Pittsburgh sent Sammie Coates and a 2019 seventh-round pick…
Pittsburgh sent Sammie Coates and a 2019 seventh-round pick to Cleveland on September 2, 2017 for Cleveland's 2018 sixth-round pick, the same selection Pittsburgh had previously sent away in the Justin Gilbert deal. Coates produced only 70 receiving yards for Cleveland in 2017, while the exchanged draft choices were later moved again before other clubs used them.
Cleveland Browns Received
- player Sammie Coates
- pick 2019 7th round pick (234th overall subsequently traded, Myles Gaskin )
Pittsburgh Steelers Received
- pick 2018 6th round pick (202nd overall subsequently traded, Jack Cichy )
Trade Analysis
What Pittsburgh Was Selling
Pittsburgh moved Sammie Coates after two uneven seasons in which his speed created explosive plays but injuries and inconsistency limited his role. The Steelers also attached a 2019 seventh-round pick. In return they reacquired Cleveland's 2018 sixth-round selection, a pick Pittsburgh had previously dealt to the Browns in the Justin Gilbert transaction. The move cleared a crowded receiver room while recovering draft capital.
What Cleveland Received
The Browns were buying upside at a low acquisition cost. Coates had averaged 20.7 yards per catch for Pittsburgh in 2016 and offered the size-speed profile Cleveland wanted around a young offense. The gamble did not pay off in production. He played 12 games for the Browns in 2017, started once, and finished with six receptions for 70 yards and no touchdowns before moving on after the season.
How the Draft Capital Played Out
The later names attached to the picks should not be treated as direct selections by Pittsburgh or Cleveland. Pittsburgh's 2018 sixth-rounder became the 202nd overall slot and was subsequently moved before Jack Cichy was selected. Cleveland's acquired 2019 seventh-rounder likewise changed hands before Myles Gaskin was taken at No. 234. Those downstream movements produced little direct value for either original club.
Why the Result Is Close
Pittsburgh successfully exited a player whose role had shrunk, while Cleveland paid only late-round capital for a legitimate athletic flier. Cleveland did not get meaningful receiving production, but Pittsburgh also did not turn the recovered pick into a durable contributor of its own.
Final Verdict
Even Trade. Pittsburgh gets a C for converting a fading depth receiver into a sixth-round asset. Cleveland also gets a C because the price was modest, but Coates' one-year impact was too small to create a clear advantage.
Coates's brief Cleveland stay left little separation between teams.