When should players asking for the Pittsburgh Steelers to trade them away concern us?
According to recent reports, both WR Diontae Johnson and QB Kenny Pickett requested trades before the Pittsburgh Steelers followed through. Just because they requested trades, however, doesn’t mean the Steelers weren’t voluntarily obliging.
In Pickett’s case, behind the scenes, it appears the Steelers grew resigned to the unlikelihood of Pickett’s ascendance. Head coach Mike Tomlin chose to continue playing Mason Rudolph at the end of last season. Then he said in his final press conference that Pickett would face challengers for his job—if he earned it.
For all the public comments, the Steelers were obviously not all in on Pickett anymore. And we know that Johnson created issues. He instigated multiple confrontations, both with players and coaches, and failed to develop as a leader.
Together, the two of them made up a core part of the offense for the past two years. Now they’re both gone, ready to move on, as are the Steelers. But you never want to hear players ask you to trade them away, even if you want to trade them, Steelers or otherwise.
All teams, not just the Steelers, face trade requests, almost always over roles or money. The Baltimore Ravens dealt with Orlando Brown Jr.’s desire to leave, and they obliged. The Cincinnati Bengals are currently weathering a trade request from the franchise-tagged Tee Higgins. Even Lamar Jackson requested that the Ravens trade him. Sometimes, things work out in the end.
The Steelers certainly have their history of choosing volunteers over hostages in trade situations. Even James Harrison devolved into a hostage, but they only traded him when it suited him. The Steelers obliged Melvin Ingram’s trade request as well, and then there was the Antonio Brown incident.
But ultimately, when is this a broader, more systemic problem? Each case is unique, but are there common threads that amount to a cause for concern? I know some will argue that head coach Mike Tomlin is making promises he’s not keeping regarding playing opportunities. We can’t prove that, though every player should go into every conversation about money and work with their eyes open. Like every other team, the Steelers have players who request trades, and then they have to decide what to do next. We likely never hear about most trade requests, realistically speaking.
The Steelers’ 2023 season has been put out of its misery, ending as so many have before in recent years: a disappointing, blowout playoff loss. The only change-up lately is when they miss the playoffs altogether. But with the Buffalo Bills stamping them out in the Wildcard Round, they have another long offseason ahead.
The biggest question hanging over the team is the quarterback question. Does Russell Wilson make them a Super Bowl-caliber team, or are they wasting a year? Will he play just one season in Pittsburgh before moving on, or the Steelers moving on from him? How will the team address the depth chart?
The Steelers are swirling with more questions this offseason than usual, frankly, though the major free agent list is less substantial than usual. It’s just a matter of…what happens next? Where do they go from here? How do they find the way forward?
