The Pittsburgh Steelers have been waiting for Aaron Rodgers for quite some time. It seems like his only choice at the moment would be between the Steelers or retirement. Yet, he still hasn’t made a decision. If that continues into the draft, Pittsburgh may feel pressured to take a quarterback. With the 21st pick, that could be hard to do unless the Steelers trade up for a player like Shedeur Sanders or Jaxson Dart.
Friday on ESPN’s NFL Live, Mina Kimes proposed an idea in the case that Sanders is still on the board when the Patriots go on the clock for the No. 4 pick. She said Pittsburgh should trade up and draft Sanders in that scenario. Former Steeler Ryan Clark was a fan of that idea.
“I think that move would be something that makes sense for Omar Khan,” Clark said. “Omar Khan has worked the general manager position in Pittsburgh like no one ever has. He’s been aggressive. You go out, and you get DK Metcalf to add to George Pickens and Pat Freiermuth. I think this is what you have to do.”
This year’s draft class doesn’t have much star talent, but it’s extremely deep. Because of that, it feels like there are a million different ways the first round could play out. It’s starting to feel like a lock that Cam Ward goes to the Titans with the first pick. Both the Browns and Giants, who have the next two selections, could then make the case that Shedeur Sanders is their best choice. However, there’s been talk of a potential draft-day slide for the Colorado QB. That could play right into the Steelers’ hands.
Obviously, any quarterback sliding in the draft helps the Steelers if that’s where they were planning to go in the first round. There are still so many teams ahead of Pittsburgh that could justify taking Sanders. The Steelers will still probably have to trade up to land him. Clark and Kimes aren’t the only people who think that would be a good idea, either.
Sanders is probably the most NFL-ready quarterback in the class and could be a good fit in Pittsburgh. He’d have two talented receivers in DK Metcalf and George Pickens. The Steelers’ offensive line would also protect him much more than his line did at Colorado.
Trading up in the first round is always costly. As Clark mentions, Khan hasn’t been scared to make a splash. Only a few weeks ago, he traded for Metcalf and gave him a massive extension. During an offseason in which the Steelers badly need some upgrades, could Khan have another trick up his sleeve?
