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Why Steelers May Have to Trade Up for QB in NFL Draft

The Pittsburgh Steelers might have to move up to get a quarterback in this year's draft.

CJ Errickson

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While many media outlets have said that the quarterbacks in this year's NFL Draft class are underwhelming, that may not hold in the eyes of specific NFL scouting departments.

For the Pittsburgh Steelers, it is clear that they will be actively surveying the quarterback landscape after 18 years of legendary stability with Ben Roethlisberger.

As one of the most stable organizations in coaching, front office, and player personnel, one would be led to believe that their next signal-caller will be carefully selected.

With that being said, two players in the draft are on the team's radar in both the hometown hero Kenny Pickett and the electrifying Malik Willis. 

The Black and Gold hold the 20th overall pick, and it is improbable that zero quarterbacks will be selected before their selection based on history alone. 

The last time the league saw a quarterback was not selected in the top 20 picks of an NFL Draft was in 1997. Then, Jim Druckenmiller was selected 26th overall by the San Francisco 49ers. Since then, Chad Pennington of the New York Jets would've been the lowest QB selection at 18th overall in 2000.

History aside, there are still many problematic QB situations ahead of the Steelers that the team must account for.

  • Houston Texans - #3 overall
    • With the Deshaun Watson situation still in limbo, the Texans may select another quarterback if they do not believe second-year player Davis Mills is the answer moving forward. Whether that is in the first round remains to be seen, but a trade down could indicate their intentions.
  • Carolina Panthers - #6 overall
    • Carolina has plenty of quarterbacks in Cam Newto, Sam Darnold, and P.J. Walker, but none appear to be the solution. Like the Texans, a trade down into the teens could mean Malik Willis goes off the board, considering their history of going after mobile quarterbacks.
  • Denver Broncos - #9 overall
    • While many believe that Aaron Rodgers and the Denver Broncos are a match made in heaven, it is a fact that Rodgers is unpredictable. Should he remain with the Green Bay Packers or retire, Denver quickly enters the market for a signal-caller.
  • Cleveland Browns - #13 overall
    • There is always a wildcard selection in the first round, and the Cleveland Browns are the team to watch. However, given that they have not extended Baker Mayfield, Kevin Stefanski and company may not be sold on a former #1 overall pick who has not lived up to expectations.
  • New Orleans Saints - #18 overall
    • The Saints are the team that poses the biggest threat to the Steelers. With little cap space and frequently injured Jameis Winston and unconventional Taysom Hill running the show, the past two seasons - a quarterback like Kenny Pickett is not out of the question. 

With that being said, if Pittsburgh is sold on either Malik Willis or Kenny Pickett - a trade-up is nearly a mandatory option. Especially given each of their talents to change the outlook not on just a game but a contending organization. 

Especially if another team that selects after them feels that they need to improve their draft standing. 

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CJ Errickson
CJ ERRICKSON

CJ is a U.S. Army veteran who also contributes to SI's Falcon Report. In addition, he has been a part of the Fansided Network as both an editor and contributor for 4 different sites that cover both the NFL and English Premier League.

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