Tendering Matt Feiler: A+
This move was completely necessary for the Steelers. During his time in Pittsburgh, Matt Feiler has proved to be a versatile player who can play both guard and tackle. With the Steelers losing Ramon Foster to retirement and B.J. Finney to free agency, tendering Feiler was an absolute must.
The second-round tender cost Pittsburgh just $3.259 million, according to Over the cap – a bargain for a player who will undoubtedly start somewhere along the offensive line in 2020. Feiler graded out as the Steelers top offensive lineman in 2019, according to Pro Football Focus, and there is no way you could have retained him on a cheaper deal with an extension. This was a high priority for Pittsburgh.
Feiler’s future beyond 2020 is still up in the air. While the veteran offensive lineman turns 28 years old before training camp this year, he is still one of the youngest projected starting offensive linemen for the Steelers on the league’s oldest o-line unit in the league. If he continues to play well in 2020, Pittsburgh could look to give him an extension next offseason to provide some consistency to this unit who could be losing players like Alejandro Villanueva and Maurkice Pouncey over the next two seasons.