Steelers 'in the market' for a weak position in NFL Draft
An overhaul is happening along the Pittsburgh Steelers' offensive line, and it began last year. James Daniels and Mason Cole were brought in to add stability to the interior, and offensive tackle remains a prime position for the team to target in the upcoming NFL Draft. Cole is the starting center at this moment, but […]
An overhaul is happening along the Pittsburgh Steelers' offensive line, and it began last year.
James Daniels and Mason Cole were brought in to add stability to the interior, and offensive tackle remains a prime position for the team to target in the upcoming NFL Draft.
Cole is the starting center at this moment, but more competition could be added to push him out of the job, or off the roster entirely.
The Steelers already added a starting guard in Isaac Seumalo, and a new center could be on the way as well. Pro Football Network insider Tony Pauline wrote in a recent report that the Steelers are one of several teams in the market for a center in the draft.
"The Houston Texans also need a blocker on the pivot, while the Pittsburgh Steelers and Indianapolis Colts are also in the market for a center." – PFN's Tony Pauline
While Cole, a sixth-year veteran in 2023, isn't much to write home about, this year's class of centers isn't spectacular either. A few stand out at the top in Minnesota's John Michael Schmitz and Wisconsin's Joe Tippmann. Both are projected second round picks, where the Steelers have two selections.
Arkansas' Ricky Stromberg is another name to watch, and like both Schmitz and Tippmann, he fits perfectly in the Steelers' zone blocking scheme. Stromberg could be had sometime in the fourth round or later.
A new center with more upside than Cole would raise the floor of the offensive line as a whole, but shouldn't take precedent over at least one offensive tackle being drafted early. With the quality of this class being what it is, that isn't going to be a problem.
