The Steelers will need to add a few faces to their offensive line, and these eight interior linemen should be squarely on the team’s radar.
The Steelers had a notably disappointing output from the interior of their offensive line. Now, with Trai Turner possibly out the door and Kendrick Green more of a question mark than an answer, the team will have to target this group heavily in the offseason.
While the draft will be a natural solution here, there are quite a few quality linemen available in the upcoming crop of free agents. Here are eight interior linemen that make the most sense for the Steelers in free agency.
Steelers should sign Price
Billy Price is a name that should be recognized by the Steelers faithful, and unfortunately, it isn’t for the best of reasons. Originally drafted out of Ohio State by the Bengals, Price was seen as a bust for the longest time. All you had to do was put on some clips of Cameron Heyward and Stephon Tuitt manhandling him twice a year as proof. He was traded to the Giants in exchange for B.J. Hill.
He actually looked like a new player along the Giants line, and as a result, now he is an intriguing option heading into free agency. It seems like Price finally took a few steps forward and is now a capable starter in this league.
Better yet, he has both guard and center capabilities, meaning that the Steelers could use him in a variety of ways. His contract will likely be shorter and won’t break the bank, but Price has to be a target for the team.
Steelers should sign Karras
A name that I think Steelers’ name should really look into, Ted Karras is a versatile and talented offensive lineman for the Patriots. He can play all three interior positions effectively and has a track record of being both a good starter and a great reserve. The Patriots used him all over their line last year, and not he should be seen as a capable and effective starter moving forward.
The Dolphins signed Karras two seasons ago and he served as their starting center. They surprisingly cut him after just one season so he returned to the Patriots, where he started 13 out of 17 games. Now he enters free agency once again and he is likely looking for a more stable job. The Steelers need to come calling, as he could fill in at center or guard effectively next season.
On top of this, his contract shouldn’t break the bank, as he was only signed to a 3-million dollar deal this offseason. While he will likely get a pay bump, he won’t suddenly be making an obscene amount of money. He can play at any spot and be an effective interior starter. He still has plenty of tread left on his tires, so Karras to the Steelers makes a lot of sense this offseason.
Steelers should sign Corbett
Another name that should sound familiar, Austin Corbett was a former early second-round pick by the Browns in 2018. He had a tough start to his career, was labeled as a bust, and was quickly flipped for a future fifth-round pick from the Rams. Since joining Los Angeles though, he has blossomed into a quality starter.
In the past two seasons, Corbett has posted PFF grades in the high 60’s and low 70’s. Considering the Steelers’ highest linemen fell below what he posted this season, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to say that signing him would make him the best linemen on the roster. It would instantly beef up the interior of this line, which was easily the weakest aspect of this roster this season.
While he has taken the steps he has at guard, one could make Corbett play center as he did in college and was experimented with at the NFL level. Like Karras, Corbett could fill in at a variety of positions for the team going forward. Of all the names so far, he will likely see the most money thrown his way. While a bit more expensive, Corbett would make a lot of sense for the Steelers in this offseason.
Steelers should sign Jensen
While getting a natural star and dominant force along the interior of this line would be great, in all honesty, the team should be focused on just finding a consistently good lineman. Look no further than Ryan Jensen from the Buccaneers, as he has been a model of consistency for years both with Tampa Bay and with the Ravens before them.
Like most of the names before him, Jensen can also flex some position flexibility. While the Steelers would be wise to keep him at center where he has thrived, he was a guard at the beginning of his career and could play there if needed once again. He also just made it to his first Pro Bowl this season, pointing to the fact that he is finally getting recognized for his solid play in the league.
While I’m sure the Buccaneers would want him back if they had their way, salary cap concerns mixed with them suddenly needing a quarterback may cause them to lose out on Jensen. If he enters free agency the Steelers must be all over him. He would be an instant upgrade over Green and would take over as the best interior lineman on this roster. While a little older, Jensen should still have a few quality seasons left. He has to be a top target this offseason.
Steelers should sign Tomlinson
An example of the wrong team derailing his career, the Lions made Laken Tomlinson their top choice in the draft back in 2015. His career started off pretty slow, which most expected from the Duke player. The Lions cut bait with him after just two seasons of mediocre play, trading him to the 49ers for a future fifth-round pick.
His success there wasn’t instantaneous either, but within a few seasons, he finally developed into a top guard. No, he is set to enter free agency for the first time and the Steelers have to have the guard as one of their top prospects. He is still under the age of 30, meaning he should have quite a few seasons of good play ahead of him, and he was just nominated to his first Pro Bowl.
The only issue, outside of his potential cost, would be Tomlinson’s position versatility, or lack thereof. He is exclusively a left guard, which happens to be Kevin Dotson’s spot on the roster. That said, Dotson was a right guard in school, so he could potentially move back to the right side next season. Tomlinson would be a great addition to the team, even if it meant spending a good chunk of money to bring him in.
Steelers should sign Norwell
Big things were expected of Andrew Norwell when the Jaguars signed him to a mega-deal from the Panthers. While he has never been a bad player, he certainly hasn’t lived up to some of the lofty expectations that were put upon him with that contract. That said, he is still young enough to be an effective guard and is talented enough to start for the Steelers.
One thing that Norwell brings to the table that the Steelers have been lacking is size. He is 6’6 and well over 320 pounds. That type of size is reminiscent of Ramon Foster and is a far cry from the undersized Green. Having a big mauler like Norwell who can still move would make this line all the better. He is a people mover through and through and the team has been missing that since Foster retired.
Like Tomlinson, Norwell has exclusively played left guard as a pro. That means that Dotson would be required to move if he were to be signed. That all said, Norwell would be a fine addition to this group. His contract should be far more affordable than his previous one and he can be a capable starter for the next few seasons on top of it.
Steelers should sign Daniels
A player like James Daniels has to be on this team’s radar heading into the offseason. The young, talented, and versatile offensive linemen for the Bears will only be 25 next season and he has already entrenched himself as a top interior lineman in the league. While his projected contract value next season is projected at only 7.3 million dollars (I believe that to be a massive undervaluation), the team needs to be willing to break the bank for him.
Daniels played mostly center while at Iowa but has become one of the more underrated guards in the NFL. He has deceptive athleticism and can get a push in both the run and pass game. His best playing days are still ahead of him and he can be a contributor for an extended period of time. The combination of youth and talent make him one of, if not the most, appealing interior linemen on this list.
While never one of the top-rated guards in the league, Daniel has yet to have a completely bad season. He constantly grades out in the high 60’s or low 70’s on PFF has earned rave reviews for a lineman from the Bears. With the Steelers having so many questions along the interior of the line, Daniels would be a huge get. He would be a plug and play guard instantly and could kick back inside to center in a pinch if needed.
The Steelers should target Scherff
The prototype of a franchise guard, Brandon Scherff has been an extremely good starter ever since being taken by the Commanders in the draft. While a tackle at Iowa, he quickly kicked inside to right guard as a pro and hasn’t looked back. He has been franchised tagged for two consecutive seasons by the Commanders and now likely heads into free agency.
While he will surely be the top name on the market, the Steelers have to be buyers for his services. While just over 30-years old, he should have 3-4 great seasons left in him before he begins to regress. Adding him to this line finally gives them some much-needed interior strength. He and Dotson would be quite the pairing in 2022.
He has five Pro Bowls to his name and an All-Pro season on top of it. He would give the Steelers a pair of capable guards for the foreseeable future while they sort out their tackles and center spot. Easily the biggest name in free agency, he is one that the team has to pursue. He is an athletic monster along the interior and would do a long way in bringing this offensive line back to its former days.
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The Steelers will have more money to play with than usual in free agency, and as a result, they should be targeting some offensive linemen. There are a bunch of interior options set to hit free agency right now, and the Steelers have to be buyers. These eight names would go a long way in restoring this unit to a strength.