It was a quiet bye week for the Pittsburgh Steelers, and many fans are disappointed that this team didn't make major personnel changes during their week off. At this juncture, it seems unlikely that Mike Tomlin will risk making coaching changes, but that doesn't mean the front office couldn't make a splash spoon.
The NFL trade deadline is nearing, and all trades must be finalized by 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Halloween. Last year, Pittsburgh traded Chase Clayool to the Bears just before the clock ticked down on the deadline, and we wouldn't put it past GM Omar Khan to make another big move.
While the Steelers have not played particularly well early in the season, they find themselves sitting on a 3-2 record. Still, the front office should be able to recognize that this team isn't where it needs to be in order to be a true contender.
At the same time, there are several teams around the league that are essentially out of the running already and could be willing to part with some talented assets at the right price. These three blockbuster trades could greatly improve the Steelers roster ahead of the NFL trade deadline.
3. Steelers should trade for CB Jaylon Johnson
The Chicago Bears might be a dumpster fire, but Jaylon Johnson is playing like one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL. This can sometimes be hard to recognize as the talent around him is lacking. Through the first five games of the season, the former second-round pick has graded out as the 11th-best CB in the NFL, per Pro Football Focus.
Johnson has sticky coverage ability -- which is far more than what we can say about Levi Wallace or Patrick Peterson. As bad as the Steelers cornerbacks have been early in the year, things could really turn around fast with a combination of Johnson and Joey Porter Jr. clamping down receivers in the second half of the season.
At 1-5, the Bears continue to be one of the most disappointing teams in football. At this point, they could be ready to trade some of their better assets. Johnson is due for a rich new deal following the 2023 season, and Chicago has plenty of cap space to work with. However, they might prefer the added draft capital at this point as a true rebuild could very much be in the works.
The Steelers robbed the Bears blind last year at the deadline with the Claypool deal. Pittsburgh could bury the hatchet by sending a future Day 2 pick to Chicago for their best CB. Both teams would get what they want, and Pittsburgh's defense could take the next step forward.