3 perfect trades to put the Pittsburgh Steelers over the top next season

Steelers trade TJ Watt

I tried to warn you. I said it was gonna hurt, but the Steelers need to move the perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate to save $11.7 million off the 2024 cap. He's 29 years old and counts for $30 million against the cap next year. There's no denying he is a force to be reckoned with on the field, but he can still get you a pretty good haul from the right team.

That team happens to be the cross-state Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles defense was a complete mess this past season. They couldn't defend the pass, in large part because they couldn't pressure the quarterback. TJ Watt instantly makes their defense better and gets them a potential No. 1 seed in next year's playoffs (which they choked away in 2023).

Like Pittsburgh, Philadelphia is a blue-collar town, and they will instantly embrace Watt as the new face of their defense. The front office, desperate to keep their jobs, offers up their first-round pick (No. 22 overall) and one of their two second-round picks (No. 51 to the Steelers, and Eagles keep No. 53 overall).

The Steelers would still need to make a few cap cuts (most likely Cam Heyward, who would save them $16 million by being released), but these trades put the Steelers in a really good spot to start 2024.

What to do with these draft picks?

The Steelers had to move on from a couple of big names who are close to 30 years old, so it's time to bring in some youth that keeps this team in the playoffs next season. After the three trades, the Steelers would pick at No. 12, 22, 34, and 50 in the first two rounds. Based on current draft boards, and team needs, these trades could be finalized by taking the following players in the 2024 NFL Draft:

Round 1, Pick #12 - Dallas Turner, Edge (Alabama)

Round 1, Pick #22 - Cooper DeJean, Cornerback (Iowa)

Round 2, Pick #34 - Tyler Guyton, Tackle (Oklahoma)

Round 2, Pick #50 - Devontez Walker, Wide Receiver (UNC)