Black & Yellow | Pittsburgh Steelers M26

[redsox907]

Guess you are playing another couple seasons

I mean even if I don't, it was the prudent move. One player on a rookie scale contract isn't going to help out when Fautanu, Banks Jr, Metcalf, JPJ, and Harmon (iirc) are all due next season. Gotta find the stars of tomorrow before tomorrow comes

[redsox907]

Pittsburgh Selects Iowa State T Steven Seri With 10th Overall Pick

New York, NY. - There was no drama this time.

When the Pittsburgh Steelers' turn arrived at tenth overall, they needed less than forty-five seconds to deliver their card to the podium, a decisiveness that suggested this pick was never in question, regardless of what happened earlier in the evening.

"With the tenth overall pick in the 2029 NFL Draft," Commissioner Roger Goodell announced, "the Pittsburgh Steelers select Steven Seri, offensive tackle, Iowa State."

The pick drew immediate praise from ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr., who framed it as quintessentially Pittsburgh in both philosophy and execution.

"This is a Pittsburgh Steelers pick through and through," Kiper said. "He is a road grader—a chew them up, pave highways for your running backs type of offensive tackle. Pass protection still needs some polish, but here's the key detail—he isn't going in with the expectation to be a Day 1 starter."

Kiper elaborated on the long game Khan appears to be playing along the offensive line.

"Pittsburgh has Kelvin Banks Jr. and Troy Fautanu ahead of him on the depth chart right now. Seri can come in, learn from two established pros, get his feet wet, and be ready to step into a starting role next year when at least one of those guys walks. They're both due for significant paydays, and something tells me after this selection, Pittsburgh isn't planning on paying them both."

The reaction on social media stood in sharp contrast to the mixed response that greeted the Ravens trade earlier in the evening. Where that move generated immediate frustration among a vocal portion of Pittsburgh's fanbase, the Seri selection landed to near-universal approval.

"Steelers football is back, baby!" posted one elated fan, capturing the mood of a fanbase that spent much of 2028 watching their offensive line prop up three different starting quarterbacks and asking for very little in return.

Pittsburgh will not have long to enjoy the moment. The Steelers return to the clock almost immediately, holding the twelfth overall pick—acquired from Baltimore as part of tonight's earlier trade—with another selection rapidly approaching.

First Round Results
1. Tennessee Titans - DT Zach Jenkins, Oregon
2. Baltimore Ravens (Via Trade) - DE Steven Gardnier, USF
3. New Orleans Saints - SS Robbie Keenan, USC
4. New York Giants - LT Bobby Roth, Texas
5. Chicago Bears - WR Tom Gallagher, Boston College
6. Washington Commanders - LT Bernie Cheeks, Arkansas
7. Los Angeles Rams - QB Gavin Johnson, Washington
8. Dallas Cowboys - QB Clayton Owens, Georgia Tech
9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - WR Omar Montague, Notre Dame
10. Pittsburgh Steelers - RT Steven Seri, Iowa State

[redsox907]

Pittsburgh Trades Back Again With 12th Overall Selection

New York, NY. - Per usual, Omar Khan meant what he said.

Less than two hours after trading out of the second overall pick in exchange for a haul of future capital, the Pittsburgh Steelers general manager did it again—dealing the 12th overall selection to the Detroit Lions in exchange for Detroit's first, second, and third round picks in 2029, further expanding what is rapidly becoming one of the most aggressive draft capital accumulation strategies the league has seen in recent memory.

"Maximizing talent on rookie contracts is the name of the game," Khan said simply when the trade was announced.

The Lions wasted no time using the pick, selecting Washington cornerback DeMar Gilyard, the consensus top cornerback in the draft, to address one of Detroit's most pressing defensive needs.

For Pittsburgh, the trade leaves the Steelers with thirteen remaining selections in this year's draft, including a first round pick at 30th overall. It is a remarkable position for a franchise that entered the evening with two top-ten picks and has now methodically converted them into a depth-building bonanza that reflects both the reality of where this roster is and the long-term vision Khan is executing.

The calculus is not complicated. Pittsburgh has a core worth building around—an elite offensive line, a dominant running game, and a defense anchored by T.J. Watt—but a roster full of expiring contracts and a quarterback situation that remains unresolved. Rookie scale deals spread across thirteen picks give Khan the roster flexibility to navigate that financial crunch while continuing to add talent at every level of the depth chart.

The accumulation of picks has not come without its critics, however, and the most pointed criticism centers on the one position Pittsburgh can least afford to gamble on.

With the Steelers trading out of the second overall pick earlier in the evening, Washington's Gavin Johnson was snapped up in the top ten, and Georgia Tech's Clayton Owens followed shortly after—leaving Pittsburgh without either of the draft's consensus top two quarterbacks and an increasingly narrow pool of options at the position as the board continues to fall. Khan has maintained publicly that the organization intends to add another quarterback to challenge Jaxson Dart for the starting job, whether through the draft or other means, but the specifics of how that happens have grown murkier with each passing pick.

The fanbase has noticed.

"We just traded out of two top-fifteen picks and both starting-caliber quarterbacks are gone," one frustrated fan posted on X. "What exactly is the plan here, Omar?"

It is a fair question, and one Khan will be expected to answer before the night is over. Pittsburgh still owns the 30th overall pick along with twelve additional picks across the remaining rounds. Whether any of those selections produce a legitimate answer at quarterback remains the defining question of an otherwise remarkably active draft evening for the Steelers.

First Round Results
1. Tennessee Titans - DT Zach Jenkins, Oregon
2. Baltimore Ravens (Via Trade) - DE Steven Gardnier, USF
3. New Orleans Saints - SS Robbie Keenan, USC
4. New York Giants - LT Bobby Roth, Texas
5. Chicago Bears - WR Tom Gallagher, Boston College
6. Washington Commanders - LT Bernie Cheeks, Arkansas
7. Los Angeles Rams - QB Gavin Johnson, Washington
8. Dallas Cowboys - QB Clayton Owens, Georgia Tech
9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - WR Omar Montague, Notre Dame
10. Pittsburgh Steelers - RT Steven Seri, Iowa State
11. Kansas City Chiefs - DT Brad MacDonald, Wisconsin
12. Detroit Lions - CB DeMar Gilyard, Washington

[redsox907]

Pittsburgh Drafts Miami Defensive Lineman Cole Rogan With 30th Overall Selection

New York, NY. - Steelers fans can breathe. Omar Khan has finally used one of his picks.

After a first round defined by trades, accumulated capital, and the kind of roster-building patience that tests the nerves of even the most trusting fanbase, Pittsburgh closed out the opening round Thursday night by selecting Miami defensive end Cole Rogan with the 30th overall pick—the selection acquired from Detroit, which was itself acquired from Baltimore, in what has been a dizzying evening of draft day maneuvering in the Steel City.

ESPN's Todd McShay offered a measured assessment of the pick — praising the selection on its merits while raising the question that has hovered over Pittsburgh's draft strategy all evening.

"Rogan is a powerful, instinctive run-stopping end whose elite strength—he set a Florida state record on the bench press in high school—gives him the raw tools to shed blocks and disrupt backfield action before it develops," McShay said. "His football instincts consistently put him in the right place at the right time, making him a reliable and disruptive presence against the run on early downs."

The praise, however, came with a pointed caveat.

"In a vacuum, this is another quality selection for the Steelers, exactly the kind of player you expect from a franchise that built its identity as a blue-collar, lunch-pail organization. But we don't exist in a vacuum. Pittsburgh still has only Jaxson Dart at quarterback, and despite Omar Khan's assurances that they would add competition at the position, the Steelers have now seemingly passed on three signal callers. Gavin Johnson and Clayton Owens are already off the board, and I would be very surprised if Steven Wimbley is still available by the time Pittsburgh picks again."

The fanbase echoed McShay's sentiment almost word for word.

"LOVE the pick, not the approach," posted one fan. "So much for challenging Dart," added another. "Are we just hoping for a higher pick next year at this rate?"

The irony, as more than a few observers noted, is that the only pick higher than the one Pittsburgh held at the start of this draft is the first overall selection. Khan traded away generational leverage and has yet to address the most urgent need on the roster.

Whether that proves to be shrewd long-term thinking or a costly miscalculation is a conversation for another day, and likely many days after that.

The first round concluded with the Philadelphia Eagles selecting center JD Calhoun before the Denver Broncos closed out the evening by adding wide receiver Miguel Castro. Pittsburgh now turns its attention to Friday and the second round, where the Steelers hold the tenth overall selection, and where the fanbase will be watching with considerable anxiety to see whether their quarterback questions are finally answered.

First Round Results
1. Tennessee Titans - DT Zach Jenkins, Oregon
2. Baltimore Ravens - DE Steven Gardnier, USF
3. New Orleans Saints - SS Robbie Keenan, USC
4. New York Giants - LT Bobby Roth, Texas
5. Chicago Bears - WR Tom Gallagher, Boston College
6. Washington Commanders - LT Bernie Cheeks, Arkansas
7. Los Angeles Rams - QB Gavin Johnson, Washington
8. Dallas Cowboys - QB Clayton Owens, Georgia Tech
9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - WR Omar Montague, Notre Dame
10. Pittsburgh Steelers - RT Steven Seri, Iowa State
11. Kansas City Chiefs - DT Brad MacDonald, Wisconsin
12. Detroit Lions - CB DeMar Gilyard, Washington
13. Cleveland Browns - RT Quincey Collier, Ohio State
14. New England Patriots - CB Darin Thompkins, Stanford
15. Minnesota Vikings - CB Bryce Sharp, Boise State
16. Jacksonville Jaguars - RT Bryan Moses, Ohio State
17. Las Vegas Raiders - CB Sherrod Binns, Miami
18. Houston Texans - LT Tyreke Harris, Florida State
19. San Francisco 49ers - LT Ben Medina, Washington
20. Miami Dolphis - RT Brad Battagila, Washington
21. Arizona Cardinals - CB Quincy Walker, North Carolina
22. Los Angeles Charges - C Oscar Medina, Texas A&M
23. Indianapolis Colts - CB Marshall Spence, Northern Illinois
24. Carolina Panthers - WR Chad Parrish, Texas A&M
25. Atlanta Falcons - WR Kerrick Davis, UCF
26. Cincinnati Bengals - G Ian Amerson, Michigan
27. New York Jets - FS Terrell Gooden, Oregon
28. Green Bay Packers - C Trey Ortiz, Tennessee
29. Buffalo Bills - G Jimmy Winston, Auburn
30. Pittsburgh Steelers - DE Cole Rogan, Miami
31. Philadelphia Eagles - C JD Calhoun, Boston College
32. Denver Broncos - WR Miguel Castro, Arizona State

[djp73]

Rogan > Gardnier

[redsox907]

Rogan > Gardnier

when you take into account the other players we got by trading back twice, most definitely

[redsox907]

Khan Finally Gets HIs Man With Former Louisville QB Leonard Lawry

New York, NY. - When Day 2 of the NFL Draft opened at Radio City Music Hall Friday morning, the question on every Steelers fan's mind was the same, how long would Steven Wimbley last, and would Omar Khan finally answer Pittsburgh's quarterback need with the tenth pick of the second round?

The Tennessee Titans answered the first part of that question immediately, selecting Wimbley with the opening pick of the second round—ensuring that should Cam Ward not sign an extension in Nashville, a ready-made replacement was already in the building. Pittsburgh never got the chance to find out what they would have done.

Before the Steelers were even on the clock, Khan had already made his move.

Pittsburgh sent the 14th overall pick in the second round—acquired from the New England Patriots in the Kayvon Thibodeaux trade—along with their own third round selection in 2029, a fourth round pick in 2030, and second-year FS Mac Kopp to the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for second-year quarterback Leonard Lawry. The former Louisville signal caller was Minnesota's third-round selection in last year's draft after a series of reported character concerns caused him to slide out of the first round—concerns that sources close to the Steelers organization were quick to dismiss Friday as overblown and racially coded.

"When a young quarterback comes out with some edge and confidence in him, it's praised if you're part of a certain demographic," one source told ESPN carefully. "Leonard isn't part of that select demographic, and it was painted as a problem. Khan did extensive research before making this trade. There isn't a soul in Louisville or Minnesota that had a bad word to say about this kid."

Sources say Pittsburgh's interest in Lawry predates this trade by more than a year, the organization was prepared to select him in last year's draft had he been available at their late third-round pick, even with Anthony Richardson firmly entrenched as the franchise quarterback. Khan, according to those close to him, has long been drawn to Lawry's combination of arm talent, touch, and composure in the pocket.

When quarterback JJ McCarthy inked a lucrative four-year extension mid season, Lawry suddenly became a luxury, making the Vikings open to moving on and Pittsburgh the ideal landing spot for a young quarterback who needs a genuine opportunity to prove what he can do.

ESPN's Todd McShay, who covered Lawry extensively during last year's draft process, offered effusive praise during Friday's coverage.

"Leonard Lawry has all the physical tools to be a star in this league—poise, arm talent, and the patience to use touch when the situation demands it," McShay said. "I'm not a GM, so I won't speak to the reported character concerns. What I will say is that I haven't spoken to a single coach who had anything negative to say about the kid. In terms of pure talent, he has the upside to be the best quarterback from last year's class, bar none."

Steeler Nation's reaction was swift, loud, and largely ecstatic.

"I TOLD YOU! HAVE FAITH!" posted the same fan who had urged patience with the "Khan Artist" amid the criticism that mounted throughout Thursday evening. "STEAL. Kid was a first-round talent who dropped on some nonsense character concerns. We all know what that is," added another.

Not everyone was celebrating. The shadow of Anthony Richardson's arrest and its devastating consequences for the franchise cast a long enough shadow that at least some corners of the fanbase responded with caution.

"We just got put through the ringer by Anthony Richardson's actions, which cost him his career and us a legitimate Super Bowl shot," one user posted. "And now we're taking a flier on another kid with character concerns? When this blows up, I'll be the first to say I told you so."

Lawry, for his part, handled the minority dissent with a composure that belied his age. When reached for comment shortly after the trade was finalized, he had clearly already seen the criticism—and had no interest in dwelling on it.

"I'm just happy to have an organization that believes in me and my talent," Lawry said. "I've had doubters my entire life and I don't expect that to change anytime soon. I can't control that. All I can do is take the field each and every week and prove that GM Khan and Coach Scheelhaase were right to place their trust in me."

It is, by any measure, exactly the kind of answer a franchise scarred by the last year wants to hear from its newest quarterback.

[redsox907]

Steelers Nab Tennessee's Juan Steward With Early Second Round Pick

New York, NY. - Omar Khan spent most of Thursday night on the phone. Friday afternoon, he started spending picks.

Fresh off the Leonard Lawry trade that gave Pittsburgh its quarterback competition, Khan kept the momentum rolling through the second round, using a pair of selections to address two of the roster's most persistent depth concerns, and in doing so, continued to build what is shaping up as one of the more talked-about draft hauls in recent Pittsburgh history.

With their first second-round selection, the Steelers took Tennessee running back Juan Steward, a blazing change-of-pace back whose arrival feels like a direct answer to the Keaton Mitchell void that has lingered since free agency.

Mel Kiper Jr. was enthusiastic in his assessment.

"Juan Steward is one of the fastest players in this entire draft, full stop," Kiper said. "We're not just talking about straight-line speed either—he has the kind of lateral quickness and open-field elusiveness that makes linebackers look like they're running in sand. At 5'10" and 208 pounds he has legitimate NFL size, which makes the injury history the only real flag here. He battled through a variety of upper body ailments at Tennessee, and that durability question is one Pittsburgh will need to monitor. But the talent? It's undeniable."

Mitchell's pass-catching ability out of the backfield was arguably the most difficult trait to replace in free agency, and Steward's explosion in space gives offensive coordinator Zac Taylor a weapon with a similar profile, and perhaps even more raw upside.

Pittsburgh then turned to their second, second-round pick acquired from the Detroit Lions—one of the spoils of Thursday night's trade-back—to select Arkansas safety Sal Stanley, adding a physical presence to a secondary that lost Alohi Gilman in free agency and Mac Kopp in the Lawry trade.

Todd McShay broke down the selection with characteristic bluntness.

"Sal Stanley plays like he has something to prove on every single snap," McShay said. "He is a downhill missile—the kind of safety who alters the way opposing offenses approach the middle of the field simply by being on it. The inevitable comparison is a poor man's Derwin James Jr., and that's not entirely unfair. He can shift the tempo of a game with one well-timed hit and has the instincts to find the ball consistently."

McShay paused before delivering the caveat that has followed Stanley throughout the pre-draft process.

"The concern is availability. He never played a full season at Arkansas. The same aggression that makes him so disruptive also puts him in harm's way more than you'd like. The talent justifies the investment at this stage of the draft, but the Steelers are going to need him to stay on the field to find out just how good he can be."

With the second round now in the rearview mirror, Pittsburgh turns its attention to a remarkably deep third-round slate. The Steelers hold three third-round selections—a product of the aggressive trade-back strategy that defined Khan's first day at the draft table—and the fanbase, having largely come around on the overall approach, will be watching closely to see how Khan continues to fill out what is shaping up as a significant roster overhaul.

[redsox907]

Steelers Keep Stacking Depth In Third Round

New York, NY. - Omar Khan's draft-day phone calls have produced a third-round windfall, and Pittsburgh used every bit of it Friday evening—selecting a linebacker, a guard, and a nose tackle to close out Day 2 and continue what has been a remarkably productive 24 hours for the Steelers' front office.

With their first third-round selection, Pittsburgh took Virginia Tech linebacker Zach Devine, a pick that generated more debate in the draft community than any Pittsburgh selection to this point.

"Devine is a fascinating projection," Kiper said during ESPN's coverage. "His athleticism is legitimate—he has the closing speed to chase down ball carriers from sideline to sideline and the instincts to find the gaps in a zone. When he gets to the ball carrier, he brings him down. The concern is everything that happens before that. He is genuinely raw as a coverage linebacker at this level, and asking him to contribute meaningfully in year one against NFL tight ends and running backs may be too much too soon. Early in the third round feels like a slight reach, but Pittsburgh clearly sees something they like."

The pick makes more sense in the context of the roster around it. With Payton Wilson departed and Harold Perkins Jr. sliding into the starting role, Devine projects as a developmental piece, a long-term investment in the linebacker depth rather than an immediate solution.

Pittsburgh's second third-round selection—acquired from the Patriots in the Thibodeaux trade—was Washington State guard Denard Boston, a pick that drew considerably warmer reviews from analysts.

"This is the kind of player that makes a draft class look smart three years from now," McShay said approvingly. "Boston played in one of the most up-tempo, technically demanding offenses in college football and never looked overwhelmed. He has genuine athleticism for the position—the ability to pull, reach the second level, and execute in space—combined with a technical foundation that you don't always see in guards coming out of spread systems. He may not be ready to start on Day 1, but slide him in behind Cam Gray and Cayden Green and let him develop? That's outstanding value at this stage of the draft."

The third and final selection of the day—and the pick that generated perhaps the most excitement among Pittsburgh's defensive faithful—came at the 30th spot of the third round, where Khan selected Clemson defensive tackle Tyler Chavez.

At 6'2" and 337 pounds, Chavez is the kind of immovable object that 3-4 defenses are built around, and McShay did not hesitate to reach for a historical comparison that will resonate with any longtime Steelers fan.

"Tyler Chavez is a prototype nose tackle in the truest sense of the term," McShay said. "He eats blockers. Plural. He can occupy two offensive linemen simultaneously and still have enough left over to make the quarterback uncomfortable. The reason he lasted this long is purely circumstantial — Clemson has trended toward a more simplified four-three front in recent seasons, which made Chavez a luxury rather than a necessity in their scheme and limited his overall snap count. Those who have watched him extensively in person will tell you the same thing—he is a Casey Hampton type fit for Pittsburgh's three-four blitz scheme. Perfect, almost by design."

Hampton, of course, anchored the nose tackle position for Pittsburgh's dominant defensive teams of the mid-2000s, a name that carries significant weight in the Steel City and sets expectations accordingly.

Day 2 is complete. Pittsburgh heads into Saturday with additional picks remaining and a draft class that has generated almost universal praise from analysts and fans alike. Khan's phone, one suspects, is not done ringing.

[djp73]

Lawry is going to season em