Steelers were wise not to trade away valuable draft capital at the NFL trade deadline

It doesn't matter what team you root for or even what sport you like, everyone loves to see trades. When a blockbuster move is made, it not only gives fans hope for the season, but it also gives them something to talk about with friends and fellow fans. Last year at this time, the Pittsburgh Steelers were all the buzz after shipping Chase Claypool just before the clock set on the NFL trade deadline.

Unfortunately for many fans, we didn't get that thrill and adrenaline rush this time around. Though it looked like the Steelers were close to pulling off a trade for Bears' star cornerback, Jaylon Johnson, Chicago decided not to move him before the deadline. Eventually, time ran out and the Steelers will move forward with their current roster.

But this isn't necessarily a bad thing. While we would have loved to see a high-end player come to Pittsburgh and help give the Steelers a spark, Omar Khan and the front office were actually wise not to trade away valuable draft capital at the NFL trade deadline this year.

Steelers did the right thing at the deadline (though it may not feel like it)

If we knew that this was going to be the last season ever in the NFL then, by all means, go all in. But we all know that there's a future ahead, and we are hoping it's brighter than the one we have seen since 2019.

The biggest problem with the Pittsburgh Steelers in recent years is that they naively believe that they are true Super Bowl contenders when in reality, they are an average team at best. This has been the case for quite some time. But instead of entering a true 'rebuild' phase, the Steelers continue to try to fix their sinking ship with flex tape.

The short-sighted moves they have made in free agency over the years (signing has-beens like Patrick Peterson and Myles Jack) have proven ineffective, and Pittsburgh is feeling the repercussions of some of their decisions.

Granted, this roster is just good enough to keep them competitive, but their overall talent level from year to year really hasn't been changing. Instead of forking up great money and high draft capital for a solitary piece just before the NFL trade deadline, the Steelers were wise to hang onto their assets.

Building your foundation through the NFL Draft is what good franchises do, and after witnessing the draft haul that Omar Khan and Andy Weidl were able to pull off this past April, we should have a boost of confidence in this team's ability to build their roster through the draft.

In the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft, the Steelers landed both CB Joey Porter Jr. and DL Keeanu Benton. Already seeing how impressive their career paths could be, would you trade either of these players for Jaylon Johnson, knowing that you then need to turn around and make him one of the richest players in the NFL at his position? Pittsburgh would lose any benefit of a rookie contract by doing this.

It might not be the fun decision that fans were hoping for, but the Steelers were correct not to overpay for a quality player at the NFL trade deadline. This team needs to trust the process and hold onto their draft capital. They simply aren't ready to be true contenders this year.