The Pittsburgh Steelers are probably finished with the bulk of their major moves for the 2026 offseason. The main thing that is left to do is to figure out what is going on at the quarterback position, while also preparing for the 2026 NFL Draft in order to round out the roster and fill some needs. The Steelers probably are not looking to make any more splash moves, but General Manager Omar Khan will always keep his ears open for any sort of opportunity that might present itself. This includes trade opportunities around the league, as there have been some players in Pittsburgh mentioned in some trade rumors already.
Matt Freed / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Steelers' new head coach, Mike McCarthy (middle) takes picture with Team Owner Art Rooney II (left) and General Manager Omar Khan (right).
The Steelers have a new head coach for the first time in 19 seasons, so the roster is going to be configured differently than it has been in recent years. Mike McCarthy is an offensive-minded head coach, so what he needs on that side of the ball might be different from what the last coaching staff needed. That can open the door for different trades and moves, which is something for Khan to consider. Beat writer Gerry Dulac hosted a chat for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Wednesday morning, and he was asked about any player in Pittsburgh being traded away. He left his answer fairly open-ended.
"You never know," Dulac wrote. "People are always calling..."
Dulac left his answer open for interpretation, but he definitely did not shut down the idea of the Steelers potentially moving on from certain players. The organization has placed an emphasis on acquiring draft capital over the last several offseasons, and offloading some players would allow the team to do that.
Taylor Ollason / Pittsburgh Steelers
New Steelers head coach, Mike McCarthy here on his first day as the team's lead man.
The Steelers currently have 12 selections in the 2026 NFL Draft, so it is fair to assume that any trade that brings draft picks into Pittsburgh would include picks for the event during the 2027 offseason. There is already no chance that the Steelers will be making 12 selections in the NFL Draft, and adding more to that stockpile would be a nuisance, unless it is a premium selection. The Steelers will already be trying to move out of some of these selections in 2026, as the organization can package them to move up or send some of them for a selection in 2027.
The players to watch after Dulac mentioned potential trades might include inside linebacker Patrick Queen, cornerback/safety Jalen Ramsey, and tight end Pat Freiermuth. The two defensive players seem more likely to get moved, and Freiermuth has been involved in random trade rumors for years.
Queen is entering the final year of his deal, and his contract would be easy to move on from. Ramsey's would be a little more difficult to move on from. The Steelers have shown interest in secondary players in the 2026 NFL Draft, and the organization brought in a cornerback and two safeties in free agency, which would make Ramsey expendable.
Alysa Rubin / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers linebacker Patrick Queen sacks Minnesota Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz during Pittsburgh's 24-21 win at Croke Park in Dublin, Ireland.
Steelers Have Had Some Teams Interested In Patrick Queen
Queen has seen some interest from outside teams like the Dallas Cowboys, who Pittsburgh has done business with in the past. The Cowboys are desperate to improve the defensive side of the ball, and Queen could help with that. The only issue with trading Queen is that he is the quarterback of Pittsburgh's defense, and Payton Wilson has not shown that he could be a three-down linebacker. The Steelers could always add a player at this spot through the 2026 NFL Draft, but that would be a bit risky. This might be a move to watch after the draft, that way the franchise has a better idea of what it has.
What kind of trade would you like to see the Steelers make? Let me know on X, @brogannoey!
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