Trade News: Pittsburgh Steelers Land Latest Trade To Bring Back…
The Pittsburgh Steelers have made significant roster changes since the beginning of the offseason, with one of the greatest changes being to the wide receiver group. The only members of the previous season’s team that will be back are Calvin Austin III and George Pickens. It so happens that just these two wide receivers have contracts that extend past the 2024 campaign.
Brian Blewis of Pro Football Network sees the Steelers making another audacious trade up into the top-10 to choose a wide receiver in his most recent mock draft. The Steelers would give the Chicago Bears three picks (numbers 20, 51, and 84) in exchange for pick number nine in the 2024 NFL Draft.
After a strong year at Washington, Blewis projects the Steelers will choose Rome Odunze with selection No. 9 by the Washington Wizards. Odunze had the best season of his career last year, hauling in 81 catches for 1,428 yards and 13 touchdowns.
According to Blewis, “under general manager Omar Khan, the Pittsburgh Steelers have become a much more active team in the trade market than in years past, and they make an aggressive move here to draft Rome Odunze.”
The Steelers need needed wide receiver assistance when Diontae Johnson was traded, and even with the team’s early free agent acquisitions, the need remains acute.
Blewis stated, “The Steelers created a big hole at the wide receiver position opposite George Pickens after trading away Diontae Johnson.” “They signed Quez Watkins and Van Jefferson as free agents, but neither player significantly improves their team.”
The Steelers’ willingness to give up their top three draft picks would convey the appearance that they thought their window for a championship is open if they made this transaction or one similar to it.
This prospect is further thwarted by the fact that the Steelers, under Mike Tomlin, have never selected a wide receiver in the first round of the NFL Draft. In any case, it is quite probable that the Steelers will choose at least one wide receiver in the 2018 draft, but it is unlikely that they will use their draft capital to do so.