The Pittsburgh Steelers have upgraded several of their biggest weaknesses in the early stages of free agency, but there is still plenty of work that can (and should) be done. General manager Omar Khan and head coach Mike McCarthy are intent on being a contender as soon as possible, and that means using all the resources they have at their disposal to fill any gaping holes in the roster.
One of those holes is a rather large one (pun intended), thanks to the departure of starting guard Isaac Seumalo. The veteran decided to take his talents to the deserts of Arizona, signing a three-year deal worth $31.5 million with the Cardinals. The price is a bit steep for an aging and oft-injured interior lineman, but his level of play last season would be well worth that salary.
Pittsburgh likely never offered Seumalo a deal to return, and if they did, it wouldn't have compared to what he got on the open market. With that said, however, it creates a serious need after three seasons of steady performance at the left guard spot. Here are three veteran stopgaps who could be the answer while they search for a long-term option.
3 veteran guards who could replace Pittsburgh Steelers left guard Isaac Seumalo
Joel Bitonio
After over a decade of competing against him as a member of the Cleveland Browns, the Steelers could be an ideal landing spot if Joel Bitonio wants to keep playing. The seven-time Pro Bowler has had a fringe Hall of Fame career, but he has suffered a similar fate to his former teammate Joe Thomas.
Thomas spent a decade with the Browns and is considered one of the best left tackles in NFL history, but he never got to play in even one playoff game thanks to the Browns' struggles as a franchise. Bitonio has at least played in a few playoff games (including the Browns' Wildcard victory over the Steelers in 2020), but he could look to help the Steelers end their lengthy playoff win drought in 2026.
James Daniels
The connection here is an obvious one, as Daniels spent three seasons with Pittsburgh from 2022 to 2024 before signing with Miami for the 2025 season. Unfortunately for the veteran guard, injuries have kept him out of all but five games over the last two seasons. In fact, he only made it a few snaps into his Dolphins tenure before suffering a pectoral injury that cut his season short.
Health is the big question for Daniels, as he was playing some of his best football back in 2024 before tearing his Achilles in Week 4. Assuming he is fully healed from that injury and his pec is feeling better, a team looking for a cheap upgrade at guard could hit big by bringing him in. The Steelers should absolutely be one of those teams. He hasn't played left guard much in recent years, but he has shown the versatility to line up anywhere along the interior.
Brady Christensen
Speaking of versatility, Panthers free agent offensive lineman Brady Christensen could be the Steelers' best combination of price and flexibility. Christensen has played over 200 snaps at four of the five spots along the OL, with right tackle being the only outlier. He was Carolina's primary left guard back in 2022, and was their starting right guard in 2025 before injuries ended his season early.
Injuries have unfortunately played a big part in keeping Christensen from becoming an established starter, but he could benefit from having a full-time position instead of being moved around. At worst, he could compete with a potential draft pick in training camp and provide quality depth if he were to lose that battle.