Steelers could add a high-profile offensive tackle in free agency

The offensive line was arguably the biggest weakness of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2021, but adding a quality OT could help change that in 2022.

I’ve been banging this drum for as long as I can remember. The Pittsburgh Steelers are notorious for spending as little draft capital at the offensive tackle position as possible.

Despite offensive tackle being a ‘money’ position and widely considered one of the most important jobs in football, Pittsburgh’s front office hasn’t spent more than a third-round pick on an offensive tackle in a decade. To go a step further, the Steelers haven’t invested a first-round pick on an offensive tackle since taking Jamain Stephens all the way back in 1996.

While it might not have worked out so well for them the last time, using a single pick 26 years ago as a means to justify not investing in the position today is a remarkably poor excuse. The Steelers have really struggled at offensive tackle since moving on from Alejandro Villanueva, yet they don’t seem to value the position enough to do anything about it.

I’m hoping that changes very soon. Recently, Bill Barnwell of ESPN predicted the landing spots of 10 top free agents still on the market. He had the Steelers signing offensive tackle, Eric Fisher.

Steelers could add Fisher

Fisher was a former number one overall draft choice back in 2013. Though he might not have lived up to such a lofty billing, he certainly hasn’t been a disappointment either. For the first eight years of his NFL career, Fisher was the blindside protector for Kansas City Chiefs as he helped keep Alex Smith and Patrick Mahomes upright.

In 2021, Fisher found a new home in Indianapolis. He was part of a Colts offensive line that was one of the best units in the league. Now Fisher could potentially land with a team to close out his remaining NFL years.

Fisher has never graded out as a top-10 offensive tackle, according to Pro Football Focus, but he has been pretty consistent. The two-time Pro Bowler has earned a grade above 68 for seven consecutive seasons — typically grading out between the 16th and 30th-best offensive tackle in the league.

At 31 years old, there isn’t a reason to suggest a significant decline in play, as we have seen that good offensive tackles can play well into their 30s. With his experience at left tackle, Fisher would be a massive upgrade over Dan Moore Jr.

I’m not giving up on Moore just yet. We saw flashes during his rookie season to believe that he could develop into a quality NFL offensive tackle — he certainly has the traits for it. However, it’s much more important than the Steelers have a good left tackle protecting Kenny Pickett early in his career.

Adding Fisher would make Pittsburgh’s projected starting OL look much better than it did just a season ago. This would be in addition to adding James Daniels and Mason Cole this offseason. Moore would then become the swing tackle for the Steelers and could potentially even compete with Chukwuma Okorafor for the starting right tackle role.

The Steelers have underestimated the importance of the offensive line over the years, and it’s starting to catch up with them. Adding a quality asset and proven player like Eric Fisher could really help this otherwise lackluster unit take another big step in the right direction.