3 trades Steelers can make to offset Matt Canada’s buffoonery
By Mark Powell
The Pittsburgh Steelers are stuck with Matt Canada. As amusing as the 'Fire Canada' signs at seemingly every sporting event are, Canada is not going anywhere until after the season. Mike Tomlin is loyal to his assistants -- sometimes to a fault -- meaning that while Canada's play-calling duties could be stripped, his fingerprints will still be all over this offseason.
Now, I should note it's unlikely the Steelers make a major move at the NFL trade deadline unless they believe they are merely one deal away from a Super Bowl. For Omar Khan to believe this would be a fallacy. This Steelers team is a good story, but they still must develop a true offensive identity, and their high-priced defense has some holes when it comes to stopping the run and secondary depth.
So, what's to be done? If Khan wanted to, there are legitimately talented players available at the deadline who could help make up for some of Canada's inefficiencies, even if at least one plays on the opposite side of the ball.
Steelers could trade for Kirk Cousins or Justin Fields
The NFC North is a trash heap. Kirk Cousins is likely to leave after this season, and the Minnesota Vikings are doing little to convince him to stay. That hasn't stopped Cousins from putting up respectable numbers offensively, even without Justin Jefferson.
Pittsburgh will not make this trade, as they believe in continuity, especially at such an important position. They would also be admitting defeat on Kenny Pickett, or at the very least stunting his development. But if the Steelers really wanted to make this offense look competitive, Cousins would do just that.
Fields, meanwhile, is a different story. The currently-injured Bears quarterback hasn't looked great in Chicago this year. His flashes of brilliance and potential at the end of the 2022 league year feel like a lieftime ago. If the Steelers could acquire Fields for relatively cheap -- a big if -- and allow him to develop in Canada's scheme, it might be a decent fit. Canada prefers mobile quarterbacks, and preaches motion in his offense. What's not to get?