Over the past twenty years, the Pittsburgh Steelers offensive line has been one of the greatest position groups in all of sports. Even though the game has become substantially more pass-heavy in that time frame, the old parable still rings true that “everything starts up front”. Pittsburgh has struggled intensely on the offensive side of the ball and most analysts blame the quarterback position for being unable to make plays for the Steel City. Like most things in life, it isn’t that simple as all problems inevitably have a root cause.
Steelers must Identify their Biggest Problem
At the offensive line position, major changes usually come in waves. A likely cause is that these players rely on a sense of camaraderie and teamwork to function cohesively so it is possible they like to stick together and then retire/leave at once. The Pittsburgh Steelers offensive line separated following the 2020 NFL season when All-Pro Center Maurkice Pouncey, All-Pro Guard David DeCastro and starting right tackle Zach Banner decided to retire, That was the same season that the Steelers let starting left tackle Alejandro Villanueva and left guard Matthew Feiler leave in free agency.
Just like that, the entire Pittsburgh offensive line leaves and the franchise is left to attempt a complete rebuild in a position group that requires familiarity and trust. Since that year, Pittsburgh has attempted to rebuild the line by signing “mercenaries” or players that travel around on short term contracts attempting to stay in the league but has invested little draft or salary cap resources into the position.
Which Players Could Make the Cut
While its too early to tell with newly drafted first round pick right tackle Broderick Jones, the rest of the Pittsburgh Steelers offensive line should be completely scrapped and rebuilt at the end of the season. Veteran James Daniels was signed to a three-year contract for $26.5 million in 2022 but has not performed adequately to deserve that high contract.
The rest of the line shouldn’t even be considered. From Left Tackle to Center, the offensive line has played horribly this season and should be replaced. Left Tackle Dan Moore Jr., left guard Isaac Seumalo and center Mason Cole are all low draft pick value players that will not impact the salary cap substantially if they were released following the season or allowed to remain on the roster as backups.
Ideal Candidates for Next Season
The number one objective that Pittsburgh should follow will be to draft an offensive lineman in the NFL Draft in April. Where the Steelers draft will dictate which position on the line they should take: if they tank the rest of the season (which is very possible based on the play of the offense as a whole), they could get a draft pick in the top 15, in which case they should invest in their next long term left tackle.
If the team finishes the season well and gets into the playoffs, they’ll finish with a draft pick in the 20s most likely which would be too late to feel confident in a starting left tackle. In this circumstance, Pittsburgh could select the best guard or center in the draft and build their offensive line from the inside out.
In terms of free agency, I have a list of players that would mesh together and build Pittsburgh a substantially improved chance on the offensive side of the ball. At left tackle, the team should bring in current Cowboys tackle Tyron Smith. Smith has been an an all-pro multiple times in his career but could be pushed out of Dallas based on the team selecting Tyler Smith in the draft as the future left tackle. Smith is currently on a $12 million per year contract and could be cheaper than that based on his age of 32.
At the guard positions, the best options available for their likely cap situations will be Ravens right guard Kevin Zeitler and Vikings left guard Dalton Risner. Both of these guards have been an exceptional guard for their entire careers especially as run blockers on the interior. Zeitler is north of 30 and should come at a bargain and Risner garnered suprisingly low interest during his stint in free agency this past year. Pittsburgh should be able to get both players for relatively cheap.
Center is a little bit more difficult but the number one free agent on my radar is Dolphins center/guard Connor Williams who has helped build Miami into the best offense in the NFL. Williams is younger and could come at a cost of around $10 million per year but as the leader of the offensive line, it would be wise to invest in a good young center.
Offensive Line Disclaimers
The most difficult part of building a strong offensive line is that even if you get elite talent, it doesn’t happen overnight. Offensive line is different than any position in all of sports because it depends more on teamwork and communication than pure skill. Pittsburgh would need to give this new offensive line a year or two to mesh and then when some of the older pieces retire, fill the gaps as they go rather than letting the whole group leave at once.
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