The Pittsburgh Steelers entered the NFL Draft intending on getting bigger, stronger, and more physical. On that front, the Steelers accomplished their goal.
Adding two defensive tackles in Derrick Harmon and Yahya Black added mass, athleticism, and versatility to the defensive line. Running back Kaleb Johnson fills the need for a powerful presence in the backfield after Najee Harris departed in free agency, and edge rusher Jack Sawyer’s play strength shows up in his run defense.
Those are solid investments that had many declaring Pittsburgh winners of the 2025 NFL Draft. However, the opportunity cost included passing on high-profile quarterbacks like Shedeur Sanders and Jalen Milroe, opting for Ohio State’s Will Howard in Round 6.
It also prevented the Steelers from adding one of the draft’s better defensive backs, which helped Albert Breer list them as a landing spot for Pro Bowl cornerback Jaire Alexander in a recent mailbag.
“Rob, I could throw the San Francisco 49ers, Rams, Steelers and Chiefs out there as teams that entered the draft with needs at the position, and didn’t take corners in the first two rounds of the draft,” Breer wrote.
“The question, to me, comes down to money. He’s due $17.5 million this year. And, because of his recent injury history, that’s shown to be a bit rich for interested teams. Alexander, meanwhile, would rather be cut so he can pick his destination, and he might not be willing to help with a contract adjustment to facilitate a trade.
“I would think, at this point, the most likely scenario is that he’s back on a reduced contract that has incentives. We’ll see,” Breer concluded.
At his current price, Alexander might not be a trade candidate for anybody. Per Over the Cap, he carries a $24.6 million cap hit as currently constructed, and the Packers would incur a $17 million dead cap charge by trading him before June 1 (and approximately $7 million after).
Alexander negotiating a new, cheaper deal is a non-starter, assuming he isn’t just released.
Further, acquiring Alexander to be a starter isn’t a smooth fit. Neither he, Joey Porter Jr., nor Darius Slay is experienced (or particularly well equipped) to play inside. Pittsburgh can use an upgrade in the slot and is banking on improvement from Beanie Bishop Jr.
Alexander on the Steelers roster, best fits as a fourth corner who is primary depth on the boundary. He’s played just 14 games over the last two seasons and 34 since the start of 2021. Pittsburgh can’t rely on his health, although he’s remained productive when healthy, and he’s not willingly signing up to sit.
Expect the Steelers to look elsewhere if a late-offseason move comes to fruition.
