There was a time when the Steelers were seen as a shining example in the NFL, but recent years haven’t been kind to them.
The situation took a turn for the worse recently when general manager Omar Khan had a rather awkward phone call with receiver Makai Lemon. During the call, another phone went off in Lemon’s camp, letting him know he’d just become the 21st overall pick.
The Eagles made their move, trading up from No. 23 to No. 20 to snatch Lemon away, capitalizing on the Steelers’ misstep of calling late.
“Hey, why is Philadelphia calling?” Lemon questioned Khan.
“This is Philadelphia,” said the voice on the line, later identified as Lemon’s agent. “They just traded for you. They’re taking you now.”
The Steelers, hosting the draft in front of a record crowd of 320,000, quickly switched gears to select offensive tackle Max Iheanakor. Khan and head coach Mike McCarthy then attempted to convince everyone this was part of the original plan.
“I’m really glad he’s still there where we’re picking him,” Khan commented. “You have to trust your board. You could see how things changed and it put us in the right position.”
Khan mentioned that they had chances to trade either up or down but opted not to stray from their choice of Iheanakor. I think that makes sense.
“Everything happening around us affects the discussions,” Khan remarked with a nonchalant attitude. “It’s just a draft.”
This draft blunder comes as the Steelers are still grappling with deciding on the future of free agent quarterback Aaron Rodgers, now in his second consecutive offseason of being in limbo, with no clear backup plan in sight.
Following the unexpected resignation of longtime coach Mike Tomlin in January, the Steelers embarked on their fourth coaching search since 1969, breaking tradition by hiring McCarthy, a 62-year-old with prior experience, who’s also a native of Pittsburgh.
As for noteworthy moments in the first round:
Winner: QB Jacoby Brissett, Cardinals
If the Cardinals had picked quarterback Ty Simpson, Brissett’s standing could have been jeopardized in terms of his contract during workouts.
But with Simpson landing elsewhere, Brissett’s job security looks more stable. He’s not facing a serious challenge for the starting position.
Loser: Sean McVay, Rams
Was the Rams’ head coach really thrilled about choosing Simpson?
It seems odd that general manager Les Snead selected a well-known quarterback talent without having first confirmed the future of MVP Matthew Stafford. It raises questions about their strategy.
Winner: New York Football
Both the Jets and Giants have had dismal records in recent years, but each made substantial upgrades in this draft. The Giants snagged linebacker Arbel Reese and offensive lineman Francis Mauigore, while the Jets fortified their pass rush with David Bailey along with two promising receivers.
Both teams had high picks in the previous drafts but failed to turn things around. Maybe this time will be different.
Loser: EDGE Ruben Bain Jr., Buccaneers
Bain was projected to go as high as the fourth pick but ended up at 15 with the Buccaneers.
This might be linked to questions about his arm length or the recent revelation regarding his involvement in a tragic accident during his college years.
The financial gap between the fourth pick and the fifteenth is significant.
Winner: Cowboys
Everyone knew the Cowboys needed to improve their defense, and they hit the mark by selecting one of the top defensive talents in Caleb Downs at No. 12. They maneuvered their picks cleverly, maintaining focus on their defensive needs.
Plus, receiver George Pickens resolved his holdout by signing the franchise tag.
Loser: Bills fans
Imagine pulling an all-nighter, only to find your team traded down multiple times and landed no first-round pick.
One of those trades involved their rivals, the Patriots, who went on to select an offensive tackle.
Winner: Browns
The Browns executed their game plan efficiently, landing an offensive lineman and a receiver with two first-round picks, choosing right tackle Spencer Fano and receiver KC Concepcion.
Loser: Vikings
The Vikings managed to land defensive tackle Caleb Banks at No. 18, which some viewed as a reach, along with snapping up quarterback J.J. McCarthy, which seemed risky given varying opinions on him.
Winner: Notre Dame Running Backs
This marked a first in NFL history with only two running backs from the same college being drafted in the first round.
Loser: Tennessee Cornerbacks
Jermod McCoy and Colton Hood were expected to be key players, but neither got drafted, leaving Chris Johnson as a surprising top cornerback choice.
