3 predictions for Steelers new-look offensive line in 2021
By Tommy Jaggi
Kendrick Green will be a step up from an old Maurkice Pouncey
Normally, I would say that it would be extremely bold to predict that a third-round rookie could step in and be an upgrade over a 9-time Pro Bowl player. However, I think that’s exactly what would happen for the Steelers at the center position in 2021 with Kendrick Green.
Maurkice Pouncey was a terrific player for Pittsburgh and was widely known as one of the better centers in the league for nearly a decade. However, over the last two seasons of his NFL career prior to his retirement, Pouncey’s play took a swift downward spiral.
It almost irritates me that Pouncey made the Pro Bowl each of the last two seasons despite how poorly he performed on the field. I truly do believe that this was a case of getting by on reputation alone.
While Kendrick Green wasn’t exactly a popular name entering the 2021 NFL Draft, his film shows just how good he could be as a professional. Green is compact but is a violent football player with terrific athleticism, and he really packs a punch. He will go through some growing pains, but I really do believe that he could be an upgrade over an old Pouncey.