As the 2024 NFL Draft looms, the Pittsburgh Steelers find themselves facing several crucial needs across multiple positions. The team is particularly keen on bolstering their cornerback, wide receiver, center, and potentially defensive tackle positions.

On the defensive front, there’s a pressing requirement for both line depth and inside linebacker depth. According to ESPN’s Bill Barnwell, the optimal strategy for the Steelers would involve trading down from their current pick at No. 20 in the first round. This move would enable them to shore up their defensive ranks with additional talent.

“The Steelers are perilously thin at cornerback, wide receiver, and along the offensive line. They fielded the oldest defense in football last season, and while they moved on from corner Patrick Peterson, there are five starters on that side of the ball who will be on the wrong side of 30 by the end of the season. Pittsburgh is still great at drafting and developing homegrown defensive talent, as we saw with defensive tackle Keeanu Benton and corner Joey Porter Jr. last year, they just need more of it.”

Barnwell suggests that the center position could be addressed later in the draft, and acquiring extra picks would afford the Steelers the opportunity to not only secure a center but also enhance their defensive depth.

Although there are standout prospects at the top of the center class who could immediately step in as starters for the Steelers, there’s also potential value in opting for a combination of a veteran stopgap and a rookie prospect who could develop into a starter beyond 2024. In the later rounds, there are intriguing options available for consideration.

For a ready-made solution at center, the Steelers may target prospects like Graham Barton from Duke, Jackson Powers-Johnson from Oregon, or Zach Frazier from West Virginia in the early rounds.

The rationale behind trading down lies in the abundance of talent available in positions of need. Both the wide receiver and cornerback classes boast depth this year. By accumulating more picks, the Steelers can fortify their roster, enhancing their chances of immediate success while also increasing their opportunities to unearth potential difference-makers.

However, there’s a caveat to consider: trading down could result in missing out on a player with game-changing potential, someone who might surpass the talent level of later draft selections. Yet, given the depth at positions of need for Pittsburgh, the argument for trading down holds considerable weight.

In the previous year, general manager Omar Khan made a bold move by trading up in the first round to secure offensive tackle Broderick Jones. Whether Khan opts to reverse this strategy and trade down in the first round remains to be seen, marking a departure from the Pittsburgh Steelers’ draft approach since 2001.

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