Eagles Stole Steelers' Pick with Cowboys Trade After Phone Call to WR at 2026 NFL Draft

The Pittsburgh Steelers were on the phone with wide receiver Makai Lemon about drafting him with the No. 21 pick of the 2026 NFL draft when the Philadelphia Eagles traded up to snag him at No. 20, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Thursday.

Lemon later told his side of the story:

The Eagles were trying to call Lemon while making the trade, "but he wasn't answering because he was already on the phone with the Steelers," Rapoport reported.

The Eagles traded the No. 23 pick and two fourth-rounders to the Dallas Cowboys in order to acquire a 2027 seventh-rounder and the chance to draft Lemon.

The Eagles might be adding wide receiver depth with the understanding that the franchise could be parting ways with A.J. Brown later this offseason.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported earlier this week that Brown is "likely" to be traded to the New England Patriots on or after June 1.

The franchises would wait until June to deal Brown because his cap hit becomes easier to move after that date, per Schefter.

The Eagles are bringing back DeVonta Smith after his third career 1,000-yard season in 2025, and the franchise has already added two other wideouts in Hollywood Brown and Dontayvion Wicks.

Lemon will now join that wide receiver room to help the Eagles brace for Brown's potential exit.

The Steelers were meanwhile heading into the draft in search of a wide receiver after losing Calvin Austin III in free agency.

Pittsburgh responded to Austin's exit by trading for and extending Michael Pittman Jr., who joined a wide receiver room led by DK Metcalf and Roman Wilson.

The Steelers will have to look further down their board if they still want to draft wide receiver help. After the New York Jets drafted Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr. at No. 30, the top five wide receivers on Bleacher Report's final big board have all heard their names called.

The most pressing question for the Steelers this offseason remains who will be starting under center. Mason Rudolph and Will Howard are currently staffing the quarterback room as the franchise waits for news as to whether Aaron Rodgers will return in 2026.