Steelers May See Concerning Trend From NFL Regarding Their Possible Trade Idea

The Pittsburgh Steelers recently told their fans that they are in the pick business. With their projected compensatory picks, they are looking at having 12 selections in the 2026 NFL Draft, and they may be willing to sell off some more pieces to gain even more capital. One theory that has been floating around is trading quarterback Skylar Thompson away, as he likely will not make the initial 53-man roster on Tuesday, despite his great performances throughout the preseason. 

During his recent weekly Q&A chat, insider Brian Batko was asked about the idea of Pittsburgh trading away any of their current quarterbacks. He explained how a recent move could make it hard for Pittsburgh to get anything in return for anyone, including Thompson.

"Can't rule it out, but to me, Skylar Thompson would be the only one they move," Batko said. "And now we have a little bit of a market shaping up, given that Sam Howell went from the Vikings to the Eagles for effectively a sixth-round pick. Howell has more draft pedigree than Thompson, is four years younger than Thompson and more NFL experience, so adjust your expectations there accordingly."

The full trade details that Batko is referring to is quarterback Sam Howell being sent from the Minnesota Vikings to the Philadelphia Eagles, along with a sixth-round pick in 2026. In exchange, the Vikings receive a fifth-round pick in 2026 and a seventh-round pick in 2027. Batko calculated that all the Day 3 pick swaps equaled a sixth-round pick going to Minnesota. Head Coach Kevin O'Connell clearly was not too thrilled about his preseason performance. 

If that was the price for a young quarterback still on his rookie contract, Thompson's price would likely be much lower. The problem with that, however, is that there's very little room between a sixth-round pick and literally nothing. Maybe they could squeeze out a future seventh-round pick from a team desperate for a backup, but the Steelers may be forced to just cut Thompson and let someone sign him without giving up any draft capital. 

At the very least, Thompson likely played himself onto someone's 53-man roster. There will be teams calling his agent and wanting him to be in their quarterback room to provide depth, as it is hard to find someone like Thompson to rely on in a pinch in this day and age. Even though he most likely will not wear the Black and Gold after roster cutdown day, he should be good to go elsewhere.

Steelers May Be In Talks With 1 Particular Team

The idea of a trade is not completely dead yet, as the Las Vegas Raiders may be looking for someone like Thompson. Head Coach Pete Carroll specifically said that he wanted an "experienced" backup quarterback. Thompson has played in a handful of regular season games and even had a start in a playoff game. He could be exactly what Las Vegas is looking for to fill in for Aidan O'Connell as he recovers from his injury. 

Even though the market for a backup quarterback is currently low, the need for a quality backup could lead to another team giving up a seventh-round pick for Thompson. The Raiders would likely hate to keep their last pick of the 2026 draft just to watch Thompson sign a deal elsewhere and leave them with one less option at the position.

What do you think about Thompson's trade value? Let us know in the comments or on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.

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