4 sneaky trades the Steelers could pull off during the 2023 NFL Draft
By Tommy Jaggi
In his first offseason as general manager of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Omar Khan has shown that he's not afraid to be aggressive. Despite originally having limited cap space to work with, Khan made his best effort to cover every glaring need in free agency by adding players like Patrick Peterson, Cole Holcomb, Isaac Seumalo, Nate Herbig, and Elandon Roberts.
Khan also maintained some of his own players and recently executed a trade for wide receiver depth -- adding Allen Robinson to the mix. By doing so, the Steelers have at least covered their bases and left themselves open to numerous paths they could take early this year.
However, don't expect that this team will be content to sit back and let the draft unfold. Khan has already been in talks with teams about a potential trade and he admitted that, by the time the draft starts, he will have talked to all 31 teams about either moving up or back.
Knowing this means that we will have to be on our toes with each passing second once the Carolina Panthers are on the clock with the first overall pick. Here are four sneaky trades the Pittsburgh Steelers could make during the 2023 NFL Draft.
4. Steelers could trade up to pick 9 for OT Paris Johnson Jr.
The first trade the Steelers could make (and perhaps the least sneaky at this point) would be jumping just inside the top 10. Pittsburgh is rumored to love Ohio State offensive tackle, Paris Johnson Jr.
While jumping up this high seems a bit costly, Khan and assistant GM Andy Weidl might believe it's worth it if they can find a long-time blind-side protector for quarterback, Kenny Pickett. Johnson has prototype measurables for the positions and excellent foot quickness for his size. He also has experience as a guard, but the Steelers would plug him in at left tackle from the gate.
The Chicago Bears hold the 9th overall selection, and perhaps the Steelers could do them a solid after hosing them in the Chase Claypool trade. Pick 17 and pick 32 (acquired from the Claypool deal) would get them this high. If the Steelers don't want to give up pick 32, they could throw in pick 49 and a future selection to move up. This trade certainly is within the realm of reason.