Steelers Trade Of Broderick Jones Cost Pittsburgh Josh Downs On Deadline Day

The Pittsburgh Steelers entered the trade deadline with an opportunity to give their offense some help. There had been plenty of speculation about a potential addition at wide receiver, especially with the front office having extra time during the bye week to work the phones. However, Tuesday came and went without a deal to improve the position internally. Now, some details about one pursuit have created another reason to question an earlier decision's impact.

Omar Khan has never been afraid to move draft picks around. Sometimes that means adding selections by moving a player who no longer fits the team's plans. Other times, it requires giving something up to get a deal across the finish line. The problem comes when a pick included in one transaction would have been particularly valuable in another negotiation.

That appears to have been part of the issue with Josh Downs. The former Indianapolis Colts receiver landed with the Kansas City Chiefs, who surrendered fourth- and fifth-round selections in 2027. On Wednesday morning, ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler revealed that a missing piece of draft capital complicated Khan's efforts to bring Downs into the offense.

"The Steelers were also interested in now-Chiefs receiver Josh Downs, but their lack of a fourth-round pick in 2027 complicated any pursuit," Fowler wrote. "The Steelers wanted to preserve their draft capital within reason, in part because of their long-term quarterback uncertainty."

That fourth-round selection had already left town in the trade involving Broderick Jones. Pittsburgh sent the offensive tackle to the Dallas Cowboys and received a third-round pick, but also gave up a fourth in the exchange. At the time, the return gave Khan an earlier-round asset to work with. After the deadline, the other side of that transaction deserves some attention.

There is a difference between receiving a third-rounder outright and moving up a round while also moving a player. The Jones deal included a cost beyond saying goodbye to a former first-round selection. That cost became more relevant when Indianapolis found a buyer willing to include the exact round Pittsburgh was missing.

It does not mean the Colts would have automatically accepted the same package from Khan. Fowler described the missing fourth as a complication, and there could have been other factors involved. However, his reporting makes it difficult to ignore the connection. 

The earlier trade left the front office with less flexibility when a receiver it wanted became available. The Steelers also got a 2027 sixth-rounder in the transaction, but that isn't necessarily relevant in this situation. 

The frustrating part is that Pittsburgh had interest in Downs and watched him join another AFC contender. Kansas City found a price it could live with. Khan had to consider whether building a different offer would require giving up more than he wanted.

That is where the quarterback situation becomes a significant part of the discussion. Draft capital carries extra weight when a team does not have its long-term answer under center. Giving away a more valuable selection to compensate for a missing fourth could have created another problem down the road.

Fans can understand that thinking and question how the team arrived here. The front office knew its quarterback future was uncertain when it made the Jones trade. It also had to know that keeping a full collection of picks would make future negotiations easier.

Now, Downs gets an opportunity in Kansas City while Pittsburgh moves forward with the receivers already in the building. For an offense that could have used another option, that is a difficult outcome to sell. There was interest, there was a seller, and there was a deal available somewhere in the market. The details of a previous transaction helped make the pursuit more complicated.

Steelers' Jones Trade Has Yet To Come Full Circle

Moving Jones brought back a third-round pick, which could eventually help Khan address an important need. That return should remain part of any evaluation of the deal. However, the fourth-rounder Pittsburgh surrendered had value of its own, and the Downs pursuit offered an immediate reminder.

The Steelers did not have to abandon their draft plans for one receiver. They did need to put themselves in position to compete for available help. Fowler's report suggests the Jones trade made that harder, leaving another AFC contender with the player Pittsburgh wanted.

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