LATROBE, Pa. – Consider it a fortuitous bounce of the football that a quality cornerback was even available for the Pittsburgh Steelers to acquire without giving up at least a mid-round pick to get him.

Brandon Boykin didn’t coalesce with Chip Kelly, clearly wanted to be elsewhere and wasn’t wanted by his own head coach, and much of that had nothing to do with his ability. Boykin can play. Good corners still on rookie deals are hard to get.

That's why, with second-round rookie corner Senquez Golson likely sidelined for the season, the Steelers made the best move of their young season by giving up a fifth-rounder for Boykin.

The timing of the Brandon Boykin trade was very good for the Steelers. Keith Srakocic/AP

Getting Boykin is a reminder that NFL teams can never be too comfortable. With three quality but not premier corners in Cortez Allen, William Gay and Antwon Blake, the Steelers needed at least one more difference-maker. Golson was supposed to be that guy. By drafting Golson in the second round and Doran Grant in the fourth, the Steelers could have checked that box and moved onto building another position.

But they had the foresight to push on a Boykin deal even in the months before Golson reported to training camp with an injured shoulder that eventually required surgery. Golson had the surgery done this week. It’s uncertain if he’s out for the season but, even if he returns, the Steelers can’t exactly count on him for 2015.

“We had been communicating with those guys for quite some time,” said coach Mike Tomlin about the team's conversations with the Eagles.

Maybe Kelly was willing to dump Boykin regardless of the value of the pick, but consider: If the Steelers called the Eagles after Golson’s injury, as a desperate reaction, perhaps Philly would have sensed that and pushed for a better pick. And maybe the deal doesn’t get done in that case.

By coveting Boykin early, that allowed time for both sides to cut a sensible deal while leaving every opening for Pittsburgh. If Golson was healthy and played well in 2015, you'd have the option to re-sign Boykin, a free agent after 2015, or let him walk after a year. No harm. He’d be worth a fifth-round pick even for one productive year if it came to that. With Golson out, however, Boykin becomes a necessity.

This was a case where being proactive paid off. The Steelers addressed corner in the draft and still weren’t done. They knew they are loaded on offense and had to enliven the other side of the ball.

Boykin is no savior, but he’s an instant playmaker at a position that needs it.

Now, if they just would have picked a corner in the first round...