The Pittsburgh Steelers are gearing up for a big 2026 NFL Draft, as they own 12 selections. That number is the most among NFL teams this year. Unfortunately for the Steelers, this draft class is extremely top-heavy, lacking depth at valuable positions. In the 2025 offseason, the expectation was that with all of the compensatory picks the team was set to receive, they would trade up in this draft for a quarterback. That no longer appears likely, as the only quarterback seen as a bonafide first-round pick is Fernando Mendoza, who will likely be selected first overall on April 23rd. Now, the franchise could make one shocking move that may disappoint Steeler Nation.
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Steelers General Manager Omar Khan picks up the phone in the team's war room during the 2023 NFL Draft.
With the draft being hosted by the city of Pittsburgh, there will be tons of Steelers fans attending. With the state of the current draft class, the team could potentially trade some of their picks, including their first-round pick, for more selections in the 2027 NFL Draft. One problem with that is that other teams will also be looking to do the same. It will be hard to move back when teams aren't trying to move up. Steelers General Manager Omar Khan will have to get creative. According to one Steelers beat writer, one team has recently emerged as a potential trade partner for 2026 draft picks.
Christopher Carter of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette recently hosted his podcast, North Shore Drive, with insider Brian Batko as his guest. The two talked about the Steelers and their potential plans for the upcoming NFL Draft, and the topic of potentially trading 2026 picks for 2027 picks came up. Carter suggested that the Buffalo Bills could be a suitable trade partner, with their current lack of high draft picks.
"I think the Bills, their first two picks are like in the first round, and then 91st, like they're way late in the third round," Carter states. "They don't have a second-pick, so they might be a team that says, look, give us some picks this year... we don't care about next year as much as you do."
The 2027 draft class is projected to be a loaded quarterback class, and with the Steelers currently having no long-term solution at the position, it's safe to say 2027 will be the draft in which that issue gets resolved. With recent theories of only so many quarterbacks going in the first round, the Steelers could also use draft capital on other positions.
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The Steelers' NFL Draft war room in 2023 featuring former head coach Mike Tomlin (far left), Owner and Team President Art Rooney II (middle), and General Manager Omar Khan (right right).
The team's current needs will likely be addressed in the upcoming draft, but new needs arise every offseason, and perhaps the team could capitalize on them if they acquire more picks.
Steelers Should Definitely Consider Trading With The Bills
Earlier in the offseason, Bills General Manager Brandon Beane made a bold move, sending a second-round pick to the Chicago Bears in exchange for wide receiver DJ Moore and a fifth-round pick. The Bills haven't been able to replace the hole Stefon Diggs left behind. Moore likely won't do that by himself, but he definitely helps the cause. Moore recently turned 29 and had just 682 yards in 2025. Perhaps Beane would be willing to overpay to fill the Bills' urgent needs with 2027 draft picks.
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Buffalo Bills General Manager Brandon Beane stands on the field before a professional football game.
In 2025, the Steelers traded their second-round pick for star wide receiver DK Metcalf. Maybe in 2026, they'll do something similar to acquire a high draft pick in 2027. Having something like an extra second-round selection could make all the difference for Pittsburgh. Whether they decide to stay put and use it to select a player, or leverage it and other picks to move up for a quarterback remains to be seen. Khan needs to be hitting the phone on draft night either way.
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