Report: Steelers' Omar Khan Has Had Trade Discussions With The Green Bay Packers

The Pittsburgh Steelers spent Thursday night trying to beat the Green Bay Packers, but one of the more interesting developments between the two teams may have happened after everybody left Acrisure Stadium. Pittsburgh is reportedly among three clubs that have called Green Bay about cornerback Carrington Valentine, a 24-year-old former seventh-round pick who has already started 30 NFL games.

According to a report on X, the Steelers, Miami Dolphins and Cincinnati Bengals have all contacted the Packers regarding Valentine's availability. Pittsburgh's presence on that list is especially interesting because the Steelers just saw Valentine up close in their 28-9 preseason win over Green Bay on Aug. 13, turning a routine exhibition opponent into a possible trade target five days later.

The report is not appearing out of nowhere. Separate reporting earlier this week indicated Pittsburgh had already contacted Green Bay about Valentine. No deal has been reported, so this remains firmly in the inquiry stage rather than the "start photoshopping the jersey" stage.

Valentine is an unusual August trade name because he is not a veteran buried at the bottom of a depth chart. Green Bay selected him 232nd overall in the 2023 NFL Draft, and he immediately outplayed that draft slot. He started 12 games as a rookie, added seven starts in 2024 and made 11 more in 2025, giving him 49 regular-season appearances and 30 starts through three seasons.

Green Bay's current cornerback competition makes his availability worth watching. Valentine, Keisean Nixon, rookie Brandon Cisse and Benjamin St-Juste have all received first-team work during camp. Moving Valentine would look more like dealing from a crowded room than unloading somebody who has played himself out of the picture.

Pittsburgh can understand the appeal. Its own secondary looked deep when camp opened, with Joey Porter Jr., Jamel Dean and Jalen Ramsey headlining the group. The initial depth chart listed Porter and Dean outside, Ramsey in the nickel, and veterans and young players stacked behind them.

August has a habit of looking at depth charts and laughing. Porter and Ramsey began camp on the Active/Physically Unable to Perform List, while Brandin Echols also dealt with an injury during camp. Pittsburgh already added veteran Rayshawn Jenkins in response to the secondary's early health issues, and the injured secondary has given the front office reason to keep checking what else might be available. With two preseason games left, there is still time for the room to stabilize before Pittsburgh decides whether outside help is necessary.

Valentine would bring something different from emergency veteran depth. He is young enough to have developmental value, yet experienced enough that Pittsburgh would not be trading for a project. At 6-foot and 189 pounds, he has played extensively on the boundary and has 18 passes defensed and two interceptions.

His contract also makes the conversation more interesting. Valentine is entering the final year of the four-year rookie deal he signed in 2023. His 2026 cap charge is approximately $3.7 million, although his scheduled cash salary is $1.145 million. A team acquiring him would therefore be getting a relatively inexpensive corner for one season before deciding whether a longer relationship makes sense.

That expiring contract cuts both ways for Green Bay. The Packers could keep a player with starting experience, or they could use a crowded corner room to recover draft capital before Valentine reaches free agency. Cisse's push for snaps gives General Manager Brian Gutekunst another option.

Pittsburgh would have to decide how much one year of Valentine is worth. A late-round pick could make sense if the Steelers believe he raises the floor of the secondary immediately, but paying a meaningful price becomes harder when Porter, Dean and Ramsey are all expected to occupy major roles once healthy. The trade would be about insurance, flexibility and possibly getting ahead of a future need rather than replacing an obvious starter.

There is also a scouting convenience built into the timing. Pittsburgh's coaches just watched Valentine against their own receivers and quarterbacks. One preseason game would never drive a trade evaluation, but seeing him against your own roster makes the discussion a little less theoretical.

Steelers Could Be Shopping Before They Actually Need To

The most interesting part of Pittsburgh's reported call is what it says about the front office's approach. The Steelers do not currently have a glaring vacancy at outside corner when everyone is healthy, yet camp injuries have already shown how quickly a deep secondary can start looking thinner. Waiting until September to discover there are not enough trustworthy corners is a considerably more expensive way to learn the lesson.

Valentine gives Pittsburgh a chance to explore the market before desperation enters the negotiation. If Green Bay wants too much, the Steelers can walk away and continue evaluating the group they already have. If the price is modest, adding a 24-year-old with 30 starts could become the sort of August move that looks excessive until the first injury in October.

The Dolphins and Bengals reportedly calling adds another wrinkle. Cincinnati sharing the AFC North means Pittsburgh would not be the only familiar team trying to improve its secondary, while multiple interested clubs could prevent Green Bay from feeling any urgency to lower its asking price.

For now, this is still a phone-call story. The Packers have not traded Valentine, and Pittsburgh has not been reported to have made an offer. The Steelers are simply doing what good teams tend to do in August: checking whether another roster has a useful player trapped behind a numbers problem.

Green Bay came to Pittsburgh for a preseason game and left with a loss. If the latest report develops into something more, the Packers may eventually leave the Steelers with one of their cornerbacks, too.

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