UPDATE (3:36 PM): Ian Rapoport has full trade details with the Steelers sending a conditional 2025 6th round pick to the Commanders for a conditional 2025 7th round pick. In other words, about the smallest trade a team can make.
Our original story is below.
The Pittsburgh Steelers busy trade deadline day continues. In addition to trading WR Chase Claypool to Chicago, the team is adding CB help by acquiring Washington Commanders CB William Jackson III.
Jackson was the CB the Steelers wanted to draft in 2016 before he was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals one pick ahead. Instead, the team settled on Artie Burns, who became one of Kevin Colbert’s biggest misses.
Jackson has been on the trade block for weeks and reportedly, the Commanders were prepared to release him if they couldn’t find a trade partner. Compensation currently isn’t known but it’s likely to be for a late round pick.
UPDATE (2:24 PM): Per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Steelers and Commanders are swapping late round picks.
On the season, Jackson has played in four games, recording 16 tackles.
Drafted by the Bengals 24th overall in the 2016 NFL Draft, he spent four years in Cincinnati before signing a lucrative contract with Washington. He is owed around $12 million next year, meaning Jackson could be a rental for the Steelers. Or at the least, the team restructuring his contract, potentially in the form of a paycut.
Reportedly, Jackson preferred to go to Pittsburgh and it’s the reason why it took until hours before the deadline for the deal to happen.
