The Steelers' offensive line was bitten by the injury bug in 2024, as three players were lost for the season. One of those players was starting right guard James Daniels. The former free-agent signing proved to be one of the most consistent offensive linemen on the team since signing with Pittsburgh in 2022.
After suffering a ruptured Achilles, fourth-round rookie Mason McCormick took over the starting gig. Daniels played excellent football early in the season before being lost for the year. Now the veteran guard is an unrestricted free agent and heading toward a significant payday.
He may have already found his next suitor.
In what was a looming decision many predicted, Cowboys offensive guard Zack Martin officially announced his retirement from the NFL. Martin, a first-round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, was a nine-time Pro Bowler and seven-time First-Team All-Pro offensive lineman for the Dallas Cowboys who will have a bust in Canton when he's eligible for Hall of Fame honors.
Now the Cowboys are left with a hole at right guard that Daniels would be itching to fill.
Steelers will lose James Daniels in free agency
On his first 209 snaps of the 2024 season before suffering the Achilles injury, Daniels was the number-one graded guard in the NFL—earning an outstanding 92.9 overall grade from Pro Football Focus. The Steelers offensive lineman was on the fast track to a massive payday during the 2025 offseason.
While the injury could impact the size of his paycheck, the Steelers are unlikely to fork up a big enough contract to keep him around when they have so many roster needs elsewhere. Pittsburgh will look to spend their free agent budget and draft choices this offseason on positions like wide receiver, defensive line, cornerback, and running back.
Retaining a guard coming off a season-ending injury won't be high on their list—especially considering the draft investments Pittsburgh's front office made in the offensive line over the past two offseasons.
Daniels, 27, still has plenty of gas left in the tank and has had a respectable career as a former second-round pick. If the Dallas Cowboys don't want to give him the contract he feels he has earned, Daniels will find it from a different team.
Either way, all signs point to the Steelers losing James Daniels in free agency this offseason. We wish him the best of luck in his next destination (unless it's with an AFC North rival).