The Pittsburgh Steelers are getting one nice benefit from picking at the top of the second round, but they won’t be receiving the other benefit that typically comes from drafting No. 32 overall.
The Steelers acquired the Chicago Bears’ 2023 second-round pick in the Chase Claypool trade. Thanks to the Bears finishing with the worst record in the league in 2022, that pick turned out to be the first of the second round. Typically, the first pick of the second round would be the No. 33 overall selection. But the Steelers lucked out with the Miami Dolphins forfeiting their first-round pick thanks to tampering violations. Pittsburgh now gets to pick a spot higher than expected and theoretically can draft a slightly better player.
However, they’re not getting one typical benefit that comes with the No. 32 overall pick.
There is a huge difference between first-round and second-round picks in the NFL. Teams have a fifth-year contract option for players they draft in the first round but do not have that option for players drafted in the second round or later.
Even though teams drafting No. 32 overall typically holds the rights to that player for five years, the Steelers (or whomever ends up drafting No. 32 overall in the case the pick is traded) won’t have that luxury. The player drafted No. 32 overall this year will be regarded as a second-round pick and will therefore only be under contract for four years.
The fifth-year contract option is regarded as highly valuable for teams that have struck gold with one of their first-round picks, especially for quarterbacks. For instance, the Baltimore Ravens made Lamar Jackson the No. 32 overall pick in 2018 and were able to exercise their fifth-year option for him in 2022. Jackson received $23 million last season, which is well over what he earned in his first four seasons, but still below market for an MVP-quality quarterback.
Pittsburgh holds three draft picks in the top 49 and might not keep all of them though.
