Steelers’ G.M. says everyone wants to trade down in this draft

Posted by Michael David Smith on March 23, 2014, 4:16 PM EDT
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Don’t expect the Steelers to trade up from the 15th overall pick in the NFL draft.

Steelers General Manager Kevin Colbert said today at the league meeting that with the available talent in this draft, trading down makes a lot more sense than trading up. Unfortunately for Colbert, he thinks the rest of the league feels the same way, which means that teams looking to pick up extra picks by trading down won’t find many takers.

“It makes more sense in this draft than trading up,” Colbert said of trading down, via Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “I’m sure everyone shares the same thought.”

All it takes is one team to fall in love with a player, however, for the possibility of trading up to materialize. If some team that isn’t near the top of the draft decides that it has to have Teddy Bridgewater or Blake Bortles or Johnny Manziel or Jadeveon Clowney or Greg Robinson or Sammy Watkins or Khalil Mack, a team with a high pick will have the opportunity to trade down.

But Colbert seems to think the strength of this draft is in its depth, not in the elite players at the top. Which means accumulating more picks is the key to putting together a strong draft, and trading down is better than trading up.

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60 responses to “Steelers’ G.M. says everyone wants to trade down in this draft”

  1. Every year it’s the same thing, some people choose to believe it’s better to trade down and others believe it’s better to trade up. This guy doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Every draft has depth and it’s always better to trade down if you can find a way to get a good trade and need quantity over quality. It’s all relative and he’s speaking like as if this is an unusual circumstance with a consensus draft movement strategy. It’s not that different than any other draft. He needs to spend more time doing scouting work rather than spouting off about things he’s sure about that he couldn’t possibly be sure about.

  4. If Houston takes a QB then St Louis will trade down for someone to get Clowney. Other then that trade downs should be limited to small moves towards the end of the 1st round.

  8. So I gues my Seahawks picked a good year to be world champions. And we are already at 8-0 by virtue of playing in the Clink. Four road wins and its a trip back to the Superbowl

  9. Before the draft even begins, the average age of the projected starting Steelers offense is 25.6 years (only 2 over 30) while the defense is 27 years (only 2 over 30). Since the Steelers are definitely looking for 1 or 2 starters from the draft, those numbers will come down more. So keep it coming with the “old and slow”……….

  11. And that folks is exactly why you can expect the Niners to trade up & grab who they want. A first, Two seconds, two thirds, a fourth, a fifth, a sixth, & three 7 seventh rounders.

    Think of it like this. This draft is so deep that you might as well think of it like elevating everyone’s picks up a notch higher than what they actually would be in any other year of a draft. I.E. This year’s second being equal to another years first, third jump to seconds value, so on and so on.

    Be it Gilbert, Verret, Watkins, or Evans they are going to grab one of them. It’s just a matter of what slot are they going to jump into.

    I say they end up in the trading with Jacksonville & jumping into the #3 slot to ensure they get who they want.

  14. maybe. there is also a lot of top 25 talent. you can claim its deep all day long, but I personally want the guy at the top of that deep class, not the middle

  15. to enough of that already. the problem is your 4 old starters are way over paid, and if your clueless g.m. keeps drafting busts like mike adams, m.gilbert, and j. jones and the way he pushes his cap credit card further in debt, he will be out of a job the Monday after next season ends

  17. It’s not a major surprise that when you have no money available to sign real FAs and few of your draft choices stick with the team after 4 years or so, you need to increase your number of draft choices as much as possible.

  19. It all depends if the players you draft can make the team. Better to pick fewer but better players if you’re probably just going to cut your 5th, 6th, or 7th round picks anyway.

    As always, better teams have fewer spots for rookies and worse teams have more.

  20. Colbert wouldn’t know who to pick anyway. He drafted Mike Adams, Ziggy Hood, and Sean Spence. Let Tomlin pick or maybe the hot dog guy.

  21. Look for the 49ers to move up into the top 20 for a blue-chip CB or WR if one falls into range. They have two picks in each the 2nd and 3rd rounds and not many roster holes.

  22. Look for Colin Kaepernick to continue to turn the ball over on big games.

    And In Minnesota there is a petition to secede from the unioun and join Canada in an attempt to finally win a championship. #greycuporbust.

  23. There are several teams in the top fifteen with only five draft picks. I would be surprised if the Niners don’t move up and claim Watkins or Evans.

  24. Haters gonna hate. He is at the league meeting, where, you know, execs from the league are meeting. It would appear that at this league meeting, more people are asking about trading down than trading up. He is there and you arent, so quit sniveling about what he says. And once again, anyone who still thinks the Steelers have an old team is a hater and doesnt follow the team, and probably doesnt even follow football. Football knowledge is how you tell the football haters from the football fans.

  25. Hopefully the Bills rob another team this year with a haul like last year…essentially trading Tavon Austin for EJ Manuel, Kiko Alonso and Marquise Goodwin.

    They are in the perfect spot to do so again, as well, sitting at #9…a QB or OT could end up falling to them, so could Watkins…and although they could use him, I think they rather grab a WR with some size.

    As for the 49ers, nobody in the top-15 is going to trade that pick for theirs and a 2nd or 3rd rounder…not a chance. It will cost them ALOT to move up high enough.

  26. Most of you like to tear down the steelers. For one 49er fans you should be a great team with specially when in the whole decade of drafting in the top 10. Seattle is a great team they were drafing in the top 10 since 05. When you haven’t had a loosing season since 03 and constantly drafting 15 and later. You only wish you guys were pittsburgh and new England. As for sea & sf you have barely enough cap space to sign draft picks and your going to have to sign kap & Wilson nxt year you have a 4 year window and its closing fast Seattle won a sb. Next year will be there last chance for a long while. Sherman, Thomas and Wilson all for contracts. So befor you bash pittsburgh and colbert etc….. your going to go through the same thing in 2 years and your going to be lucky if you can win at least 8 games.

  27. Colbert is absolutely right. The NFL is not the NBA, where just 2 elite-caliber athletes and some role players can make a dynasty.

    The NFL involves MORE than 22 offensive and defensive starters — given all the sub-packages. This does not even count all the special teams ballers, the depth, the developmental talent.

    In the NFL, one needs a sustained assemblage of not only quality but quantity — or weaknesses will be targeted and taken advantage of.

  29. Everyone wants to trade back because the draft is deep but there are no can’t miss guys at the top.

    Clowney is the only elite talent but he may be a head case. After him there’s a ton of guys who are mid first rounders.

    The draft probably has 50 guys with first round talent but only 1 or 2 with true top 10 talent.

    With so much talent in this draft, it will be interesting to see how the Browns manage to avoid getting some good players.

    At least the browns found a team dumber than them to trade them for Richardson.

  30. Why does everyone think the 9ers need to draft a Wr?? I’m not a fan of them. Far from it. But from the outside looking in you already have “the greatest hands every to play the game” in crabtree(according to only their coach even if that guy doesn’t have the best hands on his team currently or in the history of that teams franchise not including everyone outside of that franchise) boldin, Davis and a good running game. I believe they have a decent slot guy but I can’t remember nor do I really care. If your qb can’t win with those targets maybe you should be looking to trade up for a qb because your qb is garbage.

  31. The steelers should swap picks with the Vikings since they love giving away draft picks. Do what New England did last year 4 picks for 1

  32. If ever a Pittsburgh Steelers GM should be on the hot seat, it’s this guy. How many bad drafts can one guy have and still maintain a job.
    Look, I understand that the team will keep Tomlin if for no other reason than it is fashionable, but at least give the guy some weapons.

  33. If it’s so deep, I’m sure he’s now regretting trading this years 3rd to the Browns.

  34. Oh frigging quit it! Do any of you have a brain? High or low dosen’t matter, teams look at potential and health. Who can do what and for how much, can we shape a player into what we need as a team. The players coming out of college are rarely plug and play, players. The rest is dictated by the cap, injuries and agents.

  35. The Browns have drafted high for 15yrs. Because that 3rd rd pick is from us it feels extra special. Psst. We get a 3rd for Wallace….

  36. The latter of the same is how has he performed through his career, is he worth keeping? (Something left in the tank) and can we as a team keep things under the cap. I look at it also from a versatility perspective. Can the team have you step up in a different position if necessary? Sure there’s always younger but younger dosen’t always have bodily awareness or the smarts to get it done. I’m not saying it can’t be done right out of college but time dictates expertise. ROCK ON IKE TAYLOR (#7 coming up)

  38. Colberts one of the best GM in the business. He talks people listen. Can’t wait to see which sucker team trys and trade up with the steelers.

  39. Steelers organization, the best in the NFL!.. Its sad other teams has not done it, the Steelers way!!!!

  41. Nothing will change. Some think quantity over quality while others think quality over quantity.

  42. This guy is steering a once proud franchise in the ground!! The steelers are going to suck for a long time with this clown drafting no talent players year after year!!!

  43. I can’t wait for when some trades do happen, and media members will then criticize the teams that trade down for “not getting enough according to the trade chart”, as if said chart has any relevance in 2014.

  45. “Strategy Expert”—best draft in 30 years, yet no real can’t-miss player. This is THE DEFINITION of a trading down frenzy. Maybe YOU should look into what you’re talking about, as opposed to a high-end GM who’s been doing it for 15-20 years.

  46. You people all bashing the Steelers as “old” are MORONS! First off, those jokes are old. Get some new material. They are alot younger than alot of teams. Second, the reason some teams are so young is because they don’t win, don’t resign superstars and have no championship team to keep in tact. People saying Colbert is a bad GM, learn before posting BS. He’s been drafting for the Steelers since 2000, giving him at least 3 future H.O.Fers under his belt and possibly more (Roethlisberger, Polamalu, Harrison). How many can your team claim? The truth is, Pittsburgh will get #7 before anybody else gets 5 and you hate it! And to you Seattle and 49er fans, beware. You will see in a few years what it’s like to be salary cap strapped with aging stars. It’s the price of #winning!

  47. I would tend to agree.
    This is not a good draft class.
    So you find back ups and developmental players you hope to coach up into becoming a player.

    Only a perpetually poor drafting team (you know who they are) would waste a 1st round pick on a QB in this draft. The WR’s are even worse.

    Poor drafting teams seem to think guys with an arrest record are a bargain but 90% of them are less than worthless.

  48. Look for every team to call the 49ers even though they draft #30 so they can pick up an extra 2 or 3 and a late rounder. I wouldn’t rule out the 49ers trading back either.

  50. That clown you speak of drafted casey Hampton, troy, ben, ike, Timmons, ab, wallace, countless studs on the d. You know what im talking about 2 sb wins 3 appearances in 10 years. So sorry for your lack of football knowledge. But ill take a couple of bad years over the 15 years for the browns, 10 years of Seattle, 20 years of the 49ers, 40 years of the vikings and so on. Like I said earlier Seattle & sf your window is closing fast, vikings & browns it never opened theres not even a window in the house for you to open. So talk talk all you want, if your not a pittsburgh, New England, giants or even green bay get off the page cuz you have nothing but disappointment and whats funny is you even had the Tampa Bay win a superbowl b4 the browns and vikings thats just sad 1 of the only teams in history to go winless

  52. I’ve been a Steelers fan for almost 40 years. SCREW trading down, grow a pair and trade up and TAKE who you want instead of waiting and hoping. For the Steelers, there’s a few guy’s worth trading up for that are top players, and fill a need. Evans, Mack and Gilbert to name a few. I also hope they draft a kid like A.J. McCarron or Aaron Murray in the 3rd or 4th round and dump Landry Jones, Who NEVER should have been taken in the 4th

  53. I think this was a great way for Kevin C. to announce to all teams that the Steelers are looking to trade down. Every team now knows and the phone lines are open!

  54. “The truth is, Pittsburgh will get #7 before anybody else gets 5 and you hate it!”

    I’m pretty sure Dallas and SF would disagree with you.

  56. I’ve been a niner fan since birth. funny how many seahawk fan have showed up the last two years we never put paper bags over our heads at the stadium I’m just saying. … and @pittsburgh361 lol its funny you say 20 years of disappointments for us niner fans it took you guys almost 30 years to win a super bowl after the 70s so stop that… and you guys played the seahawks to win the super bowl and the cardinals… and you guys shouldve lost to the seahawks don’t flatter yourself bud we will get to 7 first

  57. Doesn’t it make sense to trade down every year?
    First Round picks are something like 50% decent, 50% awful.

    It’s probably better to load up with draft picks around the 2nd – 5th round area.

    Trade up with the 6th and 7th round picks, trade down with the 1st round pick.

    Stock Pile that upper mid zone of the draft.

  58. It but in our 20 years we have been to the big dance 4 times and your 20 years once and got beat by joe flucco. 05 Seahawks #1 ranked offense 08 cardinals top 5 2010 gb aaron rodgers enough said. 2013 ravens Sf got flacco paid. Enable to have 7 you have to tie our 6 and thats 1 more than you have go ahead and kapernick on that!!!!!

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