Mike Tomlin stays true to his word after the Pittsburgh Steelers swing trade that kills two birds with one stone on defense
The help the Steelers needed most.
Mike Tomlin closed his weekly press conference Tuesday with a little bit of foreshadowing. Following the injury to DeShon Elliott and a secondary that has underperformed immensely over the past two games, Tomlin was asked about making a trade for a defensive back.
“I think we’re always open for business, particularly as we get close to the trade deadline,” said Tomlin via the Pittsburgh Steelers YouTube channel. “We’re always buyers. We’re always trying to position ourselves to be the best that we can be this year. But that not only applies to the secondary that you asked about. I’m sure that applies to all three phases of the game.”
Well, the Steelers did just that a few hours later, and it makes perfect sense.
Steelers trade 2026 6th round pick for Kyle Dugger, 2026 7th round pick
You knew when reports surfaced that Dugger was being shopped ahead of the deadline that the Steelers would have interest. To gauge where things went south, I spoke with Sophie Weller of A to Z Sports, who covers the New England Patriots.
“Kyle Dugger went from being a starter under the old regime to falling down the depth chart once Mike Vrabel took over as head coach. And with that, the team started searching for a trade partner in training camp.
“Ahead of the trade deadline, one finally appears, as Dugger now joins his former teammate Jabrill Peppers. Dugger is a talented safety and was rewarded last year with a four-year, $58 million contract, so getting a fresh start will allow him to get back to playing his game.” – Sophie Weller, A to Z Sports
In a corresponding move, the Steelers put Elliott on the injured reserve to make room for Dugger. All told, for a defense and, particularly, a secondary that has struggled with tackling and communication, the Steelers could not have asked for a much better trade.
The 29-year-old safety has a 100-tackle season under his belt, and he is that high-intensity, alley-running safety the Steelers would miss with the absence of Elliott.
With the deadline just six days away, I wouldn’t rule out another trade for the Steelers.
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