News broke Monday that concerned a former Pittsburgh Steelers player, and unfortunately, it wasn’t positive news. The Dolphins made numerous moves, one of which was cutting former Steelers guard James Daniels.
Now, a reunion with the Steelers feels like a match made in heaven.
Daniels may not be an elite player, but when healthy, he is a capable starter with a long track record of being a valuable part of an offensive front. His past two seasons have been tough as injuries have limited him to just five games.
However, before that, Daniels was a relatively healthy starter. Heck, it wasn’t too long ago that Steelers fans were up in arms about Daniels not getting a new deal because his play was so good. Now, the team has a chance to reunite at a likely bargain rate.
James Daniels makes too much sense for the Pittsburgh Steelers
It felt like the Dolphins had capitalized on an injury to land Daniels at a great price. They inked him to a three-year deal worth only $8 million per year. In a guard market that saw above-average names getting paid $15 million or more a season, this deal seemed too good to be true.
They paired Daniels with Jonah Savaiinaea, a second-round pick, to form a strong guard duo. As we know, the Dolphins imploded this year, though. Daniels missed all but one game, and Savaiinaea graded out as one of the worst guards in the NFL.
Miami is clearly prepping for a rebuild. They parted ways with Tyreek Hill in addition to Daniels yesterday, and it is widely expected that Tua Tagovailoa will depart at some point this offseason.
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Daniels isn’t past his prime at 28 years old, but he isn’t a spring chicken either. With no ties to the coaching staff, cutting Daniels was a logical cost-cutting move.
For the Steelers though, this seems like the perfect fit.
Daniels won’t be expensive this year, coming off back-to-back season-ending injuries. I’d assume he costs more than the minimum, but a one- or two-year deal in the range of $4 million a season seems realistic.
If added to the roster, he gives you a load of versatility. We have seen him start and perform extremely well in Pittsburgh. He can instantly slot in and replace Isaac Seumalo.
Given his cost, he also won’t have to start. If Spencer Anderson wins the job in camp, fine, Daniels can serve as depth. If you love someone in the draft who is ready to start, you can still take them and have Daniels in a reserve role.
He can play anywhere along the interior. While he hasn’t gotten center reps in a bit, as a backup, he would be an upgrade over anything this team currently has. Add in the fact that he won’t count towards the comp pick formula since he was cut, and that is just gravy on top.
For a cheap, low-risk deal, reuniting with Daniels is a logical move for the Steelers. There is no downside to such a move, and he continues to keep the offensive line room strong.