It’s hard enough to predict things with the normal slate of picks in the NFL draft, but trades can throw a wrench in the entire equation. While trade talk is easy this time of year for the media to speculate on, it requires two willing parties and fair compensation to make it worthwhile. Omar Khan discussed the possibility of trades during a Pittsburgh Steelers joint pre-draft press conference on Tuesday.
“We have six picks. I don’t know how realistic it is that we move up, but you never know,” Khan said via the Steelers’ YouTube page. “I think staying put or moving back is probably a bigger option for us.”
Most of the pre-draft process has pointed to either a defensive lineman or a quarterback being the Steelers’ first-round pick. The recent media chatter about Shedeur Sanders sliding in the draft prompted a conversation about the possibility of the Steelers moving up in the first round, but that seems like less of a possibility, according to Khan.
A pair of NFL insiders have discussed the Steelers being candidates to trade back and Khan confirmed that as a realistic option. With no second-round pick, it only makes sense to move back if at all possible to recoup some of the lost value from the trade to acquire WR DK Metcalf.
Yahoo Sports’ Charles Robinson reported this morning that there is “realistic buzz” about the Steelers moving back to possibly draft a quarterback. With all the work the Steelers have done on the QB position, that would not be a surprise in the slightest. But would that suggest the Steelers are possibly targeting somebody like Jaxson Dart or more surprisingly Jalen Milroe at the end of the first round rather than Sanders?
The Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac reported that the Steelers have a first-round grade on Dart and Sanders. Their plans could obviously change if Sanders falls all the way to No. 21, and who is available when they are on the clock would have an impact on their willingness to trade back.
While a trade back is good in theory, the Steelers would have to be comfortable that somebody they like will still be on the board. Tampa Bay Buccaneers GM Jason Licht also mentioned recently that trades might be hard to come by due to the way the talent levels out in this year’s draft.
