The Pittsburgh Steelers made the decision to not participate in any significant deals prior to the NFL's trade deadline on Tuesday. Fans can be certain that General Manager Omar Khan was on the phones with the hopes of improving the roster, but nothing ended up coming to fruition. Acquiring players such as Rashid Shaheed or Jakobi Meyers apparently wasn't within the draft capital budget, despite neither individual being dealt for a third-round pick or better. It's evident that the front office in the Steel City has plans to use over 10 selections in 2026 to revamp the roster yet again.
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Steelers General Manager Omar Khan looks on as the team sets up in front of fans to workout at the annual Friday Night Lights training camp practice in Latrobe, PA.
Meyers seemed like a very attainable target, as the Jacksonville Jaguars were able to acquire him for a fourth- and sixth-round pick. This was too steep for Khan and co., leading to some disappointment amongst the fan base. It's easy to assume that the Steelers have some intention to take a quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft, and having so many selections will provide the opportunity to trade up in the first round.
There could be a slight issue with this approach, however. During a trade deadline appearance on The Adam Schefter Podcast, ESPN insider Adam Schefter focused on just how aggressive the New York Jets were when it came to selling assets. It definitely should get the rest of the league's attention.
"It sends a message to the rest of the NFL that the New York Jets are on the prowl for a quarterback," Schefter said. "They're starting over. These guys are going to have the ability now to bring in their guys and re-make the roster. Now, we've seen a lot of this with the Jets before. They started over with Mark Sanchez. They started over with Sam Darnold. They started over with Zach Wilson. They're going to start it over again with another quarterback."
Pittsburgh was never going to be the only team hunting a quarterback in 2026, but it's what Schefter brought up next that should resonate in the Steelers' building. Refusing to get aggressive at the deadline seems to have been a very stubborn way of going about things, especially with a 41-year-old quarterback in Aaron Rodgers that has no time to waste in his quest for a second Super Bowl ring. Not making a splash could end up being regretted as the draft inches closer.
"The draft class of '27 is supposed to be outstanding in terms of quarterbacks so if the Jets don't get one this year, and there's a lot of mixed opinions about the quarterback draft class in '26, then '27 is waiting."
Quarterback evaluations are rather tough when a player is transitioning from college to the NFL, but it's clear that analysts and insiders alike are already getting the idea that the 2026 group is not expected to be anything too special. The last thing the Steelers need to do is reach for another signal-caller in the first round, particularly if the front office feels the need to trade up.
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Steelers General Manager Omar Khan stares off into the distance as he stands on the field in Pittsburgh, PA.
Hindsight is 20/20 and no one really knows just yet how this will play out in the Steel City, but regardless, the roster could have used an addition at either the defensive line, wide receiver or cornerback positions. Specifically when it comes to a pass-catcher, the capital that was given up for Shaheed and Meyers was too much, which hints that the Steelers view their projected draft selections as way too valuable. If a quarterback is the main goal, the trade deadline approach could backfire.
Steelers Better Hope They Land A Franchise Quarterback In 2026 NFL Draft
Pittsburgh has always been an organization that appreciates the opportunity to draft and then develop players. That has changed somewhat in the Khan era, which is why it was expected that some kind of significant trade would have been agreed to on, or before, Tuesday. Now, the pressure will be on to make some kind of aggressive move when the draft rolls around. Unfortunately, the Steelers may be a year too early, and capital could be much more important in 2027.
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Steelers' quarterback Aaron Rodgers looks on with intense focus in street clothes as the team works out during a 2025 training camp practice at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
Do you think that the Steelers made a mistake by not being active at the trade deadline? Let us know in the comments below!
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