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Should the Steelers Buy at the Deadline? Their 6-2 Start Has Only One Win Over a Contender
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- Should the Steelers Buy at the Deadline? Their 6-2 Start Has Only One Win Over a Contender
Pittsburgh just earned an A+ grade for a 27-6 rout of Cleveland, and the Steelers are 6-2 heading into the final stretch before the deadline. ESPN's Bill Barnwell still doesn't think Omar Khan should be buying, and the reason starts with who the Steelers have beaten: only one of those six wins came against a likely contender.
That win was over Cincinnati in Week 3. Barnwell put Pittsburgh in his "shouldn't be adding" tier in his look at what 18 contenders should do , arguing the Steelers are already fully formed, for better or worse.
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Where the Steelers' weak spots are
Oct 25, 2026; Paris, FRA; Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle Troy Fautanu (76) prepares to block New Orleans Saints defensive end Chase Young (99) during the third quarter at Stade de France Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The problems are real. DK Metcalf has struggled, and against the Browns a ball that bounced off his hands turned into an interception, part of a passing-game problem Aaron Rodgers can't hide forever. Rodgers went 13 of 25 for 172 yards in that game, with the run game doing most of the work.
Troy Fautanu has also taken a step back since moving from right tackle to left. His 67.3 overall grade ranks 37th among 69 tackles, and he has allowed 20 pressures and four sacks, according to PFF . The move was a concern as early as the preseason .
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Barnwell's point is that most of the spots Pittsburgh would want to upgrade belong to veterans who aren't leaving the lineup, including Rodgers, Metcalf and Jalen Ramsey. The front seven, led by T.J. Watt and his two sacks Sunday, has been covering for the secondary all season.
The one name that keeps coming up is Colts receiver Josh Downs, who reportedly requested a trade. Pittsburgh is among his suitors , and ESPN's Aaron Schatz likes how his work against zone coverage would fit Rodgers' short passing game.
ESPN's Brooke Pryor reported the Steelers want to protect the draft capital they could need to land a franchise quarterback, though, and Adam Schefter has reported that the Colts' asking price is a third-round pick.
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So should the Steelers buy? A depth corner at the right price wouldn't hurt, but Barnwell's answer is mostly no. Whatever gets this team out of the wild-card round, if it exists, is already in the building on the North Shore.
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This story was originally published by Athlon on Nov 5, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
