The Steelers need to add to their offensive line this offseason, so here are five offensive tackles the team could pursue in free agency.
One of the weirdest positions to figure out for the Steelers, offensive tackle has a lot of question marks for the team as of now. Dan Moore is locked into a job, most likely at left tackle, but after that, it is a question mark.
Ideally, an upgrade at right tackle is brought in. Considering this team failed to meet with a tackle at the Senior Bowl, it may be a sign that a free agent will be brought in instead. Here are five free-agent targets for the Steelers at offensive tackle.
Steelers could target Robinson
One of the youngest names on this list, Cam Robinson is coming off playing on the franchise tag for the Jaguars and likely wants a new deal this offseason. While the early portion of his career was rough, he has since developed into a capable left tackle. Given his youth as well, he could potentially get a little better as well, as he may not be a finished product.
The issues with Robinson are two-fold. For starters, he is left-side specific, meaning that Moore would have to kick to the right side. While that isn’t the end of the world, it certainly is less than ideal. The other issue is cost, as Robinson won’t be cheap.
He has a projected annual salary of 16.8 million as of now. That is a significant investment for a player that is seen as a good tackle, but not elite. All of that said, he would be an upgrade over what this team has as of now and needs to be considered.
Steelers could target Pryor
A name I would circle right now, Matt Pryor screams what the Steelers want in a tackle if they were to sign one. He is still relatively young, has good size, and should be extremely cheap for a starter. Pryor was initially drafted by the Eagles before being traded to the Colts, where he continued to play well.
While not a consistent starter yet, Pryor has been a key swing tackle for the Colts this season. As well, he did fill in and start in five games last season. That gives him 15 total starts over the past two seasons. He has the build the Steelers seemingly want in their tackle as well, as he is tall and well filled in.
While there is some projection with Pryor, as he has never been a true starter, he would be an interesting option to work with. Top tackles get paid well, but Pryor’s next deal should be far more reasonable. He has looked good in his role as of now. There is some risk and projection in adding him, but at his cost compared to others it is well worth it. Keep an eye on his name moving forward.
Steelers could target Moses
A surprise cut from the last offseason, Morgan Moses was scooped up by the Jets and quickly became their starting right tackle. He continued his steady play there, as he never really took a step back despite joining a new team. He is set to be a free agent once again, and it seems as though the veteran should have a relatively healthy market for his services.
Moses is right tackle capably only, which is a technical limitation but one that the Steelers should be fine with. With Moore doing a fine job as a rookie on the left side, Moses could be signed and slotted to fill in at right tackle. He is a bit of a bigger body at 6’6, 335 pounds, but he moves well for his size. He would be a natural fit along this line.
The only two issues with Moses will be his age and what his next contract will look like. While 31 isn’t ancient for a lineman, he will be regressing sooner than later, which isn’t great if he wants a multi-year deal. As well, he likely won’t be as cheap as he was last season. Right tackles get paid less than left tackles, but that shouldn’t stop Moses from getting a larger deal. If the financials and length of the deal are ok though, he has to be a target for the team.
The Steelers could target Armstead
Similar to Robinson before, Terron Armstead is a left tackle-only prospect for any team that brings him in. One may wonder why he is farther up the list when he is about four years older and is projected to make more money than Robinson despite only playing left tackle. The simple answer to that is because when healthy, Armstead is one of the league’s best tackles.
While being one of the older prospects on this list isn’t great, tackles as a whole can play into their mid-thirties. With Armstead still playing at a high level, the Steelers would be a great fit for the tackle. He is a great technical pass protector. His run blocking isn’t as great, but he can certainly hold his own. He also has good athleticism for a player his size, which makes him an even more versatile blocker.
The issues with him lie in him being a left-side only type of tackle and his potential cost. His only playing on the left side would force Moore to move sides which isn’t ideal, but it can be worked with. As for his cost, he will likely want to be paid like a top tackle, meaning he will want in the range of 20 million dollars a season. If the Steelers can afford it though, he would instantly bring some talent to this devoid line.
Steelers should sign Brown
If the Steelers want to focus on just grabbing a right tackle only, Trent Brown makes the most sense for the team. The mountain of a man has consistently graded out as one of the better tackles in the league, and his listed size of 6’8, 380 pounds is exactly what the team wants on their right side (as evident by their push to make Zach Banner work there).
Brown excels as a road-grading run blocker who can hold his own in pass blocking. Considering his size, he is decent on the move and in space, although he is a far better tackle moving forward as opposed to side to side. He has a proven track record in the league as well. Since taking on a starting role in 2016, Brown has consistently been at least an above-average option and he even made the Pro Bowl in 2019.
The issues with him lie in his injury history. He has only played in 25 games over the past three seasons, and not being on the field was what made the Raiders trade him back to the Patriots last year. Brown is great when playing, but injuries seem to have bitten him recently. He is still young enough to come back from this, and the injury will also likely keep his cost down. If he can stay healthy, Brown is easily the best right tackle prospect and fit for the Steelers this offseason.
While it isn’t clear what the Steelers will do this offseason at tackle, they should have a few names to choose from in free agency. While the tackle position is in a slightly better position than the interior, both could reasonably be addressed. Keep an eye on these five names as free agency gets closer.