Steelers' "big" addition receives compliment from potential Hall of Famer
When the Pittsburgh Steelers signed former Eagle guard Isaac Seumalo in free agency, they added a considerable starter. An above-average player that would immediately upgrade the offensive line, Seumalo will likely be a notable addition this fall. But according to his former teammate and Super Bowl Champion Jason Kelce, the Steelers are getting much more […]
When the Pittsburgh Steelers signed former Eagle guard Isaac Seumalo in free agency, they added a considerable starter.
An above-average player that would immediately upgrade the offensive line, Seumalo will likely be a notable addition this fall.
But according to his former teammate and Super Bowl Champion Jason Kelce, the Steelers are getting much more than a serviceable starter. Let's see what he said:
I think he's one of the best guards in the NFL, and I think he has been, Kelce told reporters when speaking on Seumalo. "I think he's one of the most consistent players I've ever been around, one of the most consistent people I've ever been around. So we're not going to replace Isaac, there's going to be someone new in there, and they're going to have their attributes that they're going to excel with, and I'm looking forward to seeing who does a really good job with that.
That is quite the compliment from one of the best centers ever to play the game. And the best part is, we have more than compliments to prove it, as Seumalo finished the 2022 season with an impressive pass block win rate of 93.6% placing him 15th amongst all active guards.
So we know he can protect the interior of the pocket, keeping Kenny Pickett upright and ready to throw, but he's more than a one-trick pony. Seumalo was a key cog in the Eagles' 2022 rushing attack, helping spring Miles Sanders and Jalen Hurts to an average of nearly 150 yards per game on the ground.
Seumalo has dealt with injury concerns but he's coming off his most durable year yet, playing in all 17 games of the regular season and all the way to the Super Bowl, where he handled the task of blocking Chiefs star defensive tackle Chris Jones swimmingly.
Still in his twenties until midway through next season, offensive linemen have longer primes than most skill positions in the NFL, making the next three years of his career exciting for Steelers fans, especially when you consider his deal has less than $7 million in guarantees.
Isaac is a really, really special player, Kelce said. I know we've said that here for a long time, and I still don't think people really truly grasp what he did for our room. And me personally, I think he's probably the smartest player I've ever been around. Really, really gifted physically, mentally, across the board. So I think the Steelers are getting a steal, that's a good pun, I guess.
