Steelers news and commentary from Tuesday, April 16th

Welcome to the Terrible Towel Tales, where we’ll highlight some of the latest stories permeating Steelers media for your reading pleasure every Monday through Saturday. In today’s news…

Steelers Won’t Trade Much for Brandon Aiyuk | Noah Strackbein, All Steelers

According to a team source, the Steelers and 49ers trade talks are real. While nothing is imminent, they “would be surprised if it didn’t happen.” But it all comes down to compensation, and Pittsburgh isn’t willing to budge much on price.

With Aiyuk making it publicly known on social media that negotiations aren’t going well with he and the 49ers, it appears any team – like the Steelers – have some advantage in these trade talks. Pittsburgh isn’t willing to overpay for a player who isn’t going to be around long-term with their current team.

What should the expectation be? Just guessing, it feels like a second-round pick and maybe a late-round pick could get the deal done.

Steelers Look Like They Have Budding Star in DT Keeanu Benton | Nick Farabaugh, Steelers Now

The Pittsburgh Steelers got all they wanted from their 2023 NFL Draft class and then some. With solid showings from most players up and down the class, it looks like the group will be one that will pay forward for the future of the franchise. But one of the guys at the center of that is Keeanu Benton.

Benton only had one sack on the season, but his tape jumps off the page. He consistently terrorized teams up front and became a better run defender as the season progressed. Head Coach Mike Tomlin saw Benton grow leaps and bounds and believes the team has something.

Steelers-Cardinals Could Make Draft Trade | Nick Farabaugh, Steelers Now

A potential trade-back partner? The Arizona Cardinals. Arizona holds the No. 4 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and the No. 27 pick in the class, and they may want to move up from the No. 27 overall pick with a litany of day two picks at their disposal to make it happen. Pittsburgh might be the team that could let it happen, too.

Jordan Reid of ESPN has heard that it would be no surprise if the Cardinals were aggressive in making a move up the board to get another talent they covet from No. 27.