There was a lot of hub-bub made about Justin Gilbert‘s release earlier this week. Some fans were complaining that the Steelers “wasted” a pick on the former first round talent from Oklahoma State.

As usual, I disagree with the knee-jerk reaction from Steelers Nation.

Why you may ask?

For starters, it wasn’t the Steelers who spent a first round draft pick to select Gilbert: they instead, spent a future sixth-round draft pick on a player graded as a first round talent.

That’s a big difference, and a significant one.

I know that here in Pittsburgh, we’re used to drafts going our way; especially sixth round draft picks such as Antonio Brown. Players like AB, and Tom Brady, emerging as superstars and potential Hall of Famers, isn’t the norm. For every Antonio Brown, there’s a Justin Brown; a player who doesn’t last long in the league.

That’s why I felt that giving up a future pick to see what Gilbert could do for the Steelers was well worth it. Gilbert was considered the top corner of the 2014 draft class, and was the first player at his position taken that year, 8th overall. There was speculation that the Steelers were interested, with the 15th choice in the NFL Draft that year.

Instead, Gilbert was gone by the time Pittsburgh’s pick came around. Instead, the Steelers selected linebacker Ryan Shazier.

Seeing how things turned out, should make us feel better about our fortunes. The front office can be trusted to make good decisions, and this one was no different in my opinion. Imagine if Gilbert had in fact dropped to the 15th overall pick, and the Steelers had chosen him over Shazier.

That would be a far more disastrous result than giving up a future pick to see if Gilbert could help shore up the Steelers secondary.

With Gilbert’s release, many don’t feel the same way. They feel a draft pick was wasted, but that’s not necessarily true either. By the time the 2018 draft strolls around, the Steelers should be in line to make up for that “lost” pick by receiving one or more compensatory picks from departing free agents.

The result is a net zero loss, as all draft picks can’t be in consideration to make the final 53-man roster following training camp and the preseason.

As for Gilbert, the door is still open for his return to Pittsburgh. Apparently the Browns were still on the hook for Gilbert’s rookie guarantee, while releasing the cornerback avoided paying him money the Steelers felt was too much to pay at this time. A team-friendly deal could be hashed out, to continue the project of whether the first round pick still has first round talent.

While that’s a possibility, it’s not a given. What is a given, is that the Steelers gave up a low risk draft selection to get a high reward player. Yet, the criticism toward the front office isn’t entirely for the Gilbert trade, but yet another move the Steelers made to get a corner a season earlier.

That trade involved Brandon Boykin, and the Philadelphia Eagles, who received a conditional 2016 5th-round pick in exchange for a player considered one of the best nickel corners in the game at the time. Boykin failed to see playing time, as tension between the coaching staff rumored on the condition of the pick to the Eagles, as well as Boykin’s performance in practice and supposed knowledge of the playbook.

In short, the Steelers were accused of not playing Boykin because they would’ve had to give Philadelphia a higher draft pick, per the conditions of the trade.

Boykin would leave in free agency the following season, but I still don’t feel the move was a bad one. Incidentally, the Boykin and Gilbert trades occurred because the Steelers 2015 second round draft pick, CB Senquez Golson, was injured in each of his first two training camps.

If Golson stays healthy, the Steelers might not make either transaction.

That is much more significant, as a second round pick, rather than a fifth or sixth, hasn’t materialized into something tangible on the field. Regardless, these are low risk maneuvers the Steelers have made in order to attempt to bolster their defensive unit, to ultimately win a Super Bowl.

Would you trade a sixth round pick for the top corner taken overall two seasons earlier?

Would you trade a conditional draft pick for one of the top nickel corners in the league?

I say yes to both question, and you should too.