A lot of sites floating the idea around that the Steelers should trade a mid-round draft selection for Dallas' ILB Leighton Vander Esch. I'm not sure I'd be on board with that move. First, while we can guess that the Steelers have two comp picks coming somewhere between rounds 3 and 5 of next year's draft, we know for a certain that they don't have a 4th or a 5th round selection at this point (4th went to Miami for Loudermilk and the 5th went to the Jets for Williamson last year). So, that leaves the Steelers with little draft capital to swing the trade. Unless they feel that Vander Esch is worth a 3rd round draft pick in next year's draft. I don't; and the reason is his recent injury history.
Vander Esch was a good LB during his rookie year. He gathered 140 tackles and 2 INTs in 16 games played (11 starts). Unfortunately, that rookie year was the only year he completed a full season out of the three years he's been in the league. In the 2019 season, a neck injury that would require surgery limited Vander Esch to playing in only 9 games. His stats for that season include 72 tackles, 0 INTs and 1/2 sack. 2020 brought much of the same. This time a broken collarbone limited him to 9 games, 60 tackles, 0 INTs and 1 sack. The production is there when he's able to get (and stay) on the field. The problem is that he seems a little fragile.
The best ability is availability. It's an ability that Vander Esch hasn't provided/shown much of over the last two years. Given the Steelers lack of mid-round draft picks in next year's draft, I'd take a hard pass on taking the gamble that he'd suddenly improve on his injury history in Pittsburgh. Also, for a team that's up against the cap right now, Vander Esch's guaranteed salary of $2,095,608 would be hard to swallow.
Vander Esch was a good LB during his rookie year. He gathered 140 tackles and 2 INTs in 16 games played (11 starts). Unfortunately, that rookie year was the only year he completed a full season out of the three years he's been in the league. In the 2019 season, a neck injury that would require surgery limited Vander Esch to playing in only 9 games. His stats for that season include 72 tackles, 0 INTs and 1/2 sack. 2020 brought much of the same. This time a broken collarbone limited him to 9 games, 60 tackles, 0 INTs and 1 sack. The production is there when he's able to get (and stay) on the field. The problem is that he seems a little fragile.
The best ability is availability. It's an ability that Vander Esch hasn't provided/shown much of over the last two years. Given the Steelers lack of mid-round draft picks in next year's draft, I'd take a hard pass on taking the gamble that he'd suddenly improve on his injury history in Pittsburgh. Also, for a team that's up against the cap right now, Vander Esch's guaranteed salary of $2,095,608 would be hard to swallow.
