Potential Trade Targets For The Steelers At The Trade Deadline
If the NFL trade deadline is anything like last season, it will be an eventful week/day. Last year the league saw its most-ever transactions on a trade deadline, being closer to the trade deadline of one of the other major sports leagues. It was exciting. Steelers General Manager Omar Khan seems to like to stay active on the phones and monitor just when he can strike. Last year he fleeced the Bears and got the draft pick that ended up being Joey Porter Jr from Chicago for Chase Claypool, absolute robbery. Who could Khan be monitoring this year?
Steelers Need A Cornerback
If there’s one thing this Steelers defense is missing, it’s help on the back end. Porter Jr has looked great in the usage he’s gotten, but Patrick Peterson is old and Levi Wallace hasn’t been great. The Steelers signed Darius Rush off of Kansas City’s practice squad, but he is unknown. Adding another corner to the mix could be on Khan’s mind.
Jaylon Johnson
An intriguing option for the Steelers would be to call their good friends up in Chicago if Bears GM Ryan Poles is even willing to pick up a call with a 412 area code after last year. Jaylon Johnson is young and budding on a Chicago Bears team that still doesn’t have an identity and could be selling at the deadline. Johnson had a pick-six this past weekend against Brian Hoyer and the Raiders and the Bears could be looking to move him while he’s hot.
Johnson is 24 years old and in his fourth NFL season. He was a second-round pick for the Bears in the 2020 NFL Draft. Johnson has hogged snaps for the Bears since getting to Chicago, playing 96% of snaps his rookie year, 100% the year after, and 97% last year. This year he’s found himself in on 88% of defensive plays. You know what they say, availability is the best ability.
Patrick Surtain II
The big fish, the guy who will probably be nearly impossible to get, Pat Surtain would make this Steelers defense insane. Surtain was the ninth overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft and has quickly ascended the ranks as one of the best and most respected corners in the league. He has only been in the league for what is now his third season and already has one All-Pro appearance, The only problem? The Broncos stink. Sound familiar? Very reminiscent of the situation Minkah Fitzpatrick was in down in Miami before the Steelers got on the phone and brought him to Pittsburgh.
In his 40 games in the NFL, Surtain already has seven interceptions including one pick-six, and has made 145 total tackles with 116 of them being solo tackles. The kid can play, and he knows what it takes to be a pro after growing up watching his dad play in the league. He just feels like a Steeler. He’s not about all the extra stuff, he just wants to play good ball and win, something all Steelers fans could appreciate.
Help Up Front?
Another spot that Pittsburgh could use some reinforcements in is the offensive line, specifically center, but anywhere on the right side could use an upgrade. Look at Kevin Dotson, the Steelers traded him away for pennies and he’s been one of the best guards in football up to this point. Maybe it’s not a personnel problem, but a schematic problem. But regardless, help couldn’t hurt.
Trent Brown
If the Steelers are curious about moving on from Chuks Okorafor at Right Tackle, they might be in contact with a selling New England franchise. Things have sucked for them, and they could be looking to gain as much draft capital as possible. If Trent Brown is available, the Steelers should at least take a look. Brown would bring some championship pedigree to the offensive line. The guy blocked for Tom Brady, has to mean something.
Garett Bolles
Another Denver Bronco the Steelers could try to bring in, Garett Bolles has voiced his displeasure in Denver this season saying he’s tired of losing. Bolles could want out at the deadline and Pittsburgh could be a match made in heaven for him. Bolles was the 20th pick in the 2017 NFL Draft and still has a lot of good football in him. It sounds like Bolles wants to be somewhere with a real winning culture and Pittsburgh could be the right fit.
It will be interesting to see if Omar Khan is as aggressive as we all think he will be. He’s like if the kid controlling a Madden franchise grew up to be a real-life general manager, so I wouldn’t put anything past him. Khan could make some moves at the deadline if he believes this team could make a run after starting slowly but still keeping pace in the AFC North.
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