3 Steelers players who could be traded before the season starts

  • Could the Steelers end an experiment on the defensive line?
  • Veterans sliding on the depth chart could make them expendable
Steelers, Levi Wallace
Steelers, Levi Wallace | Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
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Steelers could trade CB Levi Wallace

For whatever reason, I think the Steelers are pretty high on Levi Wallace. Though he proved to be a quality signing last year, it's clear to see that Wallace isn't the long-term option for this team at cornerback. Omar Khan likely knew this, and after letting Cameron Sutton walk in free agency, Pittsburgh decided to double up on the cornerback position in the 2023 NFL Draft.

We know that Joey Porter Jr. is going to claim a starting cornerback job sooner rather than later, and there's a chance that Wallace is the name who falls out of favor. Wallace's lack of recovery speed makes him a liability in pass coverage at times. In 2022, he surrendered a whopping 15.9 yards per completion and a career-worst 8.4 yards per target, per Pro Football Reference.

Porter will already be on his heels to begin training camp, but he might not be the only one. The Steelers are very high on Cory Trice Jr., and they believe he fits the mold perfectly for what they are looking for. If the talented Purdue product impresses early in training camp and the preseason, Pittsburgh might not see enough reason to keep Wallace around at a $5.48 million cap number for the 2023 season.

Wallace doesn't have elite traits, but he is a stable veteran who offers some trade value thanks to recording 4 interceptions and 13 passes defended last season. If an opposing team suffers an injury at the cornerback position, Wallace would make sense to ship away. Pittsburgh would save money while getting a Day 3 draft pick in return.

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