the draft.
Throughout the years, the Steelers have landed impressive talent with compensatory selections, such as Hines Ward, Mike Vrabel, William Gay, James Conner, Kelvin Beachum, Willie Colon, and Alex Highsmith.
Before the 2026 draft, the last time the Steelers were awarded a compensatory pick came in the 2022 NFL Draft, following the free-agent loss of Bud Dupree to the Tennessee Titans. This fourth-round comp pick was used to acquire wide receiver Calvin Austin III. The Steelers combined for zero comp picks from 2023 to 2025.
Thanks to a savvy and patient approach to free agency last year, Khan and the Pittsburgh Steelers are sitting on a mountain of draft capital and should be in fantastic shape to reload their roster with young talent in the 2026 NFL Draft.