Don’t Expect the Steelers to Get a Top Tackle at No. 17

The Steelers will look into and probably have the desire to explore getting a top tackle with their first-round pick at No. 17 overall, but don’t expect that to be a possibility.

On Friday, the Chicago Bears made the trade with the Carolina Panthers for a bevy of picks, dropping Chicago down to the No. 9 overall pick in the NFL Draft. While the trade has plenty of implications for the top of the draft and the quarterback market, including the fact that all four quarterbacks might go with the Top 4 overall picks at this point,

With the Bears now down at No. 9 it is hard to see them going away from tackle at that spot. It is the clear top need on the team after D.J. Moore hopped over in the trade. They could use an interior defensive lineman, but no one fits them other than Jalen Carter, who it seems is unlikely to make it that far in the first place. But if he is there, that could open the door for some things to shake up.

However, if it was unlikely before the trade that the top tackles would be there for the Steelers at 17th overall, then it is all the more unlikely right now. If you go through the exercise of teams that need tackles with only three true top guys to fill the void, you come away with the realization that it is extremely unlikely for Peter Skoronski, Paris Johnson, and Broderick Jones to make it 17th overall.

The Steelers have interest in these players. All three met with Pittsburgh formally, and Dan Moore will be hard to be upgraded upon right away just from the NFL Draft alone. If the pick happens at any other pick other than 17th overall, there is a good chance that pick is sitting on the bench to start the season. Moore is a bang average left tackle right now, and only a high-end talent can provide solid relief right away.

The second tier of tackles includes Darnell Wright, Dawand Jones, Anton Harrison, and many other talent players. However, it is hard to truly believe the Steelers are in the market for those players at 17th overall. None of them right away jumps out as a unique upgrade and feels more like a good value pick when the clock swings back around to them at the top of the second round at 33rd overall.

Those players are talented and best player available at that spot, but it would feel like a reach compared to the likely value that will be there at cornerback. Skoronski, Johnson, and Jones represent the cream of the crop in this class and teams will jump all over those guys.

While Pittsburgh is interested in those upgrades, the trade makes it increasingly more unlikely that the Steelers can find a way to land a top offensive tackle at 17. That’s fine, they can circle back around at some point in the draft again, perhaps even with their next pick. But if you want them to address the hogs on the offensive side of the ball early and stand pat at 17 to do it, I would lower those expectations from here on out.