The Pittsburgh Steelers could add another NFL bloodline to their roster.
As the NFL trade deadline draws closer, many are wondering if the Pittsburgh Steelers will be buyers or sellers. However, NFL analyst Bill Barnwell of ESPN thinks they should be buyers, specifically for a player with strong relations to the team.
Barnwell proposes the Steelers trade a 2028 sixth-round pick to the Las Vegas Raiders for safety Isaiah Pola-Mao, the nephew of Steelers legend and Pro Football Hall of Famer Troy Polamalu .
"Here's another defensive back with a realistic shot of being moved before the deadline. Pola-Mao started at free safety for the Raiders in 2024 and 2025 under then-coordinator Patrick Graham. Las Vegas signed the homegrown starter to a two-year, $7.6 million extension before the 2025 season, but second-round pick Treydan Stukes won the starting job in camp this summer, and the Raiders don't play many three-safety looks," Barnwell wrote .
"Pittsburgh is using Jaquan Brisker and rookie seventh-round pick Robert Spears-Jennings at safety, with Jalen Ramsey playing in a hybrid slot/safety role. Brisker's injury history and Spears-Jennings' inexperience would suggest that the Steelers would be wise to at least add a veteran safety as depth."
Oct 18, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers safety Jaquan Brisker (3) and Pittsburgh Steelers safety Robert Spears-Jennings (28) celebrate after a play during the fourth quarter against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Morgan Tencza-Imagn ImagesCredit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Steelers did recently release veteran safety Rayshawn Jenkins — a sign that safety DeShon Elliott is likely set to return from his length injury absence soon.
However, it remains to be seen what type of player Elliott will be coming off his injury, and while Spears-Jennings has shown flashes thus far, it may not be the smartest move by the team to fully rely on the rookie for the rest of the season.
An undrafted free agent out of the 2022 NFL Draft, Pola-Mao has recorded 236 tackles, three sacks, two forced fumbles, 10 passes defensed and three interceptions in his professional career.
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