The Pittsburgh Steelers could be on the move tonight. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Steelers are one of many teams looking to trade up in tonight’s draft. Rapoport shared the news earlier on the NFLN’s draft kickoff show.
“The Steelers have made phone calls about potentially trading up as well,” Rapoport said, naming Pittsburgh in a list of teams looking to move up.
Additionally, Todd McShay says the Steelers are among a handful of teams making calls about a trade up in the draft.
Neither Rapoport nor McShay indicated who the Steelers could be trading up for. It’s certainly logical that would be for an offensive lineman in a class that’s expected to have a run at the position with linemen — tackles and interior players — expected to litter the board in the top 19. It’s not clear how far up Pittsburgh is looking to go or what the draft compensation would be to move up. Clearly, that depends on how far the team goes.
In addition to the Steelers, Rapoport rattled off the New York Jets at No. 10, the Indianapolis Colts at No. 15, and Los Angeles Rams at No. 19 as teams exploring a move up tonight.
Pittsburgh’s done its homework on a slew of first round linemen, including OTs Taliese Fuaga, Washington’s Troy Fautanu, Duke’s Graham Barton (who could be drafted earlier than expected, ahead of the Steelers’ No. 20 spot) and Georgia’s Amarius Mims.
GM Omar Khan made move up last year, trading up three spots to acquire Georgia OT Broderick Jones. We’ll see if he makes the same move tonight. And of, course, for who.
Earlier in the week, draft insider Tony Pauline reported Pittsburgh was looking to get to No. 12 in a trade with Denver. Pauline believed that was for Toledo CB Quinyon Mitchell, though the team’s visible interest in him has been minimal and his selection would break plenty of precedent.
Since 2000, the Steelers have moved up in the first round four times. In 2003, they went up to land SS Troy Polamalu. In 2006, they made a move for WR Santonio Holmes. In 2019, they climbed 10 spots for LB Devin Bush and last year, moved up for Jones.
