First off, let me make clear that this is not an article about what the Steelers should do, but rather it’s an article about how they could go about setting themselves up for future success by punting on being contenders this year. It’s not going to be pretty, but you can’t make an omelet without ripping off the band-aid…or something like that. Open your mind and possibly plan a trip to Santa Clara for February of 2026 to watch the Black and Gold hoist another Lombardi Trophy, but first, shield your eyes and hold your nose for the next few paragraphs.
First and foremost, the 2024 rebuild version of the Steelers should look to get maximum value out of aging veterans via trades. The key to doing this is identifying a team that has gone all-in for 2024 and taking advantage of their urgency and desperation. A team like this is more likely to overpay for things they need. That’s the kind of partner to do transactions with. Hello, Atlanta Falcons! Does anything scream more “all-in” than signing a soon-to-be 36-year-old quarterback to a contract that pays him $100 million guaranteed? Yes, one thing does scream it louder— if that old quarterback had his Achilles tendon explode and he hasn’t thrown a pass since! That was one strong bet by Atlanta on Kirk Cousins, to say the least.
A trade for the “rebuilding Steelers” to consider
So having identified the mark in this “Khan” game, it’s time for Omar Khan to exploit their impatience and take advantage of them while helping to fill their needs. Take a deep breath in, slowly breathe out, repeat. Pro Football Network lists the Falcons’ top needs as edge, cornerback, wide receiver, defensive tackle, and safety. As it so happens, the Steelers have the best edge in the league with T.J. Watt and a veteran defensive tackle in Cam Heyward, each with a long list of accolades to their credit. The Steelers also have a nice candidate to potentially be their future at edge in Nick Herbig, which makes the gag reflex that one gets at the thought of trading Watt only slightly less severe.
Edge is a position of strength for the Steelers relative to the rest of the league. Trading from your strengths should always be an option. Watt has made the last six Pro Bowls, leading the league in sacks three times, and has received four All-Pro awards in that span. Defensive tackle Cam Heyward has made six of the last seven Pro Bowls, hitting double-digit sacks three times, and has three All-Pro awards during that stretch. In sharp contrast, the Falcons haven’t had a single player with double-digit sacks since 2016. They are linked to the top edge rushers in the first round of virtually every mock draft. Acquiring a sure thing makes more sense than waiting on the potential of a rookie, given the age of their quarterback.
While it may seem like sacrilege to trade away two Steeler icons, the Steelers actually admitting to a rebuild sounds more blasphemous in its own right. At first glance, it’s hard to imagine either player being okay with a trade. But if Art Rooney, Omar Khan, and Mike Tomlin sit down in a room with them and explain that a massive retooling of the roster is underway, they may see a trade to Atlanta as their best chance at seeing a Super Bowl before they retire.
As part of this hypothetical impending renovation in Pittsburgh, their best shot would likely be at least two Super Bowls away without this trade to kickstart the process. Heyward will be 35 when the 2024 season starts. Lining up next to Grady Jarrett in Atlanta might be the best path for him to ride out on top. Watt, who relies on a speed rush to be dominant, will be 30. He’s unlikely to be the same level of player at 32 as it won’t be long before his effectiveness wanes.
A trade package for T.J. Watt and Cam Heyward
So what would the Steelers get for selling their soul to Atlanta? A package of Atlanta’s first-round and third-round picks (Nos. 8 and 74) this year plus their first-round pick in 2025 sounds like a solid base, asking for Atlanta’s 2025 second-round pick as well. For reference, Miami sent a first, a fourth, and backup running back Chase Edmonds to Denver for 26-year-old edge rusher Bradley Chubb and a future fifth-round pick at the trade deadline in 2022. Chubb had 26 sacks in his entire career at the time of the trade while Watt had 19 in 2023 alone and averages 14 per year.
In 2018, the Bears sent the Raiders two firsts plus a future second in a package that brought them a 27-year-old Khalil Mack. Mack had averaged 10 sacks over four years and, like Chubb, was in the final year of his contract. Even though he is older, Watt is better than Chubb and Mack at the time of their trades and comes with two years of contract left. It would be worth it for Atlanta to give up two firsts and a future second to get him in their quest to win it all over the two years of his current contract. Their sense of urgency adds the third-round pick for a one-year rental on Heyward. Importantly from an Atlanta standpoint, this trade would leave them with Nos. 43 and 74 which line up nicely with this year’s draft class to still address their needs at cornerback and wide receiver.
By acquiring Watt and Heyward in this hypothetical, Atlanta is more willing to send those future picks as they think they are a legit Super Bowl contender and expect those future picks to be of lower value near the very end of each round. The Steelers end up with enough pick ammo (Nos. 8, 20, 51, 74, 84, 98, 119, 178, 195) in this year’s draft to move around the draft board at will, as well as potentially two picks in each of the first two rounds next year in case they need to target a top quarterback.
