Steelers trade-back is the best possible outcome in Round 1

We have seen the Pittsburgh Steelers trade up in the first round of the NFL Draft from time to time. Back in 2003, former GM Kevin Colbert moved up to select Troy Polamalu. In 2006, he moved up to take Santonio Holmes. Last year, Omar Khan traded up for Broderick Jones in his first draft as general manager.

The Steelers have had success moving up in the draft, but they don't move back very often.

When we closely examine the draft board, there aren't many players who come to mind that the Steelers should be interested in trading up for. Notre Dame OT Joe Alt is going to be too far out of reach and it's probably not worth trading up more than a few spots for Oregon State OT Taliese Fuaga.

For this reason, trading back is going to be the best possible outcome in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

Why would the Steelers trade back?

There are several reasons the Pittsburgh Steelers could trade back in the first round of the NFL Draft. The biggest reason is to pick up extra draft capital. By moving from pick 20 to somewhere late in the first round, the Steelers could add an extra Day 2 pick to their arsenal.

Meanwhile, if Pittsburgh has a handful of players still on the board that they like, they can still draft one of the players they have been targeting all along.

Who could the Steelers target in a trade-back?

When the Steelers are on the clock this year, they are going to have plenty of players to choose from. Players like OT Amarius Mims, C Jackson Powers-Johnson, CB Cooper DeJean, CB Nate Wiggins, and OT Tyler Guyton may be all still on the board.

If the Steelers have similar grades on all of these players, they could look to trade back in the first round and still grab one of these players they are interested in. Essentially, they could weigh it like this: would they rather have their choice of these players at pick 20, or would they rather choose between whichever of these players remains later in the draft and add a second-round pick to their draft capital?

Which teams could the Steelers trade back with in the 2024 NFL Draft?

Trading back is something that many teams would love to be able to pull off each year, but it's only possible if there is a trade partner willing to move back up in the draft for a player they love.

When we think about the Pittsburgh Steelers potentially trading back in the 2024 NFL Draft, there are a few teams that come to mind. The Bills are one of them. Buffalo needs to find a number-one receiver after trading Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans this offseason.

If Brian Thomas Jr. or Adonai Mitchell is on the board when the Steelers are on the clock, the Bills may be willing to jump up and secure the receiver they want. this would have Pittsburgh moving back to pick 28 -- likely snagging Buffalo's second-round pick while Pittsburgh throws in pick 98 to sweeten the deal.

Other teams that could be interested in trading up to pick 20 include the Arizona Cardinals, Detroit Lions, and Kansas City Chiefs.

Why is trading back the best option for the Steelers this year?

If the Steelers trade up in the draft, they will be giving up extra draft capital to select a player who could be in the same tier as the talent that will be on hand at pick 20.

While Pittsburgh could simply take the highest player on their board when the 20th pick rolls around, trading back several spots to potentially late in the first round would allow them to add a highly-coveted Day 2 draft pick while still having the ability to select a player they really like in a deep draft class.