PITTSBURGH — 4 hours earlier than the 2025 NFL commerce deadline Tuesday, Mike Tomlin responded to a query from the media concerning the Pittsburgh Steelers being “patrons” with a smile.
“We’ll see what occurs,” he stated. “I like buying.”
Seems, the 53-year-old coach meant window-shopping.
The Steelers did not make any further strikes earlier than Tuesday’s 4 p.m. ET reduce off, leaving security Kyle Dugger, whom they acquired in a late-round choose swap with the New England Patriots final week, as their lone in-season commerce.
A yr in the past, Tomlin known as the strikes made across the league’s midseason commerce deadline an “arms race” as Pittsburgh landed vast receiver Mike Williams and move rusher Preston Smith. Neither, although, had a big, lasting affect past their debut sport towards the Washington Commanders, and the strikes price the Steelers fifth- and seventh-round picks. This time round, although, the Steelers principally stayed pat, unwilling to half with important draft capital to additional improve their secondary or improve their vast receiver corps.
In doing so, the Steelers signaled that they don’t seem to be making drastic strikes to go all-in to win a Tremendous Bowl — at the least not this yr — and never with the league’s second-oldest roster (behind the Commanders).
“I simply know that should you’re trending in the best route, should you’ve bought the will to be on this factor, because the street will get slim, normally you are open to including expertise that may help you, whether or not it is attrition-based or whether or not it is simply areas the place you fall brief,” Tomlin stated Tuesday when requested if he thought there was a development of groups changing into extra aggressive on the commerce deadline. “And that is one thing that I believe among the aggressive groups are fascinated about yr in and yr out. It is only a pure element of this factor.”
As a substitute of utilizing the commerce market so as to add that expertise, the Steelers held on to helpful draft capital with an eye fixed on the 2026 draft (which will likely be hosted in Pittsburgh), the place they might use these picks to make a big transfer up the draft board to land their quarterback of the long run or a premium vast receiver to pair with DK Metcalf.
As at present constructed, this getting old roster has simple weaknesses. Accidents have decimated the safeties. The spring commerce that despatched George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys left the vast receivers with no bona fide No. 2. Veteran nook Darius Slay, 34, has proven his age at factors early within the season. And although the defensive position added first-round choose Derrick Harmon, the depth of the group has been examined with accidents to Isaiahh Loudermilk, Daniel Ekuale and Dean Lowry.
However within the week main as much as deadline, the Steelers solely added Dugger — who was an on the spot increase to the secondary and performed practically the entire snaps within the Steelers’ Week 9 win over the Indianapolis Colts — and signed vast receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling, a former teammate of Aaron Rodgers’ in Inexperienced Bay, and several other different gamers to the follow squad.
Pittsburgh was concerned in discussions to commerce for Las Vegas vast receiver Jakobi Meyers, sources instructed ESPN’s Adam Schefter, however have been finally outbid by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Jacksonville landed Meyers, who has just some months left on his rookie deal, for fourth- and sixth-round picks. New Orleans Saints vast receiver Rashid Shaheed was out there, too, finally going to the Seattle Seahawks for fourth- and fifth-round picks.
It doesn’t suggest the AFC North-leading Steelers (5-3) aren’t aggressive this season or that they do not have playoff aspirations. Calvin Austin III, who led the staff in receiving yards (56) towards the Colts, continues to emerge as an explosive offensive goal. And a number of other of the staff’s tight ends has develop into dependable targets for Rodgers. On the opposite aspect of the ball, Jalen Ramsey’s versatility has plugged a number of holes within the secondary with industrial-strength duct tape.
Even so, the staff seemingly signaled by not making strikes on the commerce deadline a recognition that the pure ceiling of this roster would possibly fall in need of the group’s seventh Vince Lombardi Trophy. As a substitute, a profitable season may appear like merely ending practically a decade of playoff futility — assuming the defensive points that plagued them by the higher a part of the primary seven video games are behind them after executing a simplified, but strong sport plan towards the Colts.
The Steelers are a staff in transition, at the same time as Rodgers outperforms outdoors expectations and reveals flashes of his classic type as he nears his forty second birthday on Dec. 2. Rodgers signed a one-year, $13.65 million deal this offseason, and whereas there are situations the place he may return to Pittsburgh in 2026, the staff will nonetheless want a franchise quarterback within the close to future. By retaining picks on the deadline, the Steelers give themselves optimum flexibility to both make a transfer on this yr’s draft, commerce for a free agent, or proceed to construct towards drafting a quarterback in 2027.
A corporation that constructed its prior success by drafting and creating its personal gamers had an uncharacteristic offseason, buying and selling for Metcalf, defensive again Jalen Ramsey and tight finish Jonnu Smith and signing Rodgers and Slay. However as they made these strikes, the Steelers nonetheless averted giving up important draft capital. Metcalf price them a second-rounder and a late-round choose swap, whereas Smith’s and Ramsey’s compensation got here from the 2027 draft.
Because it stands, the Steelers’ 2026 picks embrace their authentic picks within the first, third and fourth rounds, however they might additionally add compensatory picks within the third and fourth rounds. There is also a handful of late-round compensatory picks from the departure of quarterback Russell Wilson and cornerback Donte Jackson, in keeping with Over the Cap.
By staying quiet on the commerce deadline, the Steelers are enjoying the lengthy sport, and maybe most significantly, are merging their new-found aggression with their old-school mentality to type their id of the long run.
