Pick swaps hold tremendous value even if they rarely make headlines
The Steelers have more holes to fill on the roster than their supply of quality draft picks. They could sign an available free agent to lessen the needs but a trade for a player, much as the Texans did for WR Stefon Diggs, is another avenue to explore.
While the meat and potatoes of these trade possibilities will be discussed in a separate article, here we will focus on the fine print that rarely makes the headlines. Trades for players almost always involve some lower-round draft picks that, to the average fan, just feel like throw-ins. The headline may read something like “Player X was acquired for pick Y and a swap of Day 3 draft picks.” It seems to be a growing trend as GMs around the league are finding gems with these late-round picks more than we are used to seeing and they want those “lottery tickets” to give them a shot at striking it rich.
Let’s look at the recent trade of Diggs for what boiled down to a value of about pick No.88 in this year’s draft. As the Texans own pick No.86, it could have been done in a more straightforward fashion. Instead, the Texans traded a 2025 2nd to Buffalo in exchange for Diggs, a 2024 6th, and a 2025 5th. It’s those 6th-round and 5th-round picks we are focused on here. Why would something seemingly meaningless be added to the trade mix? The results of 2023’s draft can shed some light on the value of these late-rounders.
Late-round gems from 2023’s draft class
By the time the 5th round of the draft started, all but the most draft-centric fans had already found something better to occupy their minds. A trio of quality contributors at WR would hear their names called.
* Stats courtesy of PFR
- 5th round, Pick No.159 Dontayvion Wicks 39/581/4
- 6th round, Pick No. 191 Trey Palmer 39/385/3
- 6th round, Pick No. 210 Demario Douglas 49/561/0
Any receiver putting up stats like those in his rookie season has already outplayed his draft status. Their franchises have to be thrilled with the return on investment. Based on production, Wicks ended up WR2 for the playoff-bound Packers. Palmer was WR3 for the playoff-bound Buccaneers. Douglas would be WR1 for the retooling Patriots. Those are all fantastic finds from the last three rounds of the 2023 draft, but they pale in comparison to one other. Fifth round pick Puka Nacua. Among WRs, Nacua would rank No.9 in the NFL in receptions and No.4 in yards as a rookie.
Late-round payoff for the Steelers in 2023
Of course, not every late-round pick blooms into a productive player as a rookie, but that doesn’t mean they don’t add value. Before the draft last year, the Steelers swapped 7th-rounders with the Rams to acquire WR Allen Robinson. The Rams moved up 17 spots while the Steelers moved back. No fan would’ve thought twice about it if Omar Khan had simply traded pick No. 251 for Robinson.
Getting an experienced WR3 for one of the last picks in the draft would have filled a hole at minimal cost. Even though Robinson didn’t light up the stat sheet he played the second most snaps at WR, in part due to Diontae Johnson’s hamstring injury. But what about those picks that were swapped in the Robinson trade?
The Rams haven’t received any huge early dividends from defensive back Jason Taylor with pick No. 234, though he was a “win” as he did make the roster and logged 150 snaps, 111 on special teams. The Steelers used No. 251 on offensive lineman Spencer Anderson. Anderson would play only 28 snaps, 26 on special teams. But Anderson had hidden value. The Steelers wanted to move on from underperformers Kendrick Green and Kevin Dotson. Through training camp and preseason,
Anderson displayed enough ability to replenish depth and allow the Steelers to trade away both of those players instead of just one or the other. Perhaps Anderson will become a starter along the offensive line. Even if he doesn’t, he has already yielded a nice return on investment. The trades of Dotson and Green essentially netted the Steelers the Rams’ 2024 4th-round pick (No. 120). The Steelers traded away No. 120 along with Kenny Pickett to acquire an extra pick in the 3rd round (No. 98). In essence, pick No. 234 and three guys who played their way off the roster (Dotson, Green, and Pickett) were traded for Allen Robinson, Spencer Anderson, and 2024’s pick No.98. There’s a reason Omar is known as the “Khan Artist”. Wheeling and dealing unwanted pieces and a 7th into one year of a starting WR, the potential of a young versatile OL piece, and a 3rd-round pick is quite the feat. Without those “throw-in” late draft picks added to trades, it wouldn’t be possible.
