Steelers' Brass Makes Future Intentions Clear At Quarterback: "We're In The Pick Business"

The Pittsburgh Steelers have been more aggressive in recent years in regards to acquiring talent. They've worked hard to bring in top players from around the league, but the organization has also shown that it is not too attached to its own talent. This was made clear when the team cut ties and traded Kenny Pickett after his second season, as well as dealing George Pickens and Minkah Fitzpatrick during the 2025 offseason. These moves allowed the team to make some upgrades, while also bringing in additional draft capital.

The aggressiveness initially began when General Manager Omar Khan took the reigns of the organization, as he also brought in Assistant General Manager Andy Weidl, who was with the Philadelphia Eagles beforehand. It has been obvious that he has brought some strategies over to Pittsburgh from his time with Philadelphia, especially in regards to team-building and how the team approaches trades and other deals. Weidl spoke to the media on Thursday ahead of the team's practice, and he gave some insight into what the organization's strategy is moving forward.

Weidl confirms most fans' suspicions about the franchise looking to stack picks for the 2026 NFL Draft, which happens to be hosted in Pittsburgh. There has been a lot of chatter about the 2026 quarterback class, and it is clear that the Steelers need to find the organization's next franchise quarterback. More picks in the event gives the team more opportunity to land high-impact players, while also giving the team a better chance to trade up in the event.

The Steelers have been in a tough spot at quarterback over the last several seasons as the organization has been in quarterback purgatory of sorts. The team is consistently mediocre, which doesn't allow Pittsburgh to receive a draft pick that is high enough to land a potential franchise quarterback. However, having more draft capital can allow the organization to move up in the first round of the event to land a likely high quality player at the position.

The 2026 quarterback class has been lauded, but nothing is set in stone. It will be a major storyline throughout the 2025 college football season, as mock drafts before the season begins are usually very wrong from what ends up happening in April. For example, Joe Burrow was not high on draft boards prior to the 2019 college football season. His play elevated him into being the unquestioned number one overall pick, so it is hard to predict how things will shake out.

Steelers Have More Flexibility During The 2025 Season

Another reason it is important to have significant draft capital is navigating the trade deadline during the season. If the Steelers are having a good year in 2025, but there are areas that need to be upgraded, some of those picks could be used at the trade deadline to fix up certain areas of the roster. This could give the Steelers a better chance to compete later on in the season, and attempt to make a successful playoff run which is something fans have been desperate for. 

Pittsburgh has the draft capital and the extra cap space to make moves in-season, which is something to keep an eye on as the year goes on. Time will tell if the team will pull the trigger before the trade deadline, or stay put with their current roster.

What do you think about Weidl's remarks? Let us know in the comments below!

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