Trading during the NFL draft is common practice, as teams move around to secure players they want or to gain more assets. The Steelers are historically less active than most on draft day. While the team shows a willingness to move up and secure a player they like, they rarely move back and secure more picks.
That could change this year, as both Omar Khan and Andy Weidl have expressed some interest in moving around. I am all for it, as gaining more picks when a less-than-ideal board is available is always smart. As well, identifying players that you want and ensuring you get them via a trade-up is also logical.
The team could certainly be more active this year than in years past. Here are the four most realistic trades the Steelers can make on draft night.
4. Steelers could potentially trade Mason Cole
Let me start this off with a major caveat: the Steelers would have to land one of the top centers in the draft in round two in order for this to even be feasible. Mason Cole proved to be a better signing than I, or most people, expected him to be. While he wasn’t an elite player, he was a stabilizing force and was the most consistent lineman for the entire season.
The team has shown a clear desire to get better along the line this offseason, investing a lot of time scouting some of the top linemen and adding Isaac Seumalo. The interior is seemingly set, but that hasn’t stopped the team from further scouting the two top centers and a top guard. Landing either of the top centers in the second round would likely be a long-term upgrade over Cole.
If the team uses a top pick on a center, Cole could be flipped. It would yield very little in terms of cap relief, but it would give the team back another pick and continue the aggressive growth that this line is seeing. This is contingent on a top center being drafted, but if one is, Cole could be flipped.
3. Steelers could trade up at pick 17
While I am generally a fan of trading back and acquiring more picks, the Steelers are in a bit of a bind in the first round. It seems like a safe bet that they will either invest in a cornerback or tackle, but the teams in front of them also have similar needs. Teams like the Bears, Titans, and Jets stick out at potential offensive line needs while the Patriots and Commanders could both be targeting a cornerback.
There is a clear drop-off in talent between the top tackles, as Paris Johnson and Broderick Jones both are significantly better than the next wave of options. This is less evident in the cornerback room, but I would still rather secure one of the top names than taking a name in that second tier.
If some of these top names start to go after pick ten, the Steelers should look to move up and secure a top name in this class. It would likely require a third-round pick, but it would be worth it, especially if it is the difference between a Jones/Johnson and the next tier of tackle.
On the flip side, the team could trade back from pick 17 if the board breaks poorly, but that still leaves them in a tough position as to who to select with their top pick. It could happen, but there doesn’t seem to be a lot of names in the 20th-25th overall range that makes sense for this team.
If the Steelers move around in the first round, I would expect it to be up a few spots. Ideally, this team doesn’t use one of their second-round picks, but again, they may feel the need to land a top name in this draft. Don’t be surprised to see the team try and move up during the first round.
2. The Steelers should try and trade Kevin Dotson
Another potential casualty of the investments along the interior of the offensive line, Kevin Dotson went from the perceived starter to battling for his job, now to an expensive third option over the course of free agency. Nate Herbig wasn’t the nail in the coffin, as he was expected to compete with Dotson for the starting guard spot.
Seumalo is a different story, as it pushes Herbig to the top reserve and Dotson is left not likely to even be active on Sundays. His added cost due to the performance escalator makes him a very easy player to consider trading.
Dotson hasn’t been consistent, but he has been a starter for most of his career and flashes some strong play at times. The issue is that in three seasons, he hasn’t really progressed. For every good play he has, he has two where he looks like a raw rookie still. At this point in his career, he needed to be a more stable player with fewer highs and lows.
His experience and cheap contract (for a starter) should make him a desirable piece for teams that need guard help. Add in the lack of top-quality interior linemen in this draft and Dotson should fetch a decent day-three pick. He has no role on this team, and seeing him get dealt on draft night shouldn’t be surprising.
1. Steelers trade back from pick 32
Ever since the Steelers were officially awarded the 32nd overall pick following the trade of Chase Claypool to the Bears, I had a feeling that Pittsburgh was going to look to move back from this spot. While having essentially a second first-round pick is nice, it seems like a lot of the talent that they might want in the second frame could be had a little later.
While they could stay put and have their selection of players that fall out of the first round, that pick will also have a lot of value. There will be a lot of teams that want to be in that position, and the Steelers could reap another third-round pick just by moving back a couple of spots. They could also land multiple mid-round picks in order to bridge the gap between their fourth and seventh-round pick.
If the Steelers move back anywhere, 32 makes a lot of sense. The team can still land quite a few picks and still grab a strong player that could contribute early. Pick 32 will have multiple suitors, and I won’t be shocked to see the team move back to the top of the second day of the draft.
I fully expect the Steelers to be more active on draft day than they have been in the past. They have picks and players that can help move this team up and down, and the team can move up if needed or add extra picks. These four trades seem like the most likely for the team once the draft begins.