The Pittsburgh Steelers' biggest weakness during the 2025 preseason has been glaringly obvious—the backup offensive line. While the starters have been solid in limited action, the same cannot be said about the backups... and the Steelers need help.
At this rate, we would fully expect general manager Omar Khan to be looking at the waiver wire for O-line help after roster cutdowns, but there's a quality free agent that Pittsburgh is rumored to be interested in.
Seven-year Pro Dalton Risner has been a quality starter for the Denver Broncos and Minnesota Vikings over the years. Now the veteran is 30 years old and looking to land with a team. ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler reported on Wednesday that Risner worked out for the Bengals and will also visit the Seahawks. Interestingly, Fowler stated that visiting the Steelers is also under consideration.
If this is the case, Pittsburgh's front office should act fast.
The Pittsburgh Steelers should sign OG Dalton Risner for added OL depth
Dalton Risner has started 81 of 87 games in his first six NFL seasons. There's no question that he's going to want to start for a team. However, Risner dealt with a back injury in 2024, and there's reason enough for him to still be floating around on the free agent market.
The Steelers have a quality starting left guard in Isaac Seumalo (when healthy), while second-year player Mason McCormick already looks the part of a potential long-time starter. This means that finding a starting opportunity may not happen unless McCormick struggles or someone gets injured.
But money speaks, and the Steelers have plenty of it.
Though they can't (and shouldn't) guarantee Risner a starting job on the team, the Steelers could exceed the contract offer he could earn from another organization. Risner is coming off back-to-back one-year contracts in the $2.4 to $2.7 million range, and this would be easy for Pittsburgh to afford.
In theory, Risner could get the best of both worlds: the 30-year-old guard could get paid more than what other teams might offer him while also not putting his body on the line every play. He could be the first man off the bench if an injury occurs to the Steelers' interior offensive line while getting paid low-end starter money.
Of course, Risner could be looking to cash in one more time in his career, and he may rather go for a guaranteed starting opportunity. If that's the case, the Steelers are out of luck. But if it's about the money, Pittsburgh has the cash and the cap space to make this work.
Dalton Risner would give Mike Tomlin and offensive line coach Pat Meyer peace of mind if and when injuries strike on the offensive line in 2025, and the fact that the quality veteran is considering a visit with the Pittsburgh Steelers is a good sign.