Grading the free agent/draft options for the Steelers
Before digging into the Steelers players themselves, I wanted to break down the free agents and potential rookies that could be replacements for the team.
Looking at tackles, the upcoming free-agent class is full of great names. The top three consist of Orlando Brown, Mike McGlinchey, and Kaleb McGary. All three are premiere players that should receive significant paydays, as they are plug-and-play tackles for the next four or more years. Of those three, McGary and McGlinchey are primarily right tackles.
You also have a pair of former first-round picks that have been hot and cold in Isaiah Wynn and Andre Dillard, as well as some older question marks in Taylor Lewan, Kelvin Beachum, and George Fant. That said, I don’t think any of these three would be clear upgrades and pose too much risk for a sizable deal in free agency.
In the draft, you have a deeper class that lacks a true top name at tackle. Peter Skoronski is the best lineman from a pro-ready aspect, but he has size questions that may force him to move inside. Paris Johnson, Broderick Jones, and Anton Harrison all have some desirable traits, but there is still some projection with them in the pros.
Names like Darnell Wright, Dawand Jones, and Jaelyn Duncan make up the second wave of players that could be targeted. They all need to prove that they can use their size at the next level, but all three have the potential to be starters in the NFL.
Looking inside, Nate Davis will be the top prize at guard in free agency. He has developed into a top player for the Titans and is only 26. Isaac Seumalo has taken a while to get there, but he has also become a fine blocker. Add in Ben Powers and Dalton Risner and you have four plug-and-play guards. Behind them though is a lot of questions.
The draft is shallower here up top than tackle, but important to note is the potential for some of the tackles to kick inside as mentioned before. Outside of that, O’Cyrus Torrence is your true top guard, as his size and strength make him an instant mismatch for an offense.
Steve Avila and Andrew Vorhees are the only other names that stick out as early starters. This trio should see the field early, but given their age, I don’t think their ceilings are notably high. Tackle has lower floors in the draft, but the potential is higher overall.
I’d say tackle is slightly deeper this offseason, as the draft and free agency all have players that could fill in. In terms of guard, unless you are landing Davis in free agency, your focus is getting a safe and consistent player over a potential superstar.