Though the conversation came in the abstract, there’s a practical component to Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Omar Khan’s feelings on trading away a first-round pick. With rumors around Matthew Stafford still buzzing, though cooling for Pittsburgh, a top draft pick might be what it takes to wrestle Stafford away from Los Angeles. For Khan, trading a first-round pick is no quick – or easy – decision.
“When you’re at Mobile, and then you come [to the Combine], and you see the talent that’s out there and the possibilities of guys that you could add that could help your team,” Khan said on Sirius’ Movin’ The Chains with Jim Miller and Pat Kirwin. “It’s hard to give away a first-round pick. It has to be someone that you really, really, really feel can put you over the top.”
Only once in recent history has Pittsburgh given up a first-rounder. That came in 2019 when former GM Kevin Colbert dealt away his top 2020 selection for Miami Dolphins’ safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. It was a controversial move for a Steelers team that had just lost QB Ben Roethlisberger for the season and was potentially staring at a top-five pick. But the move worked out. Fitzpatrick became an All-Pro, and the Steelers won eight games, giving the Dolphins an average draft slot.
Before 2020, the last time the Steelers went into a draft without a first-round pick was 1967. Pittsburgh’s a team that believes in building through the draft and trading away those picks runs counter to that philosophy. But Pittsburgh will need to put those top selections to better use with far too many strikeouts (QB Kenny Pickett, SS Terrell Edmunds, LB Devin Bush, CB Artie Burns) and singles up the middle (RB Najee Harris) instead of the home runs the franchise hit at the turn of the century.
From 2000-2007, the Steelers hit on all their first-round picks, from quality selections in WRs Plaxico Burress and Santonio Holmes to OG Kendall Simmons to franchise-changers in QB Ben Roethlisberger, SS Troy Polamalu and TE Heath Miller.
Still, Khan is keeping an open mind.
“You never say no to anything. You look at everything, and if it can help you, then you consider it.”
Like any good general manager, Khan gave himself wiggle room to trade away a first-round pick. But it’ll only come in the perfect situation. And it doesn’t seem likely such a moment arises before April’s draft.
