Steelers Given Creative Draft Day Trade Scenario With NFC Team

The Pittsburgh Steelers are quickly approaching the 2026 NFL Draft, where the team owns a dozen picks. The Black and Gold have been speculated to have multiple positions of need that they'll keep an eye on. These include positions such as wide receiver, safety, guard, and defensive tackle. However, with these 12 selections, there are many scenarios where the Steelers could use their stockpile to trade up or down. A positive of trading up would be getting a prospect they like that may be out of their reach, while trading down could be more draft capital for 2027. 

General Manager Omar Khan and the front office have a huge advantage when it comes to versatility in this draft. They played their cards right when it came to using the compensatory draft pick formula to their benefit. That's one way that they were able to acquire so much draft capital. While the Steelers brass probably hoped that they could find their quarterback of the future in this draft, it didn't work that way. That's one reason for the stockpile of picks, but that doesn't mean that Pittsburgh can't have a successful draft or gain more capital for next year. 

On an episode of the Locked On Steelers podcast, Steelers beat writer Christopher Carter suggested a trade scenario with the Philadelphia Eagles that could be very interesting. 

"The Eagles probably don't have to give up a whole lot to move up two spots in the first round, especially at that stage of the first round. But the Eagles do have an assortment of good Day 2 picks, along with the Steelers. The Eagles have four picks in the top 100: 23, 54, 68, and 98," Carter said. "Maybe if the Steelers say, 'Hey, you know what? We'll swap two spots here if you turn our 85th pick into the 68th pick.' So, our mid-third-round pick becomes an early third-round pick if you want to move up two spots this bad." 

This could be a huge swing for the Steelers, as they have been assessing mid-round talent through their top 30 visits. The team currently owns three picks in the third round, and making one better is just another way that Pittsburgh can have higher picks in the top 100 and continue to make their roster better. Khan hasn't been afraid of draft day trades during his short tenure as GM so far, and this could be just another way to ensure that the Steelers get exactly who they want, while not giving up much at all. Eagles General Manager Howie Roseman could be intrigued by this trade if his team has a particular player in mind in the first round. 

The Steelers are for sure a trade candidate with all of their capital available. The reality of the team using all 12 of its picks is unlikely, as the roster couldn't handle that many incoming players, and it would be 12 new contracts to take on. Instead, trading some of your extra picks to move higher within rounds or trading down to make existing picks better could be a smart move. The front office has a big board of who they want at what time, and having the flexibility to make sure you get the guys you're high on is vital.

Steelers Need This Draft To Work Out For Them

The Steelers are gearing up for 2027, where they'll have to consider taking a future signal-caller. The 2026 draft seems not to have been as deep at the position as once anticipated. Pittsburgh is still waiting on Aaron Rodgers, and he'll more than likely be on a one-year contract. This leaves the Black and Gold in a spot where they need to find a high draft pick to develop under center. 

If Pittsburgh wants to focus all of its time and energy on trying to find its next quarterback, if they nail this draft, it would take a lot of the pressure away. The team could be aggressive in their approach to get this draft class right, and its future would benefit greatly from that. 

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