The Pittsburgh Steelers made the standard seven picks in the 2024 NFL Draft that every team gets by default prior to trades, compensatory picks, or forfeitures. But only five of those were their original picks. They made a number of trades during the first week of free agency that changed their draft order, so let’s take a look at the results of each of those trades with the draft now in the books.
Diontae Johnson to Carolina Panthers
Traded: WR Diontae Johnson, Pick No. 240 (7th round)
Received: CB Donte Jackson, Pick No. 178 (Logan Lee)
This trade created a hole at WR but helped alleviate the need for a corner early in the draft. The Steelers ended up using that pick No. 178 on Iowa DL Logan Lee. The Steelers essentially traded Johnson on a one-year contract and a seventh-round pick for Jackson on a one-year contract and a late-round developmental defensive lineman.
It is difficult to determine the value here. It will depend how functional (or not) the passing game is without Johnson opposite George Pickens, and whether or not Lee pans out. He is one of the DL who fit all the criteria in Alex Kozora’s study on Steelers draft trends.
The Panthers used the Steelers’ original pick to select Michigan LB Michael Barrett.
Kenny Pickett to Philadelphia Eagles
Traded: QB Kenny Pickett, Pick No. 120 (4th round)
Received: Pick No. 98 (Payton Wilson), 2025 7th-Round Pick (x2)
Once Russell Wilson was in the door (and given the inside track to start) it set things in motion for Pickett to want out of Pittsburgh and ultimately get traded. There are still two seventh-round picks in 2025, so this transaction isn’t fully in the books, but the Steelers moved up 22 spots, from the fourth round to the third, and selected NC State LB Payton Wilson.
This one has another layer to it, as the pick that the Steelers sent away (No. 120) was acquired via the Kevin Dotson trade last offseason. That aside, the Steelers traded Pickett, a former first-round pick, for Wilson and two future seventh-round picks. Given how high the upside is for Wilson, this could turn out to be a great deal for the Steelers. There are also medical concerns that could have us looking at this Pickett trade in an even more negative light in a couple years from now.
Obviously, Pickett was a bad investment for the Steelers, so it is tough to say the Steelers won in this whole situation, but they made the most of it by landing one of the biggest steals of the draft and got a little added value in 2025. They also got Russell Wilson and Justin Fields for very cheap to help offset the poor investment in Pickett.
The Eagles did not end up using Pick No. 120, flipping it to the Miami Dolphins for a 2025 third-round pick. The Dolphins used the pick to select Tennessee RB Jaylen Wright.
