Steelers are clear winners from the Aaron Rodgers trade

It was a foregone conclusion that the Packers were going to trade future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers to the Jets. It was announced a while ago, but the teams didn’t agree to terms officially until last night. While not a part of the deal, the Steelers are low-key winners from this trade.

While a slew of picks are moving as a part of this deal, the most notable one for Pittsburgh is the swap of the Packers and Jets picks. Both teams will switch top picks in the draft, with the Jets moving back to pick 15 and the Packers now owning the 13th overall pick.

On the surface, this move seems pretty inconsequential. Moving back two picks in the first round isn’t a huge deal, and neither team is moving behind the Steelers. That said, Pittsburgh could greatly benefit from this trade as the first round begins to unravel.

Steelers have some more options now in the draft

From seemingly pick nine down, the board could fall horribly for the team. Five of the teams currently slated to pick have major needs at defensive back and/or offensive line, and if there are a handful of players that fit what the Steelers want, they may get zapped up quickly after the draft hits the double digits. With the Jets being one of those teams in need of some offensive line help, them moving back to pick 15 could be a huge help.

If a top tackle or defensive back slips through to the teens, the Steelers can begin making some calls to the Patriots at pick 14 or even the Packers at 13. A smaller trade-up requires less capital to move up, which means the team could potentially land a top name at a cheaper price.

For example, and in the best-case scenario, let's say Paris Johnson gets to pick 13 somehow, the Steelers can move up to get him either there or at pick 14, before the Jets have the chance to pick. The same goes for Christian Gonzalez, although I believe the odds that he falls are less likely than Johnson.

Even if Johnson goes earlier than that, Broderick Jones could be another trade-up candidate. He seems really likely to be there at that level, and now going up to get him is that much cheaper. A move-up has become just a little cheaper and potentially, just a little easier.

While not directly involved in the trade, the Steelers are still minor winners after seeing the results of this deal. They now have two potential candidates to target for a trade if a player they like falls that far. Fans should be happy with the possibilities that have come about from this trade.