The Pittsburgh Steelers are moving forward with their preparations.
Pittsburgh Mason Cole, the starting center for the Pittsburgh Steelers, left the team far sooner than expected. The organization has essentially no notion how the free agency market and the NFL Draft are expected to unfold, even if the veteran was thought of as a cap casualty this offseason. This is because he was released before the NFL Combine.
They most likely have a plan, though.
Cole’s release removes $4.75 million from the Steelers’ salary limit, leaving them with about $12.25 million in cash that they may use to resign players and sign free agents. They might be keeping an eye on a veteran like Brian Allen, but this move is probably meant to bump up two upcoming youngsters on their draft board.
The Steelers “absolutely love” West Virginia prospect Zach Frazier and have already visited twice with Oregon star Jackson Powers-Johnson this offseason. The two are the NFL Draft’s top two center prospects.
This week, Pittsburgh will attend the NFL Combine, where they will be able to learn even more about the center possibilities. Although it was always anticipated that they would be fixated on the linemen throughout the week, it appears that this focus will only intensify, and the team will likely meet with both Powers-Johnson and Frazier
.
Powers-Johnson is a unanimous All-American and the recipient of the Rimington Trophy. NFL Draft guru Daniel Jeremiah has already dubbed Frazier a “day one starter” and named him to the first team of the Big 12.
The Steelers’ needs for NFL Draft are right tackle, cornerback, safety, wide receiver, inside linebacker, and defensive line. Fortunately, they have choices in free agency to address some of these, so they may not need to make many urgent fills before heading into the NFL Draft.
The Steelers are trying to return to a period when they didn’t have to worry about the leader of their offensive line because it has been a few years since they had a great center. This is similar to their situation with the quarterback position. A throwback to the Maurkice Pouncey and Ben Roethlisberger era.
There are two names in this NFL Draft who have the ability to take that tension away, and the Steelers appear to be fully committed to selecting one of them.
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