Gerry Dulac: Why no trades? Steelers value those draft picks -- especially now.

Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Nov 7, 2025

Published in Football

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PITTSBURGH —Just because the Steelers didn't end up trading for a quality wide receiver doesn't mean they didn't try. Doesn't even mean they weren't close to making a deal.

Nonetheless, while a team such as the Indianapolis Colts went all-in to make a trade they believe can keep them among the upper echelon of teams in the AFC, it can easily be extrapolated to wonder why the Steelers, who appeared to go all-in this offseason in an attempt to aid their playoff chances, didn't apply that same mentality at the NFL trade deadline. Price be damned.

To be sure, it's easy to see wide receivers such as Jakobi Meyers get traded from the Raiders to the Jaguars and Rashid Shaheed go to the Seahawks from the Saints and wonder why the Steelers didn't make a pitch for one, particularly if they were so available.

Conversely, it is just as easy to reason that maybe they didn't like either one enough to make a trade, especially at the asking price. Maybe there was someone else they liked better. And maybe that possibility didn't work out.

Whatever the circumstance, there are several reasons why the Steelers did not make a trade Tuesday, even though they had discussions with several teams about the possibility.

And here they are:

Calvin Austin. Roman Wilson. Darnell Washington. Mason McCormick. Payton Wilson. Nick Herbig. Jack Sawyer.

Those are players the Steelers acquired in either the third or fourth round of the draft the past three years. That's why they value those mid-round picks and why they are reluctant to move away from them. Especially now.

But here's what's at the crux of the situation:

The Steelers are trying to protect their draft capital — right now, they have 12 picks in April — because they know they have to stop the revolving door that has existed at quarterback since Ben Roethlisberger retired. And, despite a college quarterback class that doesn't appear to be as highly regarded as it was in September, it has not altered what the Steelers plan and hope to accomplish in the draft.

If they want to move up in the first round, which they likely will have to do to get a quarterback they desire, it's going to require putting together a package of draft picks so big FedEx might have to pick up and deliver.

They would rather use their draft picks then to get what they want rather than use them now for another wide receiver.

Feet on the ground

Don't expect to see receiver Roman Wilson make any more attempts to avoid tackles by trying to leap over defenders.

Not after he fumbled when he needlessly tried to jump over Colts cornerback Kenny Moore II in the fourth quarter against the Colts, leading to a touchdown. And, most especially, not after coach Mike Tomlin referred to the move as "boneheaded."

To his credit, offensive coordinator Arthur Smith said he will not let Wilson's mistake limit his development and involvement in the offense. But he said he will break the second-year receiver of his habit.

"You know, nobody purposely tries to do that," Smith said. "Sometimes those are tough lessons learned. You can tell them, you drill things. I mean, ironically in Cincinnati he jumped, didn't pay off. You're going to get burned. That's become like a new trend. I see it all over college football. You just see that a lot. Sometimes guys get away with it and there is no reason to jump. I couldn't tell you why that trend started or whatever, but it did and it cost us there.

"We got a lot of faith in Roman. He's a tough-minded guy. Like I said, adversity can be your best teacher."

Tight coverage

Lost among the five sacks and six takeaways against the Colts were the 13 passes defensed by the Steelers, which were the second-most in the NFL this season.

To show how extraordinary that is, no team had more than seven last weekend. Even in the Bears' 47-42 victory against the Bengals, a game with 84 pass attempts and 770 yards passing, the two teams combined for 13 passes defensed.

The only team to have more pass breakups this season: the Chargers, who had 15 in a Week 2 game against the Raiders, according to Elias Bureau.

"I think part of the success we had last weekend was guys getting in the right spots," defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said. "I think I've told you, we have good players, and if we get in the right spots, we have the ability to make plays. I think that's why that total went up."