On paper, the Minkah Fitzpatrick trade may have looked like the smart thing to do. Pittsburgh acquired a young, talented DB who can play both corner and safety. With Miami paying the signing bonus, the Steelers are on the hook for just $5.78 million over the next three seasons. And, they had the hole in the starting lineup with Sean Davis being put on IR. It seemed right to make the move. Except, it may have cost them everything.
To get Fitzpatrick, the Steelers parted ways with their first round pick. With Ben Roethlisberger sidelined for the season with an elbow injury, Pittsburgh’s season could go south quickly. New starter Mason Rudolph has believers, but for someone who’s unproven at this level, the range of outcomes is wide. A team that started 0-2 with Roethlisberger doesn’t instill much hope without him.
How far could this Steelers team fall? Without Roethlisberger, they could find themselves finishing among the league’s worst. They still have to face the Ravens twice, the Rams, and the Chargers. They’ll meet the Browns twice as well, which could go either way based on how Cleveland has performed so far. If they do continue their spiral with Rudolph at the helm, Pittsburgh’s draft selection could fall in the top five. Instead of the Steelers reaping the benefits of the lost season, it would be the Dolphins, who have now stockpiled three first round selections.
The potential that comes with a top five pick is special any year, but this year it could mean even more. Unlike this year’s draft, there are multiple quarterbacks who could be taken in the first three selections of 2020. Oregon’s Justin Herbert, Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa, and Georgia’s Jake Fromm are expected to be first round selections while guys like LSU’s Joe Burrow are climbing up the charts.
Pittsburgh is counting big on Ben Roethlisberger’s healthy return from a very serious injury. He was complaining about numbness in his fingers. That’s what we’ve heard from many signal callers who have decided to call it a career. This could be something that ends Roethlisberger’s, but he plans on coming back next year and performing well. He’s already near the end of his career and was given a questionable contract extension. You have to plan for the possibility that this is the end for Big Ben. Instead of having a shot to draft the next franchise QB, Pittsburgh will take a versatile DB. It’s an important position, no doubt. However, it’s not nearly as important as the face of your team.
Miami has three shots to draft their franchise quarterback this year between Pittsburgh’s pick, Houston’s pick, and their own. On top of that, they’ll have two second rounders. Oh, and they have two firsts and two seconds in 2021. Pittsburgh made a move to improve the roster for now, but they could’ve set up their team for even more success in the future.