So, if you could trade JPJ and the 2027 first rounder

You don't know that lol you don't just draft guys off their college numbers alone, but for their ability to become an excellent player at the next level. There are a ton of guys that looked like sure-fire hits in college that were garbage pros, while guys who didn't look like "franchise" guys in college turned out to be exactly that in the NFL. Arch has been a starter in exactly one college season. He will have at least one more college season before declaring for the draft.

Also, there's no circus with the Manning's. This isn't a Deion Sanders thing.... Lots of NFL players had fathers that were players. It wouldn't be the first time, and it's not even like he's Peyton or Eli's kid.

I agree that franchise QB is harder to find than a lock down corner... though corner is still a high priority position. Only QB and Edge Rusher are more important IMO, and it is on par with LT and WR. I completely disagree that Porter isn't a top CB though. Just about every measurable metric proves that he is. He may never have the INT numbers that Pat Surtain II or Derek Stingley Jr. does, but in coverage his career is very comparable. He is excellent in not allowing completions, having a low QBR when targeted, and is elite at not allowing TD's. So what if he gets a couple extra flags a season? Pat Surtain II (probably my pick for the best corner in the league) has allowed 13 TD's in 5 years. JPJ has allowed 1 in 3 years. To me, the fact that he doesn't allow completions/pig plays/TD's offsets the lack of picks and higher than normal penalties. He also greatly improved his penalties in year 3, so he may (or may not be) progressing in that area.

I understand wanting high picks, but a really good player is always worth more than a really good pick. Its why guys like Sauce Gardner get traded for multiple first rounders, or Myles Garrett gets traded for a first, second, third, and a player that was a recent first round pick. The good player is ALWAYS worth more than a good pick. Roughly 20% of all first round picks end up an All Pro at some point in their career. We don't know if Porter would be an All Pro at some point or not, but as of right now an All Pro player would be better than JPJ. It is also true that roughly 50% of first round picks are busts or not worth their draft selection. You're willing to trade JPJ and his abilities for a 20% chance that we end up with a better player and a coin flip chance at a complete bust? That is wild, and the type of gambling logic that would make a GM have a very short career. I understand there is a limited amount of money for the roster, and I can be convinced of an argument that we could spend that money elsewhere to help the team... but to act like Porter isn't worth high end CB money is ridiculous. It is just something fans say as a coping mechanism if he ends up leaving, like "we don't need him". He is an excellent corner. He is absolutely worth more than $30m a year to play corner in the NFL in 2026. Whether or not the Steelers feel that spending $30m a year on Porter is what is best for the future of the team is irrelevant to that fact.

Who cares what we do with Howard and Allar if we pick Manning? We can do whatever we want with them... cut them, trade them, develop them... literally anything. My bet would be that we develop the one of the two we liked better and cut or trade the other one, but that is just me speculating. The real answer is that we don't HAVE to wait and see with either QB if we think a better chance at a franchise QB comes available to us on draft night. The FO's goal is to get the next franchise QB of this team. If they feel like spending capital on Arch Manning gives us the best shot at that, then by all means, do it. We'd feel real dumb if Manning turned into a really good player and we pulled the "wait and see" on Allar, only to find out he ain't it.

 

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Thieneman is a safer bet to start from day one and to become a quality player. In fact, he is starting from day one for the Bears. In addition to a high floor, he also has a high ceiling. He plays a position of tremendous need for the Steelers. Terrible play by the safeties was a huge part of the problem on defense last year, and it is likely to be more of the same in 2026. Thieneman was also a more highly-rated player, consistently in the top 20 on pre-draft rankings. Iheanachor was projected at least 10 picks later in most rankings I saw.

 

You win by building up the trenches which is what they're doing, if they hit on Max and Dunker their OL could be set for their next franchise QB.

 

You win by building up the talent level of the entire team. That means taking value where you find it. The NFL is a passing league now. The secondary is more important than ever. Of course, the quarterback is the most important thing, but otherwise, some of these position biases just get in the way.

The Steelers have been making poor decisions that have weakened the talent level on this team for years. Tomlin was a big part of that, but he coached in a way that masked it by keeping them slightly above water and mostly in the playoffs. That thinking needs to stop, but it didn't in the draft and they are probably going to pay for it all season.

 

I think the Steelers need to go all in to trade up as high as they can in the 2027 draft. They're never going to be a serious SB contender until they get a franchise QB, and I don't care what they have to do to get one.

 

I am personally happy we found out that Drew Allar flamed out so bad the team needed to draft a QB in Round One of the 2027 NFL Mock Draft! For that matter, I didn't even know we are in the year 2027 until today!! How time flies!!

 

Hopefully Allar (or Howard) will be that guy, but unless Rodgers get injured this year we're not going have any idea how they'll do in regular season games. QB is still going to be the big question mark in 2027. If they can trade up to maybe draft a guy like Arch Manning or Dante Moore, I'd be all for it, even if it means giving up Joey Porter Jr.

 

It's unlikely for this to happen IMO.

1) We're building the team to try to stay in the Groundhog Day loop, so we'll start with a low-ish pick.
2) It's a good QB draft so the prices to trade up will be higher.
3) Other teams that need QBs are likely going to try to be bad so they can draft a QB (instead of bring back Rodgers to either just miss the playoffs or get in and get smoked in the WC game).

As long as the team philosophy stays the same, the way we get our next really good QB will probably be like the way we get Ben.

Have an unlucky down year right into the middle of a generationally good QB class. And still need a team like the Browns to be incredibly stupid.

So we'll probably pick up like the 4th or 5th best QB in a class and hope he can be good enough that he's not too heavy for the defense to carry. This is probably the plan for the two late round guys we already have on the team.

 

if Kenny Pickett had come out a year later, he would have been the 4th or 5th best QB in the class and our choice still would have been Kenny or not.