Washington traded tackle Shar Pourdanesh to Pittsburgh in…

The Exchange

Washington sent offensive tackle Shar Pourdanesh to Pittsburgh in August 1999. The compensation was a conditional 2000 seventh-round pick that would transfer if Pourdanesh made the Steelers' roster. He did, so the condition was satisfied and Washington received the selection that became No. 216, Delbert Cowsette. The final cost was therefore a real seventh-round choice, not an unresolved condition. Pittsburgh Steelers Return Pittsburgh gained veteran tackle depth while limiting its risk through the condition. If Pourdanesh had failed to make the roster, the draft cost would not have been triggered. Because he did remain with the club, the Steelers paid the late pick and received the immediate roster help they were seeking. That type of conditional structure is useful when a team wants experience without committing meaningful draft capital up front. Washington Commanders Return Washington converted a player it was willing to move into a seventh-round selection and eventually used the pick on Cowsette. The return was modest but tangible. A late pick offered another roster opportunity and prevented the transaction from becoming a giveaway. The Commanders' side therefore has defensible value even though the selection carried less certainty than the veteran Pittsburgh acquired. Value in Hindsight The deal stayed small enough that neither team created a major advantage. Pittsburgh's edge comes from the fit between cost and need: the Steelers only paid after Pourdanesh made the roster, and the realized price remained a seventh-round pick. Washington did well to recover something, but the conditional structure and immediate utility of the player make Pittsburgh's side slightly more attractive. Final Verdict Pittsburgh earns a C+ and Washington a C. The Steelers obtained the tackle depth they wanted for a protected, low-end draft cost, while Washington received a legitimate late selection after the condition was met. Both outcomes were reasonable, but Pittsburgh extracted the more useful immediate return and therefore receives the narrow win.