I’ve spent plenty of time writing and talking about what I think the Pittsburgh Steelers will do. To say my piece, before the picks get underway, here’s what I would do if I was GM Omar Khan making the call.
I’ll keep it short and sweet. If I’m Pittsburgh, my plan begins with a trade.
Pittsburgh Gets: No. 15 (worth 1,050 points)
Tampa Bay Gets: No. 21, No. 76, No. 135 (worth 1,048.5 points)
That’s using this conventional trade value chart. It’s a deal with the Buccaneers to climb from No. 21 to No. 15. While I like Pittsburgh having a dozen picks, there’s no need to make all 12. And there’s a unique chance to be aggressive with so much draft capital. This deal means the Steelers still have 10 selections, and they could later consider trading down to acquire more if they so choose.
It also largely preserves Pittsburgh’s Day 2 picks: No. 53, No. 85, and No. 99. That’s one more than the norm and keeps the Steelers in a good spot. Pittsburgh gives up a fourth but still has one selection in the round at No. 121.
You can’t wave a magic wand and make the deal happen, but it has legs. Tampa Bay has been rumored to trying to trade back in the first round. Even local beat writers, like Greg Auman, have suggested the Buccaneers will slide down. This deal gives them No. 76. The Buccaneers hold No. 77, giving them the chance to make back-to-back picks in the middle of the third round. That’s a nice place to be.
So who am I trading to up to get? A wide receiver? Vega Ioane? No and no.
I’m trading up for Oregon S Dillon Thieneman. He’s one of “my guys” in the draft and though the safety group is deep, there’s a clear drop-off after the top two, Ohio State’s Caleb Downs and Thieneman.
At Purdue, Thieneman showed he could play post safety with six interceptions. At Oregon, he showed the ability to play more of a Robber role closer to the line of scrimmage. He has size (6001, 206 at his Pro Day), athleticism (4.35 40, 9.72 RAS), experience (39 college starts), and youth (turns 22 in August).
Pittsburgh may not need a safety right now, but Thieneman can allow Jalen Ramsey to play nickel in sub-packages this season. And he’ll serve as the full-time free safety no later than 2027.
It’s hard to find a true post player. Pittsburgh benefitted from that with Minkah Fitzpatrick during his prime. Thieneman is one of those guys, and they should be coveted.
Trading up for a safety is uncommon. It’s not a “premium position.” But Thieneman is a top talent worth making the move for. Pittsburgh knows the payoff, trading up in the first round in 2003 for USC’s Troy Polamalu.
This deal jumps the Minnesota Vikings, a team highly connected to Thieneman, at No. 18. It’s possible Thieneman goes even higher than No. 15. The Miami Dolphins at No. 11 shouldn’t be discounted. But if he’s there at No. 15, I’m calling Bucs GM Jason Licht and making a deal happen.