The Pittsburgh Steelers don't have a championship roster yet, but it doesn't mean that they can't get there soon. Most owners and general managers would agree that the best way to build a championship roster is through the NFL Draft. This is a philosophy that the Steelers have always abided by. But sometimes, you need to do more.
While General Manager Omar Khan and Assistant GM Andy Weidl free up salary cap space and explore every available option to improve the Steelers' rosters in free agency, sometimes going the trade route is the best way to give your roster an immediate boost toward contending.
We witnessed Kevin Colbert make a statement just before the deadline in 2019 when he traded for Minkah Fitzpatrick (who quickly became a perennial All-Pro safety). Now after falling short once again in the playoffs, Pittsburgh could try to give themselves an instant upgrade with a trade. Here are five positions they could trade for during the 2024 offseason.
1. Cornerback
Cornerback has been widely regarded as the biggest positional need on the Steelers roster dating back to early in the 2023 season. From the gate, it was evident that players like Levi Wallace and Chandon Sullivan were major weaknesses on their defense.
Even after Joey Porter Jr. was promoted as a full-time starter, the weaknesses in Pittsburgh's secondary were still easy to exploit. An aging Patrick Peterson didn't live up to expectations, and when the Steelers were in dime packages, adding another mediocre CB on the field only made matters worse.
It looks like Porter is going to be an excellent cornerback for a long time, but the Steelers still need a major upgrade opposite him as well as a reliable slot cornerback. This is something that Pittsburgh is sure to explore in free agency and in the NFL Draft. However, the trade route is also a possibility.
There are several strong candidates out there. Teams looking to free up salary cap space or hoping to enter the draft with a bit more capital in their pockets could be willing to deal a CB to Pittsburgh. Joey Porter Jr. is the only promising cornerback on the Steelers roster, so trading for a proven option is something Omar Khan should explore.