Grading a Steelers-Buccaneers trade to get T.J. Watt another accomplice

The Pittsburgh Steelers have been praised for their savvy acquisitions this offseason. General manager Omar Khan managed to pull off a low-cost trade for former Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields and sign former Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson, both for pennies.

Meanwhile, the free agency additions of safety DeShon Elliott and linebacker Patrick Queen will help bolster Pittsburgh's defense. Although the Steelers defense was already the driving force behind their playoff berth in 2023, there is still room for improvement on the defensive line.

With defensive tackle Cameron Heyward holding out in hopes of a new contract and the departure of Markus Golden, Pittsburgh may need to make up for some pass rush production. The Steelers have superstar outside linebacker T.J. Watt to dismantle offensive protection schemes, but the team has a concerning 1-11 record when Watt doesn't play, including their loss against the Buffalo Bills in the Wild Card Round this past season.

Adding depth at edge rusher could help the Steelers stay afloat even if Watt is forced to miss time again.

A Steelers-Bucs trade that sends Joe Tryon-Shoyinka to Pittsburgh: Grading the deal

According to Bleacher Report's Alex Ballentine, the Steelers should consider trading for Tampa Bay Buccaneers outside linebacker Joe Tryon-Shoyinka.

"The Steelers' primary needs might be at wide receiver and corner, but edge depth is a sneaky spot for improvement," Ballentine wrote. "T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith obviously do the heavy lifting, and Nick Herbig will eat up some snaps, but the Steelers don't necessarily have a replacement for what Markus Golden gave them last season."

The proposed trade envisions Pittsburgh acquiring Tryon-Shoyinka and a 2025 seventh-round pick in exchange for a 2025 fifth-round pick.

While the price may seem cheap for a player who was a first-round selection just three years ago, Tryon-Shoyinka's contract and production will limit the Buccaneers' asking price.

When the Buccaneers selected Tryon-Shoyinka with the last pick in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft, the hope was that he would develop into an athletic pass rusher to replace Jason Pierre-Paul. Things haven't worked out as planned, and Tampa Bay decided not to pick up the fifth-year option on Tryon-Shoyinka's contract. 

Tryon-Shoyinka has not surpassed five sacks in a single season during his three years in the league, and he began to cede snaps to YaYa Diaby, who recorded 7.5 sacks in his rookie season. Tampa Bay signed outside linebacker Randy Gregory in free agency and selected Alabama pass rusher Chris Braswell in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft, signaling that they may be preparing to move on from Tryon-Shoyinka. 

In the trade proposed by FanSided for the Kansas City Chiefs to acquire Tryon-Shoyinka, the Buccaneers received a conditional fifth-round pick that could become a fourth-round pick based on playing time and production. By not sending a draft pick back to the Steelers, the Buccaneers would get to add one extra rookie in the 2025 NFL Draft.

The addition of the seventh-round pick makes the trade a bit less likely for the Buccaneers. The Buccaneers would not gain much by simply swapping up a couple of rounds at the end of next year's draft. That addition could be less valuable than the depth and production that the Buccaneers could get from the outside linebacker in 2024. At the very least, Tryon-Shoyinka could help keep the Buccaneers long-term starters fresh and healthy.

Tryon-Shoyinka has improved over the years and has the physical tools to be a productive player. He is 6-foot-5 and 259 pounds with rare athletic ability for his size. The 25-year-old could learn quite a few pass rush moves from Watt while refining his technique with Pittsburgh's coaching staff.

“Joe can move all across the line of scrimmage and help us in a lot of things,” Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles said. “He’s our linebacker, he’s our defensive end, he’s our three-tech, he’s our part-time nickel, he’s our part-time inside ‘backer. He can come from a lot of areas, so he has a lot of jobs. He’s one of those chess pieces that I talk about.”

Despite his lack of statistical production in Tampa Bay, Tryon-Shoyinka would have an easier path to the quarterback in Pittsburgh since every offensive line will shift protection toward Watt. Over time, he could develop into a productive starter to line up alongside Watt. With the low cost and high upside, the move could prove to pay off for the Steelers.

Pittsburgh Steelers Grade:■■■■■■■■■□ (9/10)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Grade: ■■■■□□□□□□ (4/10)