Ranking the Options: Trade Up? Trade Back? Stay Put? What Should Steelers Do With #20?

[Steeler Nation]

Happy NFL Draft month, everyone! We are now less than a month from all 32 NFL teams trying to select future franchise players. The Pittsburgh Steelers find themselves in an interesting position needing help in the secondary, offensive line, at wide receiver and maybe even a quarterback too. This year’s draft class has a ton of depth in multiple positional groups and Mike Tomlin‘s team is set to have eight draft picks. With the amount of depth in this year’s class, is it worth it to trade back and gain more capital? What happens if Malik Willis or Kenny Pickett slip out of the top 10 and the Steelers have the ability to make a move to put themselves in a position to draft a possible franchise quarterback? Or is it simply best to wait until their turn at pick #20 and assess the talent available? Let’s rank the possibilities:

1.) Trade Back​

This may be an unpopular opinion for most Steeler fans, but trading back to late in the first round to pick up another second or third rounder makes so much sense to me. There will be guys taken in the fourth and fifth round this year that turn out to be studs for their respective teams. The Kansas City Chiefs are a team to keep an eye on for this. They picked up another first round pick after trading Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins and have a total of 12 draft picks in 2022. That is an incredible amount of draft capital and they are more than capable of trading up 10 spots to get to #20. The Steelers can even be aggressive with their asking price due to the Chiefs having two picks in the second and third rounds as well.

2.) Stay Put​

It doesn’t necessarily matter who is drafted from picks 1-19. There will be someone available at #20 for Steelers fans everywhere to be excited about. With the amount of talent available this year, there will be a guy on the Steelers draft board who is sitting there and waiting in the first round. There are guys like Chris Olave, Jahan Dotson, Derek Stingley Jr., Jordan Davis, among others, who could very well be on the board when the Steelers are on the clock. This strategy aligns with what the Steelers do historically on day one of the draft and while I prefer to trade back, this is the most likely option out of the three.

3.) Trade Up​

The team already doesn’t have a plethora of draft capital this and next year. Trading up to the Willis and Pickett area will cost Kevin Colbert a fortune and it just doesn’t make sense. While I already predicted that the Steelers may trade with the Philadelphia Eagles for the 15th overall pick, it doesn’t necessarily mean it is the smartest choice. Trading up several spots in this year’s first round reeks of desperation. It is rare for the Steelers to make aggressive trades on draft day and hopefully that strategy continues. There will be talent in all rounds and aggressively moving up and losing valuable draft picks would be something the team regrets in the coming years.



What do you think the Steelers should do with the 20th overall pick? Let us know in the comments below!

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[mightyguru]

If Jordan Davis is there at #20 Steeler Nation be like...

 

[fedderone]

Stay put and BPA.

 

[BLITZ]

it depends on who is there. or who is not there really.

 

[Troglodyte]

The Steelers have done well drafting late in the first round. Trade back and pick up an additional pick.

#20 and #52 for KCs #29, #30 and #94

Depending on who is available, the Steelers might still get the guy they were going to take at 20 at 29.

 

[Steeltime]

Need to wait and see who is on the board before deciding to trade back. If Penning or Davis is available, @#$% no to trading back. GET PENNING OR DAVIS.

 

[slashsteel]

If Jordan Davis is there at #20 Steeler Nation be like...

You will have to probably trade up before the rats say snagging the Eagles pick to get him. If he doesn't go sooner than that.

 

[slashsteel]

Need to wait and see who is on the board before deciding to trade back. If Penning or Davis is available, @#$% no to trading back. GET PENNING OR DAVIS.

They didn't seem all that interested in Penning according to what attention they gave to available prospects. I could obviously see Davis if some odd reason he fell. I think it might boil down to what WR is available or DLineman, OLineman still sure or even CB or SS (the longshot but still a possibility). If the value at need is depleted then we could very well see a trade down provided the return was adequate.

 

[SteelerFan448]

I think often you can entice a team by offering enough by trading up. There are multiple options in this scenario. When trading back, you need a trade partner and I don't think those exist nearly as often as some believe. I'd rather sit tight and get the player we want. However, there are ways this draft could fall where I hope there is a team willing to trade up.

 

[slashsteel]

I think often you can entice a team by offering enough by trading up. There are multiple options in this scenario. When trading back, you need a trade partner and I don't think those exist nearly as often as some believe. I'd rather sit tight and get the player we want. However, there are ways this draft could fall where I hope there is a team willing to trade up.

Would be nice to recoup that 5th but yeah I just as well would be happy with standing pat and getting a good value pick.

You have to wonder if with the Edmunds situation that will they reach for a S or draft one in 2 or 3.

 

[SteelBuckeye]

I think often you can entice a team by offering enough by trading up. There are multiple options in this scenario. When trading back, you need a trade partner and I don't think those exist nearly as often as some believe. I'd rather sit tight and get the player we want. However, there are ways this draft could fall where I hope there is a team willing to trade up.

But, but, Madden and the draft simulators.
Seriously though, thanks for pointing out that you have to have a partner in order to dance the Trade Back Tango. Every year there's folks who seem to get genuinely ticked that they didn't trade back and snag "_______" at "_________". Well, you can't force teams to trade up. Not to mention that what a team offers to trade up might not even be worth making the move.

 

[slashsteel]

But, but, Madden and the draft simulators.
Seriously though, thanks for pointing out that you have to have a partner in order to dance the Trade Back Tango. Every year there's folks who seem to get genuinely ticked that they didn't trade back and snag "_______" at "_________". Well, you can't force teams to trade up. Not to mention that what a team offers to trade up might not even be worth making the move.

Exactly perhaps they don't make it worth it. I find it hard to believe that the value won't be there whether it is a WR,G,NT,DE,T.

I know the Steelers will get Mitch a body or two. A WR will be drafted within the first three rounds. Book it!

 

[SteelerFan448]

But, but, Madden and the draft simulators.
Seriously though, thanks for pointing out that you have to have a partner in order to dance the Trade Back Tango. Every year there's folks who seem to get genuinely ticked that they didn't trade back and snag "_______" at "_________". Well, you can't force teams to trade up. Not to mention that what a team offers to trade up might not even be worth making the move.

Or that they could be taking/making calls before they are on the clock to gauge the trade market.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

This is the year to trade back in the draft. Maybe even twice, if the opportunity presents itself. This year's crop of talent isn't that great overall and has serviceable talent between picks 20 and 120. Getting an extra pick in this range would help plug a few holes but I am not drinking the Willis or Davis Kool-aid. I do not see any players with real generational talent that are worthy of moving up for. From running various draft simulations, nothing of great value is available at 20 that isn't comparably available a few spots later. If you can trade back and amass more draft capital somewhere in the 90's I would do it every time. I would even consider trading back again in the second or third round depending on how the board falls.

 

[slashsteel]

This is the year to trade back in the draft. Maybe even twice, if the opportunity presents itself. This year's crop of talent isn't that great overall and has serviceable talent between picks 20 and 120. Getting an extra pick in this range would help plug a few holes but I am not drinking the Willis or Davis Kool-aid. I do not see any players with real generational talent that are worthy of moving up for. From running various draft simulations, nothing of great value is available at 20 that isn't comparably available a few spots later. If you can trade back and amass more draft capital somewhere in the 90's I would do it every time. I would even consider trading back again in the second or third round depending on how the board falls.

The one player who I wouldn't mind trading up for would be Walker. Say to right before the rats pick. I think he would add much needed talent to the Dline. Really think either Georgia prospect mentioned upgrades the unit.

 

[BLITZ]

The one player who I wouldn't mind trading up for would be Walker. Say to right before the rats pick. I think he would add much needed talent to the Dline. Really think either Georgia prospect mentioned upgrades the unit.

Not sure if Walkers heart is i n it. I heard he wants to be a Texas Ranger

 

[Troglodyte]

They didn't seem all that interested in Penning according to what attention they gave to available prospects. I could obviously see Davis if some odd reason he fell. I think it might boil down to what WR is available or DLineman, OLineman still sure or even CB or SS (the longshot but still a possibility). If the value at need is depleted then we could very well see a trade down provided the return was adequate.

Considering the contract they gave Chuks, I’m not sure they’re all that interested in OTs in the first round.

 

[Coach]

The Steelers have done well drafting late in the first round. Trade back and pick up an additional pick.

#20 and #52 for KCs #29, #30 and #94

Depending on who is available, the Steelers might still get the guy they were going to take at 20 at 29.

I wish.

 

[slashsteel]

I wish.

Good timing why don't you be a sport and tell us a few prospects who you are really high on so we know who to stay away from.

 

[CoolieMan]

stand pat or trade back

 

[slashsteel]

stand pat or trade back

Thing is I don't think there is the value at QB some want to squeeze into 1. Besides that the Steelers honestly aren't 1 player away from the big dance. So depleting their options on a weak QB class would be a despiration move that is an unnecessary risk.

 

[CoolieMan]

Thing is I don't think there is the value at QB some want to squeeze into 1. Besides that the Steelers honestly aren't 1 player away from the big dance. So depleting their options on a weak QB class would be a despiration move that is an unnecessary risk.

that is why all these rumors of trading up don't make sense