Steelers Now
While Justin Fields has staved off his demotion from the starting spot thanks to an injury to Tyrod Taylor and a win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, the other former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback in New York remains bolted to the bench with less than a week to go before the trade deadline, and the Steelers’ compensatory 2026 NFL Draft pick haul is sliding as a result.
Russell Wilson was benched by the New York Giants after just three games as the team’s starting quarterback, with rookie Jaxon Dart, and that doesn’t appear to be a move that the Giants will be reversing any time soon.
In five games, Dart has a 90.8 passer rating, a 61.4 QBR and a 5.97 adjusted net yards per attempt, compared to 78.2, 31.3 and 5.48 for Wilson.
While there have been rumors, the Giants also haven’t traded Wilson to another team where the 10-time Pro Bowler might be able to get some playing time.
Playing time for Wilson is important to the Steelers, who are counting on Wilson’s departure to New York earning them a compensatory draft pick for the 2026 NFL Draft.
With Wilson’s playing time percentage plummeting while he sits on the bench, the Steelers’ projected return is dropping.
According to Over the Cap, Wilson, who had initially been projected to net a fifth-round pick in return. He’s now fallen to a sixth-round return, according to to OTC.
Wilson could revive his status if he either takes back over for Dart — unlikely — or is traded to another team that will play him.
The Steelers other picks, a third-rounder for Dan Moore Jr., a fourth-rounder for Justin Fields and a sixth-rounder for Donte Jackson, seem relatively secure at this point.
Fields is near the top of the fourth-round list, and could possibly rise to the third round status if he’s able to maintain his starting role for the rest of the season — something that seemed very unlikely a week ago.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Steelers 2026 NFL Draft Compensatory Pick Haul Faltering
