Mark Madden: Trading up is right move for Steelers, who need to draft a great player

The Pittsburgh Steelers are stuck in the mushy middle. Finish middle, draft middle, stay middle. That happens when you set the bar at your coach never having a losing season.

The biggest worry is “draft middle.” Drafting high is how you escape the cycle. But finishing middle doesn’t allow that.

The Steelers have an out. They absolutely must use it.

The Chicago Bears were dumb enough to trade their second-round choice to the Steelers for receiver Chase Claypool. (It’s still hard to believe that happened.) That selection turned out to be the first one in the second round, 32nd overall. It’s a prime pick.

The Steelers also have the 17th pick overall. Like I said, mushy middle.

The Steelers need to package the 17th and 32nd picks to move up in the first round. If they can do so for less, fine. But if the Steelers can swap those picks to Chicago for the ninth selection, do it. (The Bears may be interested. That’s a rumor, not news.)

Pick tackle Paris Johnson Jr. of Ohio State and finally give the offensive line an anchor. Take defensive lineman Jalen Carter of Georgia and make your defense legitimately elite, not just something you call it.

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The Steelers need to get that kind of player.

Carter is more explosive and should have immediate visible impact.

Once thought of as a likely top-three selection, Carter’s draft stock has dropped some because he got charged with reckless driving and racing in connection with a car accident that killed a college teammate and a Georgia football staffer. Carter also bombed his pro day, showing up nine pounds heavier. But he’s a major talent.

At 6-foot-6, 313 pounds, Johnson is a prototypical stud tackle. He fills a bigger need in a league where offense is everything. Johnson is an investment in protecting your concussion-prone second-year quarterback.

Johnson is also zero potential problem off the field. He has a charitable foundation that raises funds for veterans and disadvantaged youth. Johnson is also an academic. He speaks Chinese. Blame it on the Falun Gong.

Carter won’t help the Steelers outscore Joe Burrow. Johnson might. (Carter could hurt Burrow.)

Anyway, Carter likely will be gone by the ninth pick. Johnson could be, too.

Then you don’t trade up and go back to the original plan, drafting Peezy’s kid. (Trading for the ninth pick wouldn’t happen till after the eighth pick is made, and the Steelers know they can get who they want. Some inexplicably expect it to happen now.)

You’d trade the 17th pick and Claypool for the ninth pick. Think of it that way. It feels like a casino comp. Order something expensive.

The idea of the Steelers trading up makes some flinch because they did so to get Devin Bush. But they also did so to get Troy Polamalu.

The Steelers probably won’t be able to trade up in future years. They won’t have enough assets to deal. They’re going to win between eight and 10 games in each of the next two to three seasons and keep drafting approximately 17th overall.

In the last five seasons, the Steelers have won nine games three times and eight games once. That’s what the Steelers are. (They won 12 in 2020.)

There’s an argument to be made for drafting more good players by keeping that 32nd pick. Depth counts, too.

But the Steelers need to draft a great player.

The Steelers refuse to tank. (Did you know Mike Tomlin has never had a losing season?) So this is their chance.