If the Pittsburgh Steelers are truly looking for a Round 1 trade down as ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Monday, they could look across the Keystone State for a partner. Pro Football Focus outlined a first-round trade scenario for all 32 teams. When it came to the Steelers, they moved from No. 21 to No. 32 in a deal with the Philadelphia Eagles.
PFF proposed the following trade:
Steelers Receive: Pick Nos. 32 and 96 and a 2026 fifth-rounder
Eagles Receive: Pick Nos. 21 and 229
In the first round, Pittsburgh has only moved down once since 2000, falling back three spots in 2001 from No. 16 to N0. 19 and still coming away with stud NT Casey Hampton. This deal would be more drastic, the Steelers moving down 11 spots to the very last pick of Round 1.
In return, Pittsburgh would receive a late third-rounder, No. 96 overall, and a fifth-round selection in next year’s draft. Philadelphia gets No. 21 and the Steelers’ seventh-round pick.
Is the deal worth it? The trade nets the Steelers a top-100 selection and gives them two picks on the second night of the draft, though it comes after their current selection at No. 83. Grabbing a fifth-round pick next year is helpful but minimal for a team expected to receive plenty of compensatory picks next season.
PFF’s analysis offered a semi-wonky belief the Steelers could trade down and still land Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders.
“Would the Steelers do this trade if Shedeur Sanders were still on the board? Maybe not, but if Sanders is on the board at Pick No. 21, there’s a high chance he will still be there at Pick No. 32.”
Though nothing should be ruled out, a team like the Cleveland Browns, New York Giants, or New Orleans Saints could easily trade back late into the first round and take Sanders, jumping Pittsburgh in the process. The Steelers certainly can’t bank on trading down that far and still landing Sanders.
But moving down would give Pittsburgh more selections and the ability to still land a defensive lineman like Ohio State’s Tyleik Williams or Texas’ Alfred Collins. Or potentially even Oregon’s Derrick Harmon if reports are accurate about him potentially sliding due to medical concerns.
