Most mock drafts have the Pittsburgh Steelers making their pick at #20. But what if they don’t? The buzz right now is on the odds of the Steelers trading up in their quest to find Ben Roethlisberger’s replacement at QB. And a recent tweet from ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler outlines some possibilities of where the Steelers could jump up to.
Wednesday, Fowler noted the New York Giants have “received calls” about their #7 pick while many around the league expect trades to take place just outside the top ten.
New York has two first-round picks this year, #5 and #7, and have long been rumored to want to trade back from one of those slots. For Pittsburgh, going from #20 to #7 would jump the Atlanta Falcons at #8, who could be in the market for hometown product Malik Willis.
Of course, such a move wouldn’t be cheap. Doing so would almost certainly require giving up next year’s first round pick and something else, likely either a 2022 2nd or perhaps a 3rd to move up those 13 spots. Owners of each team, the Maras and Rooneys, have been close for nearly 100 years, so it might be easier to swing a deal. As Dave Bryan noted, Colbert’s made as many deals with the Giants as he has any team.
Fowler notes teams just outside the top ten could also move. Washington picks at #11, Minnesota at #12, Houston sits at #13, and Baltimore is at #14. It’s unlikely the team makes a first-round deal with the Ravens so remove them from the equation. The Commanders are short on draft capital, holding #11, #47, but not picking again until #113. They may be motivated to move back, especially if they aren’t in the QB market after trading for Carson Wentz. Texans’ GM Nick Caserio estimates there’s about a 50% chance they trade pick #13, though that could mean going up or down.
Trading in that range may no longer cost a first-round pick. Similar to the Devin Bush deal, it may only require a pair of Day Two selections. To get Devin Bush, the Steelers gave Denver that year’s 2nd round pick and next year’s 3rd.
Right now, the Steelers’ draft doesn’t start until #20. But there’s certainly a chance it begins a lot sooner tomorrow night.
UPDATE (5:30 PM): For what it’s worth, NFL Network’s Aditi Kinkhabwala says the Steelers have yet to call the Giants about the cost of moving up to #7.
