Every year, there is a debate over whether the Pittsburgh Steelers should make a move, up or down, in the draft’s first round. Just last year, they moved up three spots to secure Broderick Jones. Prior to that, they traded up ten spots in 2019 for Devin Bush and traded away their 2020 first-round pick altogether to acquire Minkah Fitzpatrick from the Miami Dolphins. The frequency of these trades has increased over the last five years, but it hasn’t always been that way.
The last first-round trade before that was in 2006 when the Steelers moved up to select WR Santonio Holmes. The only instance of the Steelers trading back in the first round since 2000 was in 2001 when they moved from 16 to 19 and selected NT Casey Hampton.
There are arguments on either side that can be made in this year’s draft. Trade up to secure a right tackle like JC Latham or Taliese Fuaga, who can start immediately. Trade back to acquire a center and gain more ammunition to address other needs. GM Omar Khan and assistant GM Andy Weidl have only been in charge of one draft so far, and they did make a move. They have also not been shy about breaking precedent with record-breaking free-agent acquisitions.
CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin put together a list of every team and whether they should trade up, trade back, or stay put in the first round. He had the Steelers staying put.
“A trade up could be necessary to prevent a top tackle or corner from escaping their grasp, but they could also find good value at one of those spots, or another area of need like guard or receiver, by waiting it out,” Benjamin wrote.
With how deep this class is at tackle, I tend to agree that staying put is the best move. A solid right tackle will almost certainly be available at 20, and it would be difficult to part ways with one or both of their third-round picks, depending on how high a hypothetical trade-up would be. With urgent needs at right tackle, center, wide receiver, and corner, they have four picks over the first two days to address each of those positions. They could also go with a defensive linemen that is less urgent now, but will become a huge need next offseason if not addressed.
To me, a trade up is more likely in the second round to acquire a center with just a few prospects projected to be early starters as rookies.
