The Pittsburgh Steelers are standing pat at today’s 2023 NFL trade deadline. The team made no moves by 4 PM/EST today, the official deadline to make a trade.
The Steelers were rumored to be in the market for a cornerback with several names reportedly available. Topping that list was Chicago’s Jaylon Johnson, who had received permission to seek a trade from the Bears. Pittsburgh was reportedly one of the finalists for him but ultimately did not land Johnson. Instead, Johnson remained a Bear with the front office hoping to strike a long-term deal after the season. If not and if no franchise tag is used, he will become an unrestricted free agent.
Other cornerback options the team could’ve explored included Carolina’s Donte Jackson and C.J. Henderson and Buffalo’s Kaiir Elam.
It’s difficult to say how much Omar Khan explored making a move or how close he came to agreeing to a deal. Cornerback is a pressing need for this team given Levi Wallace and Patrick Peterson’s struggles and the need for a long-term option to pair opposite of rookie Joey Porter Jr., a starter going forward.
Instead of a deal, they’ll have to win with the roster they have. Through their first seven games, the Steelers sit at 4-3 and second in the AFC North. But the divisional landscape has changed in recent weeks. The Baltimore Ravens have begun to pull away and sit in first place at 6-2 while the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals are 4-3. The Bengals have turned things around after a dreadful start to the season and QB Joe Burrow looks healthy after being bothered by a calf injury that occurred during training camp.
It was a busy deadline day around the league. Washington unloaded its top pair of pass rushers, sending Montez Sweat to Chicago for a second-round pick and Chase Young to San Francisco for a third rounder. Around the AFC North, the Cleveland Browns sent WR Donovan Peoples-Jones to the Detroit Lions for a sixth-round selection. The Bills made a move for a corner, acquiring Rasul Douglas from the Green Bay Packers. Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, below is a full tally of the trades made prior to today’s deadline.
Notable players not traded today include Johnson, Denver wide receivers Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton, Tennessee running back Derrick Henry, and New England EDGE Josh Uche. No more trades can be completed until March.
