Three Steelers Who Could Be Traded Before Aaron Rodgers’ Final Season Ends

The Pittsburgh Steelers are all in on 2026. Aaron Rodgers has said he’ll retire after this season, which gives the franchise one real shot at a Super Bowl with a future Hall of Famer under center. They’ve added pieces around him, made some smart signings, and the roster looks deeper than it did a year ago.

But being all in doesn’t mean everybody stays.

In fact, there are a few players on this roster who could become trade bait before the deadline hits. Not because they’re bad. Because the math of the salary cap and the reality of roster construction forces hard decisions. Here are three Steelers who might get moved before the 2026 season is over.

Kaleb Johnson never really got going

Remember when the Steelers used a third-round pick on Kaleb Johnson thinking he could split carries with Jaylen Warren? That didn’t happen. Johnson managed 28 carries for 68 yards in 10 games as a rookie. That’s not a typo. That’s a guy who could not get on the field.

Now Pittsburgh signed Rico Dowdle, who ran for 1,076 yards and six touchdowns for the Panthers last season. Dowdle is the RB2 now, and it’s hard to see Johnson leapfrogging him. The Steelers could give Johnson another shot in camp, but his role looks small. If another team calls offering anything useful — a late-round pick, a depth piece at a position of need — Pittsburgh has to think about it.

Alex Highsmith might be the odd man out on the edge

The Steelers spend more on edge rushers than any team in the league. T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, and Nick Herbig combine for nearly $67 million against the 2026 cap. That’s a lot of money for one position group, even if it makes the defense scary on paper.

Highsmith carries a $20.1 million cap hit this year, and it goes up to $21 million in 2027. He’s still a good player. But he’s also the easiest of the three to trade without destroying the cap down the line. If a contender loses a pass rusher to injury midseason, Highsmith becomes a very attractive rental. The Steelers could tier down, pick up a young player and some draft capital, and keep competing with Watt and Herbig on the edges.

Jack Sawyer is on a rookie deal, so he’s not going anywhere.

Jalen Ramsey has been traded before. Could it happen again?

Jalen Ramsey is no stranger to getting shipped out. Jacksonville traded him to the Rams. The Rams sent him to Miami. Miami moved him to Pittsburgh. If the Steelers start 2026 badly — say, under .500 and falling out of the AFC North race — the front office might be tempted to cash in on him one more time.

Ramsey still played well in 2025. He had 88 tackles, three sacks, one interception, and eight passes defensed. A contending team would absolutely give up a mid-round pick to add a cornerback like that for a playoff run. His cap hit is $19.5 million in 2026, which puts him just inside the top five at his position in average salary. That’s fair value for his talent.

If he doesn’t get moved at the 2026 deadline, there’s a good chance he’s traded in the 2027 offseason once Rodgers is gone. Either way, it feels like Ramsey has one more trade left in him.