For a few days earlier this season, there was trade buzz linking the Steelers to Miami Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill. Last week, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio said the Steelers have moved on despite earlier interest due to potential off-the-field issues with Hill, and ESPN’s Dan Graziano repeated that sentiment in his and Jeremy Fowler’s weekly news and notes column. However, Graziano said that the Steelers could still make an in-season trade, but it would be for a defensive player.
“I feel the Steelers have pivoted a bit, and if they make an in-season move, it would more likely be to help their struggling defense,” he wrote.
There are a few areas where the Steelers could look to add defensively ahead of the Week 8 trade deadline. Depending on the health of OLB Alex Highsmith, the Steelers could target another EDGE rusher, similar to what they did in trading for Preston Smith last season. If Payton Wilson continues to struggle, off-ball linebacker could be an area to target, as could safety with Chuck Clark not having a great Week 3.
The team could also look for defensive line depth, and it’s not a huge surprise to hear that defense would be where the Steelers look to improve. The Steelers’ defense was supposed to be an elite unit, one of the best in the league, and a group Mike Tomlin said could do “historic things” ahead of the season. That has been far from the case through three weeks, as the Steelers have struggled to defend the run and on weighty downs.
It was evident last week that there’s potential for this unit to be really good, as it forced five turnovers, but there were still too many issues, and the Patriots ran 71 plays and gained 369 yards. That’s not good enough, and certainly nothing “historic.” If the Steelers feel like they can add a piece that can help supplement what they have, it would make sense to do it.
One hindrance to an in-season trade is that the Steelers have been very intentional about holding on to their 2026 draft capital. If the team is unwilling to part with its picks this season, it could make it a lot harder to make a meaningful acquisition around the deadline. But if the defense can’t right the ship, the Steelers’ hand may be forced given their intent to make a playoff push this season.
