We are now less than a week until the NFL Trade Deadline comes around on Halloween before dinner time. The Steelers currently hold a 4-2 record right now, and they seem to be content with trying to hang onto relevancy. Even though their club has shown plenty of issues throughout the first seven weeks of competition, they have been able to win more than lose.
Omar Khan and Mike Tomlin need to figure out the next steps to getting this team to the playoffs, and hopefully beyond. It will take a lot of fixes on the current roster, but there are potential options on the trade market right now that could interest the black and gold. Khan should be on the lookout for some cheap quality additions to the team before the deadline passes.
David Andrews could be an upgrade at center that could be on the market
One team that is hurting currently is the New England Patriots. They are coming off an upset win over the Bills this past week, but they still have a lot of issues to consider themselves playoff contenders. With a record of 2-5, it seems like the Patriots could be looking to make some sales on their current roster. Keep an eye on them as quiet sellers as the trade deadline approaches.
One name that would make sense to move and someone who could upgrade the Steelers offensive line is David Andrews. He has been one of the best centers in the NFL for a while now and would be an immediate upgrade over Mason Cole at center. He can help anchor the offensive line and get the Steelers front group into a better position.
Cole is a free agent after this season, and he has not done too well this year. He is coming off his best game against the Rams, but he has not been reliable yet. Andrews would be an upgrade and is under contract for the 2024 season too. Trying to make the cap situation for this trade work could get tricky, but adding Andrews would be a great get for Pittsburgh.
Terrell Edmunds could return to the Steelers after his recent trade
For some reason, teams love to help the Philadelphia Eagles in recent years through player transfers. That happened again yesterday after Kevin Byard was traded from the Tennessee Titans to the Eagles for a couple of late round picks and Terrell Edmunds. Edmunds was their starting safety, but they saw Byard as an upgrade and took a swing.
Edmunds is now a member of the Titans for now and is only under contract for the remainder of the year. It would make sense for the struggling team in Tennessee to potentially flip Edmunds again to gain another late round pick in either this year or next year’s draft. It would make a lot of sense for the Steelers to place a call to the Titans.
There is a lot of history between Pittsburgh and Edmunds ever since he was drafted in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft. He has not been having a great season, but Edmunds has a boring brand of football that is reliable. Another thing that he could bring to Pittsburgh is a form of stability for the defense that is missing.
Both Edmunds and Minkah Fitzpatrick have a good chemistry together and that could pick right back up. He would be worth the attempt to acquire from the Titans on the cheap for the remainder of the year. Neither Keanu Neal nor Damontae Kazee have been bad, but Edmunds fits the role better than the Steelers normally demand from a strong safety.
An under the radar target for Pittsburgh could be Tavierre Thomas
Adding to the offense could be the obvious choice for the black and gold, but their defense has had its fair share of problems. The secondary is where the main question marks persist after seven weeks of competition. Joey Porter Jr. has shown a lot of good qualities and has slowly increased his role with each passing week.
Now with Porter seemingly gaining a starting role down the stretch for the Steelers, the other cornerback spots on the defense come to light. There are issues on the outside cornerback spot opposite of Porter, but the slot cornerback spot is not in a better state. Chandon Sullivan has been bad, but there could be some alternatives.
Peterson will have a role there it seems going forward, but his age and lack of speed could lead to problems in coverage. Adding someone via trade like Tavierre Thomas of the Houston Texans might be a great get for the Steelers. He is not well known, but he grades out well every year and that trend is continuing in 2023.
He would be an immediate upgrade over any slot corner options that Pittsburgh currently houses on their roster. The main issue would be if the Texans would be willing to do a trade involving Thomas. He is scheduled to become a free agent and is on a cheap contract for the remainder of this year. Thomas would be a great get for the Steelers and an immediate upgrade.
Shaq Thomas could be a splash get for the Steelers at linebacker
Inside linebacker is not as big of a weakness as it was last season. The mixture of Cole Holcomb, Kwon Alexander, and Elandon Roberts have been able to do just enough to keep the linebacker group in a positive direction. That is not to say that this group is without flaw as they could use an upgrade. They still need a three-down linebacker on defense.
Holcomb has been decent, but there could be better options out there on the trade block. When you look at potential names available, you have to look at teams that are already out of the playoffs before a trade could even be considered. One club that is out of it by far is the Carolina Panthers as they have struggled to find footing this season.
Shaq Thompson has been a key piece to their defense since he was drafted to Carolina in 2015. He won't be 30 years old until April. and he is under contract for another season after this one concludes. Thompson could be an addition to send shock waves around the NFL for the Steelers. He has been a top linebacker with the Panthers for a while.
It would be a new defense for him to learn. but he would be an upgrade over every linebacker on Pittsburgh's roster right now. He still has speed and can stop the run and cover when called upon. Carolina is terrible this year and adding a couple of picks in the draft might be their best course of action. The Panthers are desperate and might consider moving a star player like Thompson.
Jaylon Johnson makes a lot of sense for Pittsburgh before the trade deadline
One of the bigger names being floated around the NFL trade deadline this year is Jaylon Johnson of the Chicago Bears. He has been an outstanding corner for them, especially with how bad their defense has been in the past couple of seasons. Johnson will bring some value back from a trade and the Bears should be all ears.
Johnson would be a pure rental for the Steelers as his contract expires after the season. But with Levi Wallace coming off the books and Patrick Peterson potentially being gone as a cap casualty, it's possible that Johnson could earn a contract extension in Pittsburgh. If he is traded to the Steel City and performs well opposite of Porter for the rest of the season then he could get into a negotiation process.
Both Peterson and Wallace have been terrible on the outside for the black and gold this season. There seems to be no fix in sight for either of them on the outside. Maybe Peterson could be better in the slot, but both he and Wallace have no speed in the tank. Johnson is a young player with a lot more speed to help cover receivers.
Adding someone like him should not cost too much and his cap hit isn't abnormally high either. The different aspects of the trade could work for both sides. The Steelers need another outside cornerback down the stretch to start opposite of Porter. Johnson seems like he could be that guy moving forward, and maybe even past this season.