The Pittsburgh Steelers will soon be looking for their next dominant defensive lineman and one league insider is speculating that Jalen Carter, one of the most polarizing prospects of the 2023 NFL Draft, could be on his way to Pittsburgh to fill that need. With Cameron Heyward turning 34 in May, the Steelers will be looking to find a long-term replacement soon and give them time to learn from the three-time All-Pro as the Steelers get every last bit of football out of him.
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Cam Heyward (97) and Alex Highsmith (56) chase a fumble against the New York Jets.
Football Night In America columnist Peter King, who is one of the most well-connected voices in the NFL media world, wrote this week that he sees Pittsburgh as "the team that is the most perfect fit for Carter in the NFL." Heyward clearly thinks he has the talent to be his successor on the line. King believes the team would almost certainly have to make a move up the draft board to grab the Georgia Bulldogs defensive tackle.
Despite his off-field issues, Carter has the kind of talent that he is still likely to go in the top 10 or 11 picks. The team has reportedly been in talks with the Chicago Bears to acquire the ninth overall pick to position themselves to get a top offensive lineman, but if Carter is on the board they might just be looking to take advantage of his fall rather than use a first-round pick on the offensive line they just spent free agency beefing up.
Rumor: #Steelers are looking to trade up from the 17th overall pick to 9 overall (#Bears) if Georgia DT Jalen Carter remains on the board, per @peter_king
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) April 17, 2023
"Best rumor of the week." he added.https://t.co/pF9OI3Y6rr pic.twitter.com/RV9kPHCqso
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Steelers prospect Jalen Carter (88) gets a sack in the National Semi-Final against Michigan.
King said from what he's heard, it's become cliché from team officials he's talked to have the Seattle Seahawks and Pete Carroll scooping up the two-time college football National Champion with the number five overall pick they got thanks to the Denver Broncos in the Russell Wilson trade. If these rumors are founded, then the Steelers won't be able to wait until pick 17 to select Carter like some analysts thought was possible.
Why The Steelers Are Such A Good Fit
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Steelers' Mike Tomlin watches the crowd settle in at Acrisure Stadium.
The biggest reason why King connects Pittsburgh to Carter is head coach Mike Tomlin. He believes "there could not be a more perfect coach for Carter."
The biggest knocks on Carter right now are his off-field issues stemming from a car crash that killed a Georgia teammate and his poor pro-day performance. The thing no one questions is his talent level which had some experts pin him as the potential number-one pick in April before the crash in March.
Tomlin has a reputation for helping challenging players reach their full potential. Exhibit A: a certain guy named Antonio Brown. Tomlin helped turn Brown into an absolute star and while he had some decent production outside of Pittsburgh, he was never the same player and he certainly didn't have coaches able to manage his ego like Tomlin was.
There is no question about Carter's ability, but after a tough draft process, there are about his character. If the Steelers truly believe he is the next great to man the line on defense, Omar Khan has said he's not afraid to trade to get a longtime future Steeler and if you look at his college tape, Carter could very well be that.
Do you sacrifice other assets in this draft when the team has multiple needs at different positions, especially at cornerback and offensive tackle? That all depends on how in love with the talent the front office is and how strong its belief in Tomlin is that he can get the best from Carter.
So, Steeler Nation, would you be willing to move up to get him? Do you agree with King that Tomlin is the ideal coach for him? Comment below!
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