Insider Hints What Position Steelers Are Eyeing For A Trade Up In First Round Of 2026 NFL Draft

It's no secret the Pittsburgh Steelers have a lot of pundits curious as to which direction this roster is heading in the 2026 season. Now that free agency has settled down a little bit, the Steelers are beginning to focus all their attention on the 2026 NFL Draft. Steelers General Manager Omar Khan and Mike McCarthy are loaded up with 12 draft picks to make some exciting additions to this roster. With so much uncertainty, so many picks, and the draft inching closer and closer, the conversation around team needs and potential trade scenarios has only intensified.

Insider Gerry Dulac has recently shed light on what position Khan may be prioritizing behind the scenes if the opportunity to move up or make a deal presents itself. While the organization has been careful not to tip its hand publicly, league chatter suggests there is a clear focus on strengthening a specific area of the roster that could impact both immediate competitiveness and long-term stability. That level of discretion has only fueled speculation among fans and analysts trying to connect the dots.

"They are not going to move up to take a guard," Dulac said. "And there are enough WRs that they don't need to give up a prime draft pick merely to move up. Now safety...?"

Dulac made it seem as if Khan and the Steelers would not move up for a wide receiver, considering the talent pool is deep enough that Pittsburgh could keep a prime pick without trading up. The position he mentioned was safety, which is somewhat exciting given that there are several talented players in this draft. 

Several top safety prospects are expected to come off the board early, with Caleb Downs projected as a top-10 pick and drawing mock selections as high as second overall, while other first-round names like Dillon Thieneman and Emmanuel McNeil-Warren are being slotted anywhere from the mid-first to early second round. Meanwhile, mid-round options such as Kamari Ramsey and AJ Haulcy are projected to provide additional depth on Day 2, giving teams multiple tiers of talent to evaluate at the position.

Steelers Could Use Youth At The Safety Spot

The Steelers' secondary is getting deeper and players like Jalen Ramsey, DeShon Elliott, and Jaquan Brisker will lead the way. The team does have that group covered for now. Even so, they could still use some youth at the position moving forward.

If the Steelers do end up targeting that position via trade during the draft, it could signal a decisive shift in how the front office views its current core and future direction. With a surplus of draft capital at their disposal, Khan has the flexibility to be aggressive if the right scenario emerges. As the draft approaches, all eyes will remain on Pittsburgh to see whether this rumored focus turns into a bold move that reshapes the roster in a meaningful way.

The need for a safety isn’t desperate, but it’s far from nothing. Many pundits would call the Steelers' need for a safety in the 2026 NFL Draft as rather high. They could use additional depth, especially at a younger age, while also wanting to avoid missing out on the 2026 NFL Draft safety class, widely viewed as a generational group in this class. Interior offensive line, guard, and wide receiver are the other main positions many pundits are looking at the Steelers to target early in the draft. Soon, Steeler Nation will find out much more about the future of McCarthy's team.

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