Buy Or Sell: The Steelers will trade for a starting wide receiver during the 2024 NFL Draft.
Explanation: The Steelers sent up a smoke signal the size of a forest yesterday with the timing of their reported restructure of OLB Alex Highsmith’s contract. While they likely make that move regardless, the timing suggests they see an immediate use for cap space.
The Steelers have been the subject of myriad trade rumors for both WR Brandon Aiyuk and WR Courtland Sutton. Sutton played with Steelers QB Russell Wilson the past two seasons with the Denver Broncos. Both wide receivers seem unhappy with their present circumstances, and Denver has already traded one starting receiver to the division.
Buy:
Let’s start off with the fact that we already know general manager Omar Khan is more open to bold gestures. Sure, Kevin Colbert traded for Minkah Fitzpatrick and traded up for Devin Bush. But Khan has been more active and aggressive, including his willingness to turn over the roster.
The Steelers want to add a veteran presence to the wide receiver room, currently full of youngins or nobodies. Brandon Aiyuk and Courtland Sutton are both potentially moveable pieces, though Sutton is perhaps more realistic.
All the dots point to the move happening, including the Steelers having an extra third-round pick. They traded for a wide receiver last year, and trading for one now doesn’t stop them from drafting another.
Sell:
First of all, even assuming the Steelers opened up cap space in anticipation of trading for a wide receiver, that doesn’t mean they actually manage to trade for a wide receiver. Perhaps they’ve had discussions and understand it’s a possibility something transpires on draft day. If it does, they have the room to accommodate it now, but the deal still needs to be consummated. And maybe they don’t get the deal done—maybe another team does.
The Steelers were very likely to restructurer Highsmith’s contract anyway, so doing it now merely gives them options. They can fit a starting wide receiver’s contract into the cap right now, if they can trade for one. If they can’t, then they’ve saved themselves the trouble of juggling cap space later this year.
With the Steelers’ 2023 season in the rearview mirror following a disappointing year that came up short in the playoffs once again, it’s time to start asking more questions. Questions about the team’s future in 2024 and beyond. Questions about The Standard.
The rookie class of a year ago was on the whole impressive, but they need to step up into staple starters in 2024. And they likely need a strong influx of talent in both free agency and in the 2024 NFL Draft yet again. In addition to a revisitation of the coaching staff.
These sorts of uncertainties are what I will look to address in our Buy or Sell series. In each installment, I will introduce a topic statement and weigh some of the arguments for either buying it (meaning that you agree with it or expect it to be true) or selling it (meaning you disagree with it or expect it to be false).
