3 Steelers who are top trade candidates following the 10 picks that Pittsburgh made in the 2026 NFL Draft
Here are the 3 Steelers who should be viewed as most available on the trade market following Pittsburgh’s 10 selections in the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Pittsburgh Steelers entered the NFL Draft last week with 12 picks. Omar Khan and Mike McCarthy said in their pre-draft presser that the floor for the number of picks they would make was 10.
That turned out to be the case, as the Steelers made double-digit selections, some of which have created controversy, others of which have a chance to make an immediate impact. But what does it mean for some of the Steelers on the roster? We look at three potential trade candidates.
3 Steelers trade candidates after 2026 NFL Draft
RB Kaleb Johnson
It was probably fair to say that Kaleb Johnson was facing an uphill climb when the Steelers signed Travis Homer in free agency to be a depth piece, alongside the big-time addition of Rico Dowdle.
However, the Steelers used their final pick in the draft to select their replacement for Kenny Gainwell. Eli Heidenreich is not just a good story; he has true utility as a gadget player who can be a change of pace back and kick out to the slot. If he shines in camp and Johnson starts slow again, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Steelers see what they can get for the former third-rounder.
QB Mason Rudolph
Rudolph is probably the most obvious candidate to be moved after the draft. He’s sort of the odd man out when analyzing what the Steelers’ 53-man roster projects to look like after the selection of Drew Allar.
Of course, that’s assuming that Aaron Rodgers is back in 2026, which has never been a given but could be even more of an issue following the Steelers’ decision to tender Rodgers on Tuesday. But if he does return, keeping four quarterbacks on the roster isn’t really feasible.
WR Roman Wilson
I’m still firmly in the camp that a change in staff could do wonders for Roman Wilson, but when you see the Steelers start to build a basketball team in their WR room, it’s easy to see how Wilson can be the odd man out.
Germie Bernard was not only the Steelers’ second-round pick, but they also traded up to select him, and he fits Mike McCarthy’s type much more as a versatile and physical pass catcher.