Insider: Steelers Rejected Surprising Trade Interest In Young Defensive Linemen

The Pittsburgh Steelers did not add a player at the NFL trade deadline, and they did not move one, either. That second part was not for a lack of interest. Longtime Steelers insider Gerry Dulac says other teams called Pittsburgh about some of its young defensive linemen before the deadline. The Steelers shut those talks down, and the way the defensive front has played this season shows why.

Dulac, who covers the team for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, joined Rob King, Max Starks and Willie Colon on Thursday's edition of In the Locker Room on Steelers Nation Radio. While talking about how well the young linemen have played, he shared a new deadline detail.

"It's testament to the development of those young guys, which I will tell you drew the interest of other teams at the trade deadline. Other teams called about some of the Steeler young defensive linemen and the Steelers, of course, not having any part of that discussion," Dulac said.

Dulac added that the Steelers were not trading any of their own players. Still, he said the calls themselves show how the rest of the league views this young group.

"But my point is, there are people around the league noticing and wanting to see, 'Hey, are you interested in dealing this guy?'" Dulac said.

It builds on what he said earlier in the week. In his fan chat for the Post-Gazette, Dulac wrote that Pittsburgh was never going to trade its current players, but that teams had still called about some of its defensive players. SteelerNation covered that surprising deadline twist on Wednesday. This time, he narrowed it down to the defensive line.

Dulac did not name the players teams asked about. He did, however, point to the linemen who have stood out. He said the silver lining of the injury to Derrick Harmon has been how well Yahya Black has played in his absence, and how well the defense has held up against the run. He also called Keeanu Benton a dominant presence up front in recent weeks.

That fits with what others have seen. Black has earned outstanding recognition for his recent play, and former Steelers lineman Chris Hoke recently credited new defensive line coach Domata Peko for the group's improved technique, as SteelerNation noted in a look at the defensive line's turnaround.

It is easy to see why other teams would ask. Harmon was a first-round pick in 2025, Benton was a second-round pick in 2023, and Black was a fifth-round pick in 2025. All three are young, inexpensive and improving, which is exactly the kind of player contenders look for at the deadline. It is also exactly the kind of player a team like Pittsburgh does not want to give up.

Starks agreed with the decision on the show, saying general manager Omar Khan made the right call by keeping the group together after what the Steelers have gotten out of it.

Dulac also praised Cameron Heyward. He pointed to how the 37-year-old played against the Cleveland Browns before the bye, and he said Heyward looks like he is playing at 31.

Steelers' Defensive Front Faces A Big Test In Cincinnati

The group could be even deeper on Sunday night. The Steelers activated Harmon from injured reserve Saturday, and he will have a chance to play against the Cincinnati Bengals. SteelerNation covered the final decision on Harmon earlier Saturday. He had the strip sack that sealed Pittsburgh's 30-27 win over Cincinnati in Week 3, and Dulac said Head Coach Mike McCarthy sounded positive about him this week.

The Bengals present a different kind of challenge. Joe Burrow has Cincinnati scoring at least 31 points in each of its last four games, and the best way to slow him down is to get pressure without blitzing. If Harmon returns to a rotation with Heyward, Benton and Black, the Steelers will have one of the deepest fronts in the league.

That is the real payoff of turning down those calls, even if it meant passing on extra draft capital. Instead of trading a young lineman for a draft pick, the Steelers kept a group that could decide first place in the AFC North on Sunday night.

This story was produced with the help of AI and reviewed by SteelerNation editors.

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