Somewhat lost in the shuffle of the media frenzy that is the NFL draft was a report from Michael Silver that stated the Pittsburgh Steelers were in talks with the San Francisco 49ers about a trade involving WR Deebo Samuel. Silver followed up and stated that the thinks the time for a trade has likely passed, and it makes sense as all of the high-value draft picks are already spent.
This news broke right around the Zach Frazier pick at No. 51 in the second round, so maybe the Steelers were working the phones while it seemed like virtually everybody in the NFL executed an early Day-2 trade.
GM John Lynch spoke to the media following one of the 49ers picks today and was asked about trade rumors surrounding Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel.
“We didn’t entertain any of that today. We’re happy with our wide receiver group. Actually, more than happy. We’re thrilled with it. And thrilled to add Ricky [Pearsall] to it to make it stronger,” Lynch said, as transcribed from the press conference by Cam Inman on X.
The drafting of Pearsall at the tail end of the first round was yet another bread crumb in a long line of them that suggested a trade could be coming. While a trade could technically still happen, it would now have to involve a player-for-player swap. There isn’t enough value in Day-3 picks to package together, and it seems unlikely they would want to accumulate picks in next year’s draft after the key pressure point of this year’s draft came and went with no action.
Regardless, that door seems to be shut — at least from Pittsburgh’s end — with the Steelers having drafted Michigan WR Roman Wilson in the third round. They could stand to add another developmental or depth guy in the late rounds on Day 3, but they should have their starting duo of Wilson and George Pickens set for the 2024 season.
