Wrapping up our series looking at Kevin Colbert’s best/worst trades with the Vance McDonald deal. With Heath Miller retiring prior to the 2017 season, Pittsburgh had a need at tight end. For the price of a 2018 fourth-round pick, the Steelers acquired McDonald and a 2018 fifth-round pick from the San Francisco 49ers.
McDonald’s first season in Pittsburgh wasn’t anything special, as he had just 14 catches for 188 yards and a touchdown. Jesse James was the primary starter at tight end, and Pittsburgh went 13-3 before losing in the divisional round to the Jacksonville Jaguars. McDonald got more of an opportunity in 2018, as he started 14 games, and he cashed in with 50 receptions for 610 yards and four touchdowns in what would be his best year as a member of the Steelers.