Two Reason Steelers Might Be Considering Adding a Lineman
PITTSBURGH -- As much as the Pittsburgh Steelers want their key pieces on the offensive line to be the building blocks for the future, there might be questions.
The Steelers recently had free agent guard Trai Turner visit with the team after minicamp. Turner, a five-time Pro Bowler, is only 28-years-old and looking to rebound after an injury-filled year in Los Angeles.
Why would the Steelers want a guard, though? David DeCastro has more than proven himself as a solidified star in this league, and Kevin Dotson appears to be the next great offensive lineman in Pittsburgh.
Reason one could be depth. Outside of DeCastro and Dotson, the Steelers' interior line depth is limited. While J.C. Hassenauer and B.J. Finney compete for the starting center job, Rashaad Coward is taking first-team reps at guard.
Kendrick Green is the center of the future. Hopefully. So, spending time at guard isn't helping his transition.
Hassenauer and Finney will fill in nicely as a swing guard throughout the season, but if either earns the starting job, there's only one true option to play backup to DeCastro and Dotson.
Maybe that's not enough.
The Steelers could be looking at Turner like they did Stefen Wisniewski, a reliable veteran to have as an option. It doesn't mean he's a permanent piece to the puzzle.
The second reason might be more concerning. While Mike Tomlin was firm in his stance that DeCastro's missed time was not a major issue, there has to be some reason the 10-year vet didn't participate in minicamp. For the last two days, he wasn't even present on the field.
DeCastro missed two games last season with injuries. He had a knee issue in training camp that lingered into the early portion of the season.
The 31-year-old lineman is hitting a point where wear and tear is something to worry about. DeCastro has been a force - and a reliable one - on the offensive line for nearly a decade. That doesn't mean everyone hits a breaking point eventually.
Until training camp starts, it's hard to say exactly what's happening in Pittsburgh. And until anything is confirmed, believing the Steelers want depth is a much easier thought than trying to retire DeCastro before he's gone.
It's certainly something to monitor, though.
Noah Strackbein is a Publisher with AllSteelers. Follow Noah on Twitter @NoahStrack, and AllSteelers @si_steelers.
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